When it comes to sound, one really has to consider what it is required for. Most people who listen to music or play games will use headphones in an environment where others may be bothered. But every now and then, a good set of speakers comes in extremely handy. And a good set of portable speakers even more so.
The SP-i250G stereo speaker set makes up part of Genius’s GX Gaming range. As such, they are identified as speakers for gaming but, unlike a mouse or even a headset (which generally incorporates a mic for gaming, but even then isn’t all that exclusive to the pass-time) speakers really don’t fall into a category for gaming or non-gaming. Let’s be brutally honest. They’re speakers.
They produce sound, whether for gaming, music, movies or whatever else you may need audio for. Identifying these as portable gaming speakers is a bit of a stretch. But let’s set the marketing stuff aside and take a look at the speakers themselves. The SP-i250G set is comprised of a pair of satellite speakers that are powered by 40mm neodymium drivers. They’re omnidirectional and rechargeable, with a USB plug supplying power and connection to the chosen device they will be used with. In addition, the cable handily incorporates a 3.5mm jack as well, for added versatility. You can use these babies with virtually anything.
Each is individually turned on and off, and volume is adjusted individually too, via a large ring that runs along the whole outside of the speakers. It takes a little extra work to get your volume balanced, but it is not too difficult to master. What’ trickier is determining which speaker is going to produce which channel – left or right. Because they individually plug onto the cable, one would have hoped that the cable would indicate channel, but no such luck. OK, so switching the two around is easy enough, but it would have been nice to have an indication right off the bat.
Each speaker outputs 3 watts of sound, which means that they’re not exceptionally loud. The audio is crisp, though, and the omnidirectional design of the speakers means that they can deliver decent performance. The bass notes, unfortunately, are a little light… we have seen Genius make better use of 40mm neodymium drivers in their Cavimanus headset, also reviewed in this issue.
These speakers deliver a decent amount of battery life, but lack some of the bells and whistles of other, similar products. They have no wireless connection options, for a start, and come down to being very simple. If you need to make use of speakers while gaming, listening to music or anything else, they will certainly get the job done… but they don’t necessarily trump a good set of headphones.
Verdict:
They’re not a bad set of speakers, but their simplicity might not appeal to some. They’re very versatile, though…
Manufacturer: Genius
Distributer: TVR Computers
Online: www.tvr.com
Tech Specs:
- Stereo
- Rechargeable
- USB / 3.5mm jack compatible
- 40mm drivers
Pros:
- Very portable
- Easy to connect
- Good battery life
Cons:
- No wireless options
- No channel indication