Computer speakers vary from speaker to speaker but are a must-have accessory. Depending on your space, setup, budget, and use you’re going to be looking for different things in your PC sound system. Many PC gamers stick to headsets when playing competitive games or trying to get the full surrounding immersive experience out of their audio. Because of this, a simple stereo setup makes sense for a lot of players and the Razer Nommo Chroma 2.1 gaming speakers hit that niche surprisingly well.
Razer Nommo Chroma Review – Surprisingly Solid Sound
My usual set up is a very old 5.1 surround system when I’m not using my headset. It’s a pain to set up and I’ve never found a good spot for the back two speakers to go in my room but it is a complete sound experience. Because of this, I expected to plug in the Razer Nommo Chroma and immediately feel like I was listening through some sort of cup and string assortment in comparison. After all, I’m dropping three extra speakers and a dedicated subwoofer in favor of only two and that should be a noticeable difference.
I was genuinely surprised by how little the change really equated to. The Razer Nommo Chroma speakers easily get just as loud as my old set up and are undoubtedly clearer. I do miss the dedicated bass but these two do a good job with the bass boost setting. The quality of sound was surprisingly good given its volume and clarity. While they will do better than most as they’re designed for positional accuracy in games, they’re not going to replace a headset for wanting to know exactly where an enemy is sneaking up on you from during a heated match. However, for general use like single player games, listening to music, or watching videos, they’re absolutely more than capable.
It was enough to make me wonder why I’d go back to my bigger setup. While my old 5.1 system does sound better than these, I’m not sure it’s enough for the hassle. There’s a lot I could do with the extra desk space and lack of wires and I’m a little tired of accidentally kicking the large sub sitting under my desk. I didn’t expect to wind up considering replacing my old speakers with the Razer Nommo but it’s a genuine consideration after hearing how good they can sound.
Razer Nommo Chroma Review – Simple Set-Up
This is also while taking up a fraction of the space of my larger 5.1 speaker system. Despite this, the speakers included the Razer Nommo Chroma 2.0 are much bigger than I expected based on images online and even on the box. As units, they stand at a little over eight inches tall but the actual speaker part itself is a cylindrical object held up on a stand. This part is nearly seven inches deep so they’re by no means small speakers.
Their odd shape, while aesthetically is pretty cool to look at, also means they won’t slot comfortably into the corner of your desk nor will they make a good stand for any other objects. This is good as it means you’re speakers demand to remain unobstructed for best quality sound but it’s worth considering if you are short on desk space. They’re definitely more space conservative than a full 5.1 setup but they certainly have a presence in their own right.
It’s also considerably easier to set up than something larger. The Chroma model simply plugs into power and USB and then the second speaker plugs into the first. They also have an option for aux-in if you want to use other devices. This means you’re only really going to have three cables on your desk for this arrangement and you can do it cleanly. These are absolutely a good option if you want a more simplistic style without sacrificing too much in way of audio quality.
Razer Nommo Chroma Review – Synesthesia
The other reason you might be considering the Razer Nommo Chroma is for the pretty shiny lights that this series is known for. These speakers are fully compatible with the Razer Synapse and Chroma software so you can customize them to your heart’s content. Whether you want to be classy and go one color, pulse through the rainbow, have fire themes, or even have it change depending on your game or profile, the Chroma has all these as available options.
The only letdown here is the speakers only feature a ring light around the bottom and while you can do a lot of cool things with this, it’s not as much bling as I’m used to seeing in Razer products. I was expecting to see lights around the actual speaker part of the design but I can understand that this might have been a bit too distracting. The base ring lights also just aren’t as bright as I thought they would be, especially when compared to the other RGP peripherals.
These lights can also get lost quickly if you have a cluttered desk. Depending on your style, it might be worth saving yourself the 50 or so dollars and getting the non-Chroma variant though it’s worth noting these only have the 3.5mm port with no USB option.
While I was looking for something more here, this may suit people with classier tastes. If you are all about a clean minimalist look and have the space on your desk, they do look cool vibing along in their colors — especially if you have a reflective surface. The stark look also pairs nicely with the almost imposing shape of the speakers themselves.
Razer Nommo Chroma Review – Simplicity Sans Sacrifice
As with a lot of peripheral purchases, this is going to come down to what works for you. If you want a couple of desk speakers that will look cool and do an excellent job for what they are, then the Razer Nommo Chroma speakers are a great choice. They’re not going to deliver a full 5.1 surround experience, nor are they going to replace the customization and specific targeting of a gaming headset for competitive play. But they will do a better job with games than regular speakers that aren’t purpose built for positional audio. They are going to look cool sitting on your desk and deliver clear quality sound with almost no setup hassle to speak of. If a simple 2.1 speaker stereo setup is what you’re chasing, then these are a fantastic option that should satisfy most of your gaming and entertainment requirements.
Razer Nommo Chroma was provided by Razer through Double Jump Communications.
