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Those wanting solid audio performance and a cool LED light show will enjoy the Razer Nommo Chroma. If it's great audio you're after, the aforementioned SoundSticks III remain affordable wired classics in the $150 range. The more expensive Audioengine 2+ delivers impressive performance in line with its price, while the Edifier R1280T offers slightly better sound quality than the Nommo Chroma for a little less money.
The Razer Nommo Chroma might not be one of our picks for best computer speakers, but they get the job done. Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with far less deep bass in the mix, betters showcases the speakers' strengths. The drums on this track lack the thunder that many bass-forward pairs coat them in, but they have a pleasant depth. It's Callahan's baritone vocals that have the most bass prominence, with a rich low and low-mid presence that is well-matched by high-mids and highs that keep the vocals, guitars, and percussive hits crisp and bright. However, there's a marked difference between how the speakers sound when you're able to line the drivers up with your ears. If you're not into setting them on higher shelving to achieve this, try placing them a little farther away from you, if your setup allows.
Complete Your Setup
The satellite speakers are roughly 7-inches deep, making them weirdly deep. The volume adjustment knobs feel plasticky and cheap, but they work. Chroma lighting is available for Razer Nommo Chroma and Razer Nommo Pro only.
Unless you are really slouching and/or your desk height is abnormally high, these drivers aren't going to line up with your ears, which means you'll be missing out on the clarity they can offer. You can stack them on books or something else to bring them more in line with your ears, but that isn't ideal. Razer's Nommo Chroma speakers deliver solid audio in a cool design, but you're paying a premium for the LED light show they provide. Phenomenal gaming speakers need to do more than just be loud, they need depth and range to transport you to another universe.
How can you connect to the speakers?
It's hard to know what level you're at with the bass knob, but with it situated at roughly halfway, you get some decent deep bass. On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the speakers deliver less sub-bass than some big low end fans might want. Even at maximum bass levels, the bass output is relatively modest. For $150, we've tested 2.1 systems like the Harman Kardon SoundStick III that put the Nommo Chroma to shame in the bass depth department—but they have no LED wizardry.
Find out more about what makes the Razer Nommo great everyday speakers with not so everyday sound. Retailers and installers who focus on audio/visual, smart automation and home security. We encourage you to review the relevant amended policies at /legal, especially the General Terms of Use & Privacy Policy. PCMag supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownerships. The Razer Nommo Chroma speakers a wide, but they still fit on an average desk with ease.
Razer Computer Speakers
The base of the right speaker houses the bass level dial , as well as the volume dial . The back panel of the right speaker houses a 3.5mm aux input, a quarter-inch headphone jack, and the connection for the included power adapter. Thankfully, the Razer Nommo Chroma speakers are easy to set up, only needing to be plugged into a power source, to the computer, and to each other. The cables are solidly built and seem to reach where I need them to easily. But unless you're a wiring and surround-sound guru, figuring out the technical issues can get a little messy. They have a striking design that often inspired a "what are thoooose?"-type of reaction from anyone who came across the speakers while I was reviewing them.
Unfortunately, the connecting cable is semi-hardwired—you can unplug it from the left, but not the right speaker. But to make up for it, the cable is almost excessively long, which is much better than being too short to place the speakers where you want to. There's a non-Chroma version that sells for $99.99, to give you a sense of what the cool LED effects do to the pricing. The design is similarly sleek, as it’s made of a smooth, all-black plastic that thankfully isn’t a fingerprint magnet. Although they only stand about 9-inches inches tall, they’re 6-inches in length which is a hassle if you don’t have some space on your desk.
The speakers can also use Chroma Apps, plug-ins that let certain games control the speaker's lights directly. In Overwatch, for example, the lights will change color to reflect the character you're playing. The lights also sync with other Razer devices with Chroma lighting, like keyboards and mice. Available in brushed black that almost looks like aluminum, but is plastic, the Nommo Chroma speakers nonetheless look quite cool. The right speaker houses the controls and connections , while the left speaker simply connects to the right.
Whether you’re on a battlefield dodging shells or holding your breath during a horror movie, every little sound adds to the tapestry of the experience. If traditional speakers aren’t your style, the Razer Nommo Chroma offers a well-designed alternative that brings the bass in spades. It falls flat in some areas of the audio spectrum - particularly in the highest of highs and lowest of lows - but its spectacular clarity is a redeeming high-note for the speakers. If you can get over the fact that there’s some very clear catering to the bass-loving crowd, the Razer Nommo Chroma speakers actually sound great - good clarity in the mids and highs, and a powerful bass response that can cater to your tastes. The biggest compromise of the design is that it doesn’t feature Bluetooth, a feature that’s incredible common on portable speakers in this price range. Spin the speakers around to the back and you’ll find a 3.5mm Aux-In port that allows you to connect your phone, tablet or MP3 player, as well as a headphone jack that conveniently re-routes the noise when it’s time for your roommates to get some rest.
Australian pricing and availability for the Pro has not yet been announced, but the US price converts to roughly AU$650. Above the glowing bases on the right speaker are two knobs - one that controls the volume and the other that raises and lowers the amount of bass response. Raising the latter too high distorts the mids and highs, but in return you’re given wall-thumping bass that, although a bit muddy, has enough oomph to turn small-sized rooms into makeshift nightclubs. Razer employs a 3-inch full-range driver in each cylindrically shaped speaker. The back houses a bass port, allowing air moved by the drivers to flow more freely, for better bass depth. It's a little perplexing that the speakers are built onto mini stands, but not angled upward.
Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar's sister site, Tom's Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He's also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he's not using if anyone wants it. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions.See how we test. Add the products you would like to compare, and quickly determine which is best for your needs. Hear your enemy closing in from behind with pinpoint positional accuracy or the complex layers of an orchestra.
The Razer Nommo Chroma is absolutely dripping with Razer aesthetic. The goldilocks of the group, the Nommo Chroma, balances price and performance to deliver a very solid set of computer speakers that will make any dorm-mate green with envy. On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the kick drum loop gets enough high-mid presence to cut through the layers of the mix, but again, it sounds far more crisp when aligned with your ears, and a little muffled when not. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are more implied than delivered—we get their raspy top notes and a little of their bass depth, but almost none of their sub-bass. Each speaker has a circular base with a rubberized bottom panel to prevent movement. The base is where the LEDS are, which we'll get to in the next section.
Easily one of the most aesthetically interesting speakers on the market, the Razer Nommo Chroma are easy-to-setup and moderately good-sounding. They have some issues in sound quality - especially in the farther reaches of the audio spectrum - but exceptional clarity and nuanced mids make up for any shortcomings. While the speakers sound solid, the Chroma lights definitely add to the experience. They're discreetly wrapped along the rim of the speaker's base, framing a smooth and grippy rubber base that keeps the lamp-like speakers steadily in place.
TUNED FOR ULTIMATE SOUND
To be sure, they sounded supremely full and balanced playing every genre I threw on it, even at max volume. I wouldn't hesitate to use the speakers for a small party , but if it's primarily a music speaker you seek, better keep looking. Audio is luxuriously rich and full, with thunderous bass that packs a pronounced punch. Due to the directional audio, loud effects felt intensely immersive. No one would call the cops on you for blasting at maximum volume, however they are surprisingly powerful, mimicking the larger-than-life effect of a movie theater, except on a much, much smaller scale.
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