Although Monitors are primarily made to display images and videos, some models have speakers too!
You may be looking for a new monitor or already got one. But not sure if your specific model has built-in speakers or not.
I got you! give me five minutes and I’ll give you all the info you need on monitor speakers.
In this article:
- First, I answer the main question “Do monitors have speakers?” (including different brands and models), and help you check if yours has one.
- Then, I compare built-in monitor speakers and external speakers and mention the pros and cons of each.
- Finally, I’ll help you install, optimize, and troubleshoot built-in and external speakers.
Do Monitors Have Speakers?
While some monitors come with built-in speakers, many do NOT. The answer varies for different brands. For example, most Samsung, Dell, MSI, and AOC models do NOT have speakers. On the other hand, many models from LG, Asus, and Acer come with built-in speakers.
Do Dell Monitors Have Speakers?
Most Dell monitors do NOT have speakers. if you take a look at Dell’s website, there are more than 100 different models available, and only 26 monitor models have built-in speakers which are mainly from these categories:
- Dell Essential Monitors (7 Models)
- Dell Home Monitors (14 Models)
- Dell Business Monitors (14 Models)
Also, just like LG, NONE of Dell’s gaming monitors have integrated speakers!
Generally, Dell focuses on the main product itself, it doesn’t even include HDMI cables with monitors!
Do Acer Monitors Have Speakers?
Yes, most Acer monitors especially new ones do have built-in speakers.
Some models have speakers on the back side, while others come with speakers installed on the front.
(Also, if you have any signal issues on your Acer monitor, check out this article: Acer Monitor No Signal Troubleshooting.
Do Asus Monitors Have Speakers?
There are 367 different Asus monitors available on their website, and 196 models have speakers.
So almost half of the monitors (53%) have speakers.
Unlike most brands, Asus has many gaming monitors that come with built-in speakers. So, if you’re looking for gaming monitors with speakers, Asus has a lot to offer.
Do LG Monitors Have Speakers?
When it comes to LG, there isn’t a specific answer. LG has different models with and without built-in speakers. But if you take a look at LG’s website, it’s almost a half/half split. So only half of the monitors have speakers.
Also, NONE of the LG gaming monitors have speakers!
(Also, if you have any signal issues on your LG monitor, check out this article: LG Monitor No Signal Troubleshooting)
Do Samsung Monitors Have Speakers?
No, almost NONE of Samsung monitors have speakers. I found 111 different models on the Samsung website, and only 6 of them have speakers. So 95% of Samsung monitors do NOT have speakers.
Here are 6 Samsung monitors with built-in speakers:
34″ ViewFinity CJ79 WQHD QLED 100Hz Thunderboltᵀᴹ 3 Ultra Wide Curved Monitor
24″ Built-in Webcam IPS Panel Flat Monitor
24″ T45F Borderless IPS Panel Adjustable Professional Monitor
27″ Viewfinity S80TB 4K UHD IPS Thunderbolt4, Built-in Speakers with 3 year warranty Monitor
27″ T45F Borderless IPS Panel Adjustable Professional Monitor
Do AOC Monitors Have Speakers?
AOC has two completely separate monitor lineups:
- Home/Office Monitors (only 6 out of 32 models have speakers)
- Gaming Monitors (only 9 out of 46 models have speakers)
In both cases, 80% of the AOC monitors do NOT have speakers.
Do MSI Monitors Have Speakers?
Almost NONE of the MSI monitors have speakers.
I visited the MSI website and searched all the different models, and only some portable monitor models have speakers. Other models do NOT have speakers!
Up until now, we mentioned popular brands and checked if they come with speakers. Now let’s discuss a popular category of monitors, Gaming Monitors:
Do Gaming Monitors Have Speakers?
As I discussed different brands above, you can see that most gaming monitors do NOT come with speakers! And, if you think about it, the logic makes sense:
Gaming monitors usually prioritize and focus on fast response time, high FPS, and high resolution.
And that’s because most gamers and streamers do not use low-quality internal speakers. They prefer high-quality external speakers or headsets to enjoy the true gaming experience.
So, for the best gaming experience, I recommend investing in a nice set of external speakers too.
But if you really want built-in speakers or you have a limited budget, LG, Asus, Acer, and AOC offer many gaming monitors with speakers.
Does My Monitor Have Speakers? How to Tell?
Here’s how you can tell if your monitor has speakers or not:
1. Check out the model specifications online (manufacturer’s website) or on the box to see if it features built-in speakers.
2. Look for speaker grills on the monitor frame or on the backside.
3. Play around with the monitor button and look for any audio-related options or settings on the OSD (on-screen display) menu.
4. Connect your computer to the monitor and check if your computer detects any new speakers.
Built-in Monitor speakers vs External Speakers: Pros & Cons
Generally speaking, built-in monitor speakers are not as good as external ones. But of course, they are a more budget-friendly option and don’t take up any space on your desk either.
So, here’s how they compare in different areas:
1. Quality of Sound:
When it comes to quality, built-in speakers are terrible, FULL STOP.
I currently use a 32″ LG Ultrafine monitor which is not cheap and comes with built-in speakers. But I still prefer my Macbook Air speakers. the difference is day & night.
The 32″ Ultrafine speakers may be much louder at max volume, but when it comes to quality, details, and crispiness, it’s awful. It’s not even close!
So, if quality is a big deal to you, I highly recommend using external speakers.
2. Control & Customization:
When it comes to controls and flexibility, it is another win for external speakers!
External speakers usually have far more detailed audio settings that help you adjust the audio the way you prefer it.
Additionally, you have the option to position the two speakers (left & right) to reach the true audio experience especially when watching movies.
So again, if control & customization matters to you, stick to external speakers.
3. Budget:
If your monitor of choice happens to have built-in speakers, we can assume that built-in monitors are free, and it’s a clear win for built-in monitors.
However, if you’re intentionally choosing a specific monitor model, because it has speakers, then you better consider the price difference too, that’s what you’re paying for speakers. (Assuming other specs are similar)
Now, can you stick with the cheaper model and use the difference to purchase external speakers? If so, I’d say go for it!
4. Aesthetics:
Minimalism Vs. Speakerism 🙂
Do you prefer your workspace to be as minimal as possible? If so, stick to built-in speakers.
On the other hand, if you don’t mind having speakers on the desk, there are many stylish models that you can choose to make your setup look more beautiful.
But don’t forget one thing: built-in speakers make the monitors heavier and thicker! So they may not be as slender as others.
Also, if you have multiple monitors on a small desk, you’d better stay with built-ins to save some space on the desk.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Which matters to you the most? if Audio is the priority, then definitely go for the external ones.
But, if you’re good with the NOT SO GOOD quality of integrated speakers, they’re cheaper, and save you some space on your desk setup.
How to Use/Optimize Built-in Monitor Speakers
To make sure your monitor speakers are enabled and work properly, follow the instructions below:
1. Connect your computer to the monitor using HDMI, VGA, DVI, or DP
2. If you are using the VGA or DVI ports, you also need to use the 3.5mm cable for audio.
3. for MacOS: Go to Settings > Sound > Output & Input > Output > choose your monitor name
4. for Windows: Go to Systems > Sound > Sound Devices > choose your monitor name, and then, in the Windows taskbar, right-click the speaker icon, and choose your monitor as the playback device.
NOTE for Windows users:
If you’re having problems connecting to the integrated speakers, try updating device drivers:
1. Go to Device Manager > Sound, Video, and Game Controllers > Uninstall your monitor
2. Then, right-click on Sound, Video, and Game Controllers and click Scan for hardware changes
3. Again, go to Systems > Sound > Sound Devices > right-click on the monitor names and choose Update Drivers.
4. Restart the computer
Monitor No Sound: Troubleshooting Steps
If you’re unable to play sound through the monitor speakers, try the following troubleshooting steps:
1. Make sure cables and ports are properly connected.
2. Make sure the audio settings are correctly set ( as I discussed earlier).
3. Check the volume on both computer and the monitor and make sure it’s not muted.
4. Use another type of cable to connect your computer (for example HDMI instead of DP).
5. try the speakers using another computer to see if the computer causes the problem or not.
6. Update Device Drivers (as I discussed earlier).
7. Restart the computer & monitor.
Conclusion
The main question is: Do Monitors have speakers? Well, as I discussed in this article, some monitors do and some do NOT come with integrated speakers.
most Samsung, Dell, MSI, and AOC models do NOT come with integrated speakers. On the other hand, many models from LG, Asus, and Acer come with built-in speakers.
Later on, I compared integrated speakers to external ones and mentioned the pros and cons of each.
And lastly, we discussed using and troubleshooting integrated speakers.
I hope this article answers all your questions regarding monitor speakers.
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