Many people may wonder – do monitors come with speakers? With such a wide range of monitors in different price categories, you will find that some monitors do come with speakers and some do not. What you will probably find is that most modern or current monitors do have integrated speakers although you should confirm this first if it is important to you.
We will look at this question in more detail – can monitors have speakers?
Not that long ago, speakers in monitors were rare. Today they are a lot more common and many monitors have built-in speakers. This is handy for many reasons but does have its downsides too. We will explore this so you can decide which option is best for yours, separate speakers or a soundbar or built-in speakers.
Do computer monitors come with speakers?
The answer is that some do and some do not. While many modern monitors do come with speakers they do not all have this feature. If it is something you need it would be best to check the features and specifications before investing.
Why do monitors have speakers?
There are many reasons manufacturers offer models with built-in speakers. If you do not need loud top-quality audio then this option is very convenient and often saves you some money. It is compact and results in less clutter and therefore more desk space.
Gamers and those that want volume and excellent quality might prefer to forgo the convenience and add external speakers to their system. The choice is yours.
What are the downsides to monitors having speakers?
While there are many advantages there are some disadvantages. Although integrated monitor speakers are space-saving, convenient, and save you some money, they will never be a powerful or rich as connecting an external speaker, soundbar, or speaker set.
For average home or office use, the built-in speakers give your desk space and should be perfectly adequate. If you intend to watch movies, listen to good music, or enjoy gaming, you might find the monitor speakers do not perform to your needs.
So yes, many monitors do have speakers built-in but given the size and design, they are not always the best quality. You might find that they lack volume, many lack the full frequency range, and they just don’t deliver the depth and richness of the better soundbars or speakers.
How do I turn on the speakers on my monitor?
It is all very well to have speakers on your monitor but many times it is tricky to activate and use them. Well, it is easy when you know how to do it. Once they are set up they are easy to use and convenient.
The process to activate them is fairly similar to setting up normal external speakers although it does depend on how your monitor is connected to the PC.
When using a VGA or DVI connection, you will probably need a separate audio cable, normally a 3.5-millimeter cord. With a Display Port or HDMI connection, this is usually unnecessary. Note that with VGA you will sacrifice some quality on the analog signal.
Once everything is connected and the monitor has power the computer should detect the signal and allow for setup. You can right-click and then select “Screen Resolution” and follow this process through.
There will be an audio icon on the taskbar. Look for “Playback devices”. Either select your monitor if you are using Display Port or HDMI or select speakers if you are using VGA or DVI. Click on “enable” to activate. If you find that this option is grayed out you will need to select “set default”. You might need to reboot to enable the speakers.
How do I turn off monitor speakers?
Conversely, if you use separate speakers or a soundbar you might wish to disable your monitor speakers. This is pretty simple.
What you need to do is to go to the control panel, go to “Sound” or “Sound and Audio Devices” depending on your Windows platform. Select the monitor speakers, click “properties” and then select “don’t use this device”.
If you like gaming and would prefer to use headphones take a look at The 10 Best Gaming Headsets Under $100.
What if my monitor does not have speakers?
Even some of the best monitors do not come with built-in speakers. This is because many people prefer to use a separate speaker system for their audio enjoyment. If your monitor does not have built-in speakers it will have options that allow you to connect an external speaker or soundbar.
You will have external ports that allow you to connect to a speaker system. These could be via HDMI, a display port (DP-IN), or a headphone port. Sometimes you might have two or all three of these options.
There are many affordable options and external or standalone speakers are often more powerful and rich than many monitor speakers. A great option is a soundbar and they need not be expensive. Check out The Best Soundbars Under $200.
You can even consider wireless speakers for added convenience. Take a look at the debate for Wired vs Wireless Speakers.
Conclusion
To answer the question – do monitors have speakers? One has to look at the specific model. Some monitors do have speakers and some do not. This applies even to the more expensive monitors available.
If you want integrated speakers make sure first that the model supports this feature. If you prefer to use external speakers or a soundbar then it is not an issue. Consider your need for sound volume and quality as well as desk space and cost to decide which options will work better for you.
