BlueAnt Soundblade review

The BlueAnt Soundblade is unlike your traditional gaming soundbar or stereo speaker setup that you'll have at your desk. That's immediately apparent in its physical design, which ditches a standard box/bar approach for rounded, tapered edges, complete with a built-in subwoofer delivering powerful bass without taking up a ton of space. 

This company is behind high-end home cinema soundbars, such as the XT100 and the XT120, which sit under a television when wall-mounted or atop a media stand. But the Soundblade is completely different. On the technical front, the 120 W of peak power easily matches even the best speakers for PC gaming such as the Logitech G560 Lightsync and Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Soundbar in a much smaller all-in-one package. 

Regarding subwoofers, the built-in 80 mm neodymium sub punches above its weight, delivering a strong bass presence when gaming, listening to music, and media playback. It doesn't quite match up to the dedicated woofer you'll find on the Razer Leviathan V2 and its predecessor, given the Soundblade's subwoofer size and compact footprint, but the results are definitely comparable. 

Unlike Razer's latest gaming soundbar, the Soundblade impresses with a wealth of connectivity options including 3.5 mm jack, USB-C, USB-A, and Bluetooth 3.5. That means you can hardwire into your PC gaming setup or go completely wireless.

Power output: 120 watts peak power
Sound configuration: 2.1 channel sound
Subwoofer: 1 x Built-in 80 mm neodymium subwoofer
Drivers: 2 x Full range dual voice coil, dual Neodymium magnet drivers
Power source: AC Power
Size: 584 x 218 x 54 mm/ 23 x 8.58 x 2.13 in
Weight: 1.7 kg/ 3.75 pounds
Connectivity options: USB-C, Bluetooth 5.3 & 3.5mm
Price: $200 / £200 / AU$399

In my testing, I primarily switched between USB-C for the best wired-in experience and Bluetooth, both of which were near-identical to my ear, so the versatility can be praised here. You are, unfortunately, missing out on optical though, so if you're