Speakers and Headphones
Most laptop speakers are fine for casual solo listening, but music lovers should really invest in a good set of speakers and/or headphones.
Wireless earbuds are becoming increasingly popular, but I find over-ear headphones to be more comfortable to wear throughout a workday. My preferred pair are the Bose 700, though sticker shock from the $400 price is understandable (they go on sale, I promise!). They sound amazing and their built-in mics are actually better than those on my webcam.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 are a direct competitor to the Bose, but they cost a bit less. You could also go with a good pair of wired cans, and in fact, I still rock my Sennheiser HD 6xx (Massdrop’s $220 version of the HD650) on the reg. MacBook users will appreciate Apple’s AirPods Max, which are expensive as hell but sound amazing and let you easily switch audio between your Apple devices.
Dedicated USB speakers are a rarity these days due to the emergence of smart speakers like those from Sonos, the Google Nest, and Apple HomePod. Then you have the endless Bluetooth options from brands like Bose, Ultimate Ears (UE), and JBL. The good news is that any of these will work with your laptop and will save your ears from distorted, bass-absent sound.
