This 5.1 speaker system transformed my PC gaming setup, and it's a steal at $240 off
This 5.1 setup comes with surround sound speakers, SteelSeries GG for all the customization a user could ask for and some slick RGB lighting to boot. It's a whole soundscape in a box, and after 8 months of using them for all my gaming, movie marathons and music, it's easy to recommend.
So, why get these over one of the best gaming headsets? Well, if you don't have neighbours to annoy, it's hard to beat feeling completely enveloped while playing intense, narrative-driven titles or high-stakes multiplayer matches without having your ears covered.
Still, its price is a tall order. Fortunately, it's just got a major price cut, as the SteelSeries Arena 9 speakers are now over $240 off at Amazon. At this price, and to really give your PC an audio upgrade, this is a steal.
Boasting an immersive 5.1 surround sound setup complete with a powerful subwoofer, finely tuned woofers and tweeters for front and rear audio, along with reactive RGB lighting, the SteelSeries Arena 9 take audio in the games, movies and music you play up a notch — whether that's on PC, Mac or PS5.
If you're looking to leave gaming headsets at the door and unleash the full sound of the headbanging soundtrack of Doom: The Dark Ages while ripping your way through demons, or want to feel like sitting in a warm tavern, enjoying a game of cards with friends in Hearthstone, then the SteelSeries Arena 9 are up to the task.
I've always tended to reach for a headset if I want to hear an enemy's footsteps in, say, Valorant or Call of Duty: Warzone, but now I needn't do so because the sound on the Arena 9 offers a truly cinematic 3D soundstage.
Gaming aside, while some had remarked that 5.1 upscaling wasn't great at launch, I found it to be a great way to listen to my eclectic music collection, both through USB (Windows) or via Bluetooth (Mac).
The chiptune-esque synths and djenty guitar chugs of Sleep Token's album ''Even In Arcadia'' sound great, with the right amount of bass hitting from the floor-based sub-woofer and everything folding in nicely from the desktop speakers.
Beyond sound, the Arena 9s also offer a few touches that make adjusting sound a breeze. Whether it's to switch connection type or just hit mute when I need to make a phone call, the puck-like remote is handy to have. Plus, the control pad offers a whole host of EQ options and customization.
Oh, and who needs smart lighting when the speakers come with their own? Thankfully, SteelSeries GG's settings for tweaking the lighting on your speakers are, quite frankly, very impressive. You can have them cycle through colors, set solid hues for each independently, and much, much more (don't expect the longer speaker to light-up though).
Be wary, though, as the rear speakers can feel as though they're communicating with spirits from time to time. From a subtle scratchy, static noise to just sounding as though they've been dunked underwater, I've heard some strange sounds on occasion, but it's not a dealbreaker in the slightest.
In any case, If you want to be able to jump scare yourself by making a horror game antagonist sound as if they're right behind you, or want to upscale your music, the 5.1 SteelSeries Arena 9 can help. Now with a $240 discount? That's not a bad deal to make your games sing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
32 minutes ago
- Business Insider
An Android Amazon Tablet? Amazon Stock (NASDAQ:AMZN) Slides on Potential Change
Online retail giant Amazon (AMZN) is known for its internal hardware, and for the Fire operating system (OS) that runs it. But there is a chance that the next Amazon tablet could feature something completely different: an Android OS built in. Investors did not seem particularly happy about this, however, and sent Amazon shares sliding nearly 2% in Wednesday morning's trading. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Reports note that, not only will the new tablet boast a whole new operating system, but also, it will be a 'higher-end' tablet, suggesting a significant performance upgrade. Currently, Amazon's tablets run on what is known as a 'forked' version of Android, which means that any apps made for the tablet have to be compatible with FireOS, and be distributed on the Amazon App Store. But with a tablet that runs strictly on Android, a whole new range of apps could be made available for Amazon tablets. Since this is a higher-end tablet, though, it will also come with a pretty hefty price tag. New reports suggest that this tablet will run about $400, a far cry from the $230 Amazon charged for the Fire Max 11. Though for those watching their budgets more closely, Amazon already plans some new devices running Vega, a Linux-based platform that Amazon uses in some of the Fire TV devices. A Raftload of Recalls But Amazon also offered word about several recalls of products sold on its site. The recalls impact about 190,000 total products, and cover a wide range of product classes from wireless power banks to a certain kind of hair dryer. The devices represent a range of different threats, from electrocution risk to '…potential child poisoning.' For instance, a hair dryer from Empower Brands apparently lacks an 'immersion protection device,' which means that the hair dryer could cause electrocution if it were ever dropped into water that someone was standing in. Amazon actually has a recall page, so more information on getting refunds and finding out if your purchases were impacted should be available therein. Is Amazon a Good Long-Term Investment? Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on AMZN stock based on 44 Buys and one Hold assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 26.59% rally in its share price over the past year, the average AMZN price target of $264.56 per share implies 18.67% upside potential. Disclosure
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Hertz Jumps on Amazon Used-Car Sales Partnership
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Hertz (HTZ, Financials) said Wednesday it will start selling pre-owned cars through Amazon (AMZN, Financials), expanding its retail presence beyond rentals. Shares of Hertz climbed after the announcement. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with HTZ. Customers within 75 miles of Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Seattle can browse Hertz cars on Amazon Autos, complete paperwork online and pick up vehicles at Hertz locations. The rollout is expected to reach 45 markets nationwide. The deal expands Amazon Autos, which launched in December with Hyundai and recently began offering used cars. Hertz becomes the platform's first fleet dealer, adding brands such as Ford, Toyota, Chevrolet and Nissan. Hertz sells hundreds of thousands of cars annually in addition to its rental business. The partnership is part of CEO Gil West's Back-to-Basics Roadmap, which follows a bankruptcy filing during the pandemic and a failed EV push. The plan centers on fleet management, cost efficiency and growing car sales. Hertz reported its strongest-ever retail vehicle sales in the first quarter, driven by its Rent2Buy program, which lets customers test a vehicle for three days before purchasing. The Amazon partnership signals Hertz's push to build consumer visibility in used-car sales and diversify beyond rentals. Investors will watch whether the expansion boosts margins and retail demand. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Tom's Guide
34 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
Nintendo might be forced to raises prices on the Switch 2, says analyst — tariffs to blame
Next year, console gaming may not be the respite that you expect, thanks to rising prices for every console. With Sony announcing unilateral PS5 price increases in the U.S., one analyst suggests that Nintendo could follow suit and bump up the Switch 2. Analyst Daniel Ahmad said that Nintendo could raise Switch 2 prices, but not until 2026. As an aside, Nintendo also explored raising prices on Switch 2 when tariffs were temporarily at 10% for Vietnam. Now they're at 20%. This is definitely impacting margins for them. While they may not be willing to raise prices right now, I can see them reconsidering next year. 20, 2025 "While they may not be willing to raise prices right now, I can see them reconsidering next year," Ahmad wrote on X. He said that Nintendo had explored raising Switch 2 prices earlier this year but backed off. New tariffs may impact any future Nintendo pricing decisions. Earlier this year, Nintendo raised prices on every Switch model and a number of Switch and Switch 2 accessories, including the Joy-Con 2 controllers and the Switch 2 Pro Controller. The Switch 2 was spared, but Nintendo warned that "market conditions" could change that. Nintendo Switch 2 takes what worked about its best-selling predecessor and makes impactful upgrades across the board. From the excellent, and noticeably larger, 7.9-inch display to the more powerful internal specs, the Switch 2 is a full leap forward and the best hybrid console you can buy. Nintendo Switch 2: $449 @ Best Buy Currently, the Switch 2 costs $449 for the console. The Mario Kart World bundle will set you back $499. Nintendo already announced that a Pokémon Z-A bundle is coming in October, which is currently available for pre-order at $499. It's possible that Nintendo is waiting out the release of that bundle or the holiday season before bumping prices in early 2026, especially as it attempts to hit internal sales goals. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The latest Nintendo handheld has been a success for the company, selling more than 6 million consoles since it launched in June. The company has said it expects to sell 15 million Switch 2s before the end of March 2026. Many companies are using "market conditions" as a way to say tariffs without actually using the word when announcing price increases this year. Like many other major tech companies including Apple, Nintendo has been moving production out of China to places like Cambodia and Vietnam in an attempt to avoid President Trump's fluctuating tariffs. It hasn't worked. At one point in the spring, Vietnam faced a 46% tariff, which was later reduced to a global 10% tax. That number leapt to 20% at the beginning of August Trump currently faces several lawsuits alleging that he doesn't have the authority to enact such sweeping tariffs without Congress. Those lawsuits will take time to resolve; in the meantime, the tariffs are here and affecting your wallet. Nintendo may not have raised the price of the Switch 2 yet, but it's not alone. As mentioned above, Sony announced today (August 20) that every PlayStation 5 model is seeing a $50 price increase across the board. In May, Xbox introduced even steeper prices when it raised the price of every Xbox console by $100. The cheapest 512GB Xbox Series S now starts at $379, while the standard Xbox Series X will set you back $599. Tariffs are also affecting the forthcoming Asus ROG Xbox Ally handheld console. Pricing was supposed to be announced during Gamescom 2025. However, that news was held back with Asus promising "pricing and pre-order details will follow in the coming weeks." Current cost rumors put the new handhelds squarely in premium territory. Additionally, Microsoft announced that it would start selling $80 games this coming holiday season. An admittedly not-too-surprising announcement, considering Nintendo broke the $80 seal with the Switch 2. Both of the company's first-party Switch 2 titles, Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, will set you back $80. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
