They're small (fits in the pocket). Cheap (costs only a fraction of the $10,000 that audiophiles spend on big-rig audio gear).
And good (they come with adapter cables that let you plug them into any laptop, music player or cellphone).
Plus, the atas (Malay slang for top-notch) circuitry and audio technologies in their built-in amplifiers and subwoofers will make it tough for even the snootiest sound buffs to detect too much audio glitches.
So, blast away.
Xmi X-Minimax Capsule Speakers $68
AS BRAGGING rights go, "smallest laptop speaker" is a neat tag to claim. These speakers are about the size of 50-cent coins, but they packs enough punch to send your teeth chattering.
This gizmo is one of the finest portable speakers I've laid eyes or ears on. Not only is it small and pocketable, its matt black finish looks handsome.
Audio quality also doesn't disappoint - tracks sounded surprisingly full-bodied and rich. Even when I blasted the tunes at a mind-blowingly loud volume, I could barely detect any distortion.
This gadget is also a powerhouse when it comes to battery life: it ran for hours straight without losing juice.
Logitech Audio Hub $189
THE Hub is one muscular machine that lets you blast tracks without static.
When cranked to the max, the gizmo rocked the house. My neighbours complained. My mother clamped her hands over her ears. The cops would be banging on my door. But who cares? I was in head-banger heaven.
Apart from creating a rock concert feel in my bedroom, this gizmo belted out balanced and sweet tunes, with good bass and treble, when playing anything from Bach to Bono.
Its flat-panelled design lent a semblance of surround sound. When I plugged in the speakers while watching Iron
Man, I could hear the gun shots ricocheting past my ears.
Sure, at $189, this gizmo is pricey, but the extra dough brings you on the highway to musical nirvana.
Altec Lansing XT2 $199
IF YOU'RE going to spend all day spacing out in front of the laptop, you might as well have something pretty to gawk at. The XT2 is a slick, silver slim silhouette that you could look at all day.
Don't let its looks fool you - the fragile exterior belies rock-star grit.
All the guitar strums and drum beats in Nirvana sounded meaty and crystal clear. Surprisingly, soft jazz tunes came across cool too.
One thing that sets this baby apart from its rivals is how well it sounded at low volumes: musical details were well reproduced even when the tracks were played at a low decibel.
THE SPA6200/97 is total ear candy. Philips is known for its yummy sound systems, so it's no shocker that this sound mate can make your laptop roar. This system sings at a stomach-churning decibel without the distortion that mars its competitors.
An integrated amplifier belts out impressive bass for its tiny size. For instance, playing The Killer's When You Were Young sounded as if the band was playing live in my room.
The gizmo is also great when I was using it when watching movies. Hugh Grant's British accent sounded extra mesmerising in Love Actually.
At 500g, it's also perfect to tote along on your next road trip. In fact, it's the perfect way to suppress the "Are we there yet?" questions from your tykes. Just clip it to your laptop, play some SpongeBob videos and your kids will soon forget that the next bathroom is 10km away.
Alpha Wireless S2 Music Box $39.90
THE first thing you'll notice about the S2 is its hideous cobalt blue lights. With a blue glow lining the innards of the speaker, the set looks like it stepped out of a dance club in the 1980s.
But turn up the audio power and you'll soon forget its ugliness: the speakers pump out sweet bass and drum beats sounded punchy. There were also hardly any glitches when I cranked up the volume.
Only gripe? The vocals sounded muddy and distorted, and the back-up vocals could barely be heard.
Nevertheless, at $39.90, this gizmo is not just light on the handbag but also light on the wallet.
Alpha Wireless iNova $39.90
iNOVA is a master of disguise - the tiny speaker sounds like a dozen. Playing Timberlake's Love Stoned not only hit the right notes, but it also made me want to groove across the office floor. Every drum beat and beat-boxing note sounded crisp.
There was also no crackling when the tunes were cranked up.
Watch Braveheart on this machine and you'll be impressed - I could swear that I was in the middle of a battlefield.
The only problem: tunes sounded slightly distorted when it played low-quality YouTube videos. This means that users who have a playlist filled with downloaded tracks would probably not be too happy with this gizmo.
The best thing about this gadget is how small it is - just the size of a matchbox. A cable adapter means you can plug it to any music player, laptop or mobile phone.
TDK Life On Record Tremor Xa-10 $29.90
DEATH to all wimpy laptop speakers. When it comes to top-shelf stereos, the Tremor sets a high bar.
For starters, it boasts high-quality audio playback and a built-in subwoofer. So, expect punchy audio quality that will make even Britney sound good.
Vocals also sounded razor sharp and piano and guitar tunes were clear. Classical, rock, hip hop and jazz - these all sounded solid too.
But if you, like most audio sociopaths want music only one way - loud - you're in for a bit of disappointment: blasted tracks sounded slightly scratchy.
