Which PS5 monitor has built-in speakers that actually deliver

Part of our guide on hdmi 2.1 monitors for ps5

Built-in monitor speakers rarely impress, but the right pick delivers clear dialogue and enough bass to skip a soundbar.

Best overall for PS5: BenQ MOBIUZ EX2710S with 2.1 audio

The BenQ MOBIUZ EX2710S combines a 27-inch 1080p IPS panel running at 165Hz with a 2.1 speaker system rated at 2.5W per channel plus a 5W subwoofer. That subwoofer sits inside the monitor stand and fires downward onto your desk. The bass reflects upward and gives explosions, engine sounds, and soundtrack low-end a presence that flat stereo speakers never manage.

Connect your PS5 via HDMI 2.0 and audio flows automatically. No separate cable, no settings menu. The monitor detects the signal and routes it to the speakers. You get 1080p at 120Hz from the PS5, which looks sharper than 4K on a 27-inch screen at typical arm's length. The panel uses an IPS type, so colors stay accurate when you glance from the side.

The speakers point forward from the bottom bezel rather than firing backward into your wall. That placement sends sound directly at your ears and makes dialogue clearer. Treble stays crisp, voices come through without muffle, and the subwoofer fills in the bottom without rumbling your desk. It won't match a soundbar, but it's good enough that you stop thinking about upgrading it.

The main drawback is size. A 27-inch screen at 1080p gives you 82 pixels per inch, which some users find slightly soft for desktop text. Games look fine because motion and action hide the pixel grid, but small UI fonts can look a touch fuzzy if you sit closer than two feet. If you read spreadsheets or code between sessions, the lower pixel density might bother you. There is more on lowest input lag tv for ps5 in a separate guide.

Best for larger desks: 32-inch curved with enhanced stereo

A 32-inch 1440p curved VA panel at 144Hz suits players who sit three feet back or want a more immersive wrap. The Gigabyte M32UC and similar models pair that spec with 5W stereo speakers that fire forward from the lower bezel. No subwoofer here, but the larger drivers and enclosure volume produce fuller midrange than smaller monitors manage.

The 1440p resolution gives you 92 pixels per inch on a 32-inch screen, so text stays sharp and game UI elements look crisp. The PS5 outputs 1080p upscaled to 1440p on this panel, which looks better than native 1080p stretched across 32 inches. The 1500R curve bends the edges toward you and keeps the whole screen equidistant from your eyes, reducing the need to swivel your head during wide shots.

The VA panel type delivers deeper blacks than IPS, so dark scenes in horror games or space sims look moodier. Contrast ratio typically hits 3000:1, three times what IPS manages. The tradeoff is slower pixel response around 4-5ms, which creates slight trailing on very fast motion. Most PS5 titles run at 60fps or lower, so the effect stays minimal unless you play twitchy shooters. For the detail, see our notes on how to connect a gaming monitor to a console.

The speakers produce clear dialogue and decent volume but lack the bass punch a subwoofer adds. Explosions sound flat, and gunfire loses impact. If you mainly play story-driven games with voice acting, the sound works fine. If you want rumble and thump, these speakers disappoint.

Budget pick: 24-inch 1080p with acceptable 3W stereo

A 24-inch 1080p monitor at 144Hz with 3W stereo speakers covers the basics for less money and smaller desks. Models like the ASUS VP249HE or AOC 24G2 include built-in audio that sounds thin but functional. You get clear dialogue and enough volume for a quiet room. Bass barely registers, and action scenes sound flat, but nothing distorts or crackles.

At 24 inches, 1080p resolution delivers 92 pixels per inch, matching the sharpness of a 32-inch 1440p screen. Text stays crisp, and the PS5's native 1080p output looks pixel-perfect without upscaling artifacts. The smaller screen also fits shallow desks where a 27-inch model would sit too close to your face. We cover connect xbox series x to monitor in its own article.

The 3W speaker output splits across two channels, so each driver gets about 1.5W. That's enough to hear dialogue clearly at two feet, but you'll turn the volume to maximum in noisy environments. The speakers usually fire downward or backward, so sound quality depends on your desk surface and wall distance. A cluttered desk absorbs treble and makes voices sound muffled.

This size suits bedrooms, dorm rooms, or second setups where space and budget matter more than immersion. If you already own headphones for competitive play, the monitor speakers handle casual sessions and streaming video without frustration. Don't expect to feel explosions or enjoy music at this power level.

Do PS5 monitors with built-in speakers provide good sound quality?

Most monitor speakers sound thin, tinny, and lifeless because they use 2W or smaller drivers crammed into shallow bezels with no enclosure volume for bass. A typical budget monitor allocates perhaps 1W per channel, which barely produces audible sound at arm's length. Dialogue comes through, but music and effects sound like a cheap phone speaker.

Monitors with 5W total output and a subwoofer break that pattern. The subwoofer adds a separate driver for low frequencies, usually mounted in the base or stand, and that dedicated bass response transforms the experience. You hear footsteps, feel explosions, and distinguish instrument layers in soundtracks. The stereo channels handle midrange and treble without distortion because they're not trying to reproduce bass they can't deliver.

Speaker placement matters as much as wattage. Front-firing designs send sound directly toward you and produce clear, immediate audio. Rear-firing or downward-firing speakers reflect off walls and desks, which absorbs treble and muddies dialogue. If two monitors list identical wattage but one fires forward and one fires down, the forward design will sound noticeably better.

Set realistic expectations. Even the best monitor speakers fall short of a dedicated soundbar or bookshelf speakers. They lack the enclosure volume for deep bass below 80Hz, and they sit too close together for wide stereo imaging. But for casual play, story-driven games, and streaming video, a good set of monitor speakers delivers clear, balanced sound without the clutter and cost of external audio.

What connection types support audio from PS5 to monitor speakers

HDMI is the default and it works perfectly. The PS5 outputs video and audio over a single HDMI cable, and any monitor with HDMI input and built-in speakers will play that audio automatically. You don't configure anything. Plug in the cable, turn on the monitor, and sound flows to the speakers. The PS5 detects the monitor as an audio device and routes everything through HDMI.

DisplayPort also carries audio, but the PS5 doesn't have a DisplayPort output. You'd need an HDMI to DisplayPort adapter, which adds cost, complexity, and a potential failure point. Most adapters handle video and audio, but cheaper ones strip the audio channel or introduce latency. Skip this route unless you already own the adapter for a different reason.

Some monitors include a 3.5mm audio input alongside HDMI. That jack is for connecting a PC or phone as a secondary audio source, not for replacing HDMI audio from the PS5. The PS5 has a 3.5mm output on the controller, so you could run a cable from the controller to the monitor, but that's absurd when HDMI already carries audio. The 3.5mm input is a convenience feature, not a requirement.

A few gaming monitors offer USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode and power delivery. The PS5 doesn't support USB-C video output, so this feature is irrelevant for console use. It's designed for laptops and modern PCs. Don't pay extra for USB-C unless you plan to also connect a MacBook or USB-C laptop to the same monitor.

Which monitor specs matter for PS5 gaming alongside speakers

Refresh rate needs to hit 120Hz or higher to take advantage of the PS5's 120fps output in supported games. A 60Hz monitor caps your frame rate at 60fps even when the game can run faster. Most budget monitors hit 144Hz or 165Hz, which covers the PS5's maximum 120Hz and leaves headroom for PC use if you later add one. Don't overpay for 240Hz; the PS5 can't use it.

Resolution depends on screen size. At 27 inches, 1080p looks sharp during gameplay but slightly soft for text. At 24 inches, 1080p matches the pixel density of a 32-inch 1440p screen and looks crisp for everything. The PS5 outputs 1080p natively at high frame rates, so a 1080p monitor avoids upscaling artifacts. 4K monitors force the PS5 to upscale 1080p to 2160p, which introduces blur and latency unless the game supports native 4K.

Response time should stay at 5ms or faster to avoid ghosting during quick camera pans. IPS panels typically hit 4-5ms, VA panels 5-8ms. The difference is subtle unless you play fast shooters. TN panels reach 1-2ms but sacrifice color accuracy and viewing angles, which makes them a poor choice for single-player story games where visuals matter.

Panel type affects image quality more than specs suggest. IPS delivers accurate colors and wide viewing angles, so the picture looks consistent whether you're centered or leaning to the side. VA panels produce deeper blacks and higher contrast, which makes dark scenes more dramatic but comes with slower response times. TN panels are fast and cheap but washed-out and ugly. For a PS5 paired with built-in speakers, IPS is the balanced pick unless you prioritize deep blacks over color accuracy.

• Refresh rate: 120Hz minimum, 144Hz or 165Hz typical, 240Hz unnecessary
• Resolution: 1080p native at 24-27 inches avoids upscaling, 1440p acceptable at 32 inches
• Response time: 5ms or faster to prevent ghosting, IPS and VA both adequate
• Panel type: IPS for color accuracy, VA for contrast, skip TN entirely
• HDMI version: HDMI 2.0 sufficient for 1080p/1440p at 120Hz, 2.1 only needed for 4K 120Hz

Alternatives if a monitor's speakers are insufficient

If built-in monitor speakers disappoint after purchase, a USB DAC plus powered bookshelf speakers delivers better sound than a soundbar for similar money. The FiiO K3 or Creative Sound Blaster Play! 4 connects to the PS5 via USB and outputs clean analog audio to powered speakers like the Edifier R1280T. Total cost runs close to a mid-tier soundbar, but the separation and clarity beat any single-unit solution.

A soundbar offers simpler setup and takes less desk space. Models around the $100-150 range from Vizio, Samsung, or Creative sit under the monitor, connect via HDMI ARC or optical, and produce fuller bass and louder volume than any monitor speakers. The tradeoff is one more device to power, one more remote to manage, and sound that still can't match real stereo separation.

Headphones remain the best choice for competitive multiplayer or late-night sessions. A wired set like the Philips SHP9500 plugs into the PS5 controller's 3.5mm jack and delivers positional audio cues monitor speakers can't reproduce. Open-back designs sound more natural than closed-back, and they don't heat your ears during long sessions. Save wireless models for when you need to walk away mid-game without unplugging.

Don't bother with cheap USB speakers. They sound worse than decent monitor speakers, add clutter, and require separate power. If the monitor's built-in audio isn't good enough, skip the incremental upgrade and jump straight to bookshelf speakers or a soundbar. The small improvement from USB speakers doesn't justify the cost or desk space.

Questions people still ask

I tested monitor speakers on a dozen models before finding the few that didn't sound like tin cans, and the difference a real subwoofer makes is impossible to overstate.