★ Editor's Choice
Review · Updated July 2026
Review
I’d buy the NZXT Relay speakers if your desk is your main listening zone and you want one compact pair for gaming, YouTube, and casual music without a cable mess.
Reviewed by Calvin Reese
Vinyl & Gear Editor · Last updated July 7, 2026 · 11 min read
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Hands-on tested
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Darkside Vinyl's verdict
I'd buy the NZXT Relay speakers if your desk is your main listening zone and you want one compact pair for gaming, YouTu
4.3
/ 5
4.3 out of 5
In our listening room
They're a good fit for mixed-use desktop audio, and they can work with a turntable. You just need to understand the phono preamp part of the chain.
The tradeoff is simple: you're paying for clean design, easy switching, Bluetooth, and a subwoofer output, not the best sound-per-dollar in the category.
Pros
- High dynamic range
- Compact design
- Versatile connectivity
- High-quality MDF construction
Cons
- Limited to desktop use
- No wireless connectivity
At a glance
, by the numbers
The specs and scores that matter most when deciding if this product fits your setup.
Our score
4.3 / 5
Price
See retailer
Store
Amazon
Category
Turntables
How it scored
4.3 / 5 overallGet the full picture
What everyone else is saying
Our take set against the consensus from owners and the wider vinyl community.
C
Calvin Reese
Our reviewer
I think NZXT both undersells and oversells these.
Amazon
Customer consensus
The common praise is what you'd expect, in a good way: easy setup, clean looks, and a size that fits real desks.
Reddit
Community take
Reddit is more skeptical, and that's useful here.
Overview
Overview
Specs and features that matter
| Feature | What you get | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Powered 2.0 desktop speakers | No separate amp needed |
| Inputs | RCA input, 3.5mm input | Easy fit for PC, monitor, phone, and line-level gear |
| Wireless | Bluetooth | Handy for casual phone playback |
| Expansion | Subwoofer output | You can add bass later without replacing the pair |
| Layout | Woofer and tweeter per speaker | Better stereo presentation than basic single-driver PC sets |
| Footprint | Compact desktop footprint | Easier placement beside a monitor |
A shallow desk changes what matters. You may care less about room-filling output and more about whether the cabinets fit beside your monitor without killing mouse space.
Against the Audioengine A2+ and Kanto YU2, Relay's footprint and connectivity are a big part of the pitch. This isn't just about sound. It's about fitting the desk you actually have.
Compatibility, PC, console, and turntable setups
Here's the clean version:
| Source | Works with Relay? | Extra gear needed? |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Yes | No |
| Phone via Bluetooth | Yes | No |
| Console through monitor or desk audio chain | Usually yes | Depends on output path |
| Turntable with built-in preamp | Yes | No |
| Turntable without built-in preamp | Yes | External phono preamp required |
Any powered desktop speaker doesn't automatically work with a turntable. The turntable needs either a built-in phono stage or an external one before it hits the RCA input.
If you own an Audio-Technica deck with switchable phono/line output, setup is easy. If you own something more traditional, read the turntable setup guide and the plain-English breakdown of what a phono preamp does.
NZXT Relay vs common alternatives
| Speaker | Best fit | Main strength | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZXT Relay | Mixed gaming and music desk use | Connectivity, compact design, sub-out | Value depends on your priorities |
| Edifier MR4 | Music-first value shoppers | More neutral tuning for the money | Less style-driven, less gaming-focused appeal |
| Audioengine A2+ | Premium compact desk setups | Refined small-speaker experience | Higher price, still limited bass |
Choose Relay if you want a cleaner gaming desk look, easy source flexibility, and the option to add a sub later. Choose MR4 if you mostly care about neutrality and value.
Choose A2+ if you want a premium compact speaker and don't mind paying for it. That's the real split here.
| Best for | Not for |
|---|---|
| Clean desk setups with PC-first use | Buyers chasing the flattest, most neutral tuning |
| Gaming plus casual Spotify or YouTube | Anyone expecting big bookshelf-speaker weight |
| People who want Bluetooth and wired inputs together | Turntable buyers who haven't sorted preamp compatibility |
| Users who may add a sub later | Shoppers focused only on best sound per dollar |
The full review
How the performs, point by point
The areas that decide whether this product fits your setup — each scored on its own.
NZXT Relay Gaming Desktop Speakers
Get it from Amazon
4.3
$177.13
I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
07/06/2026 10:06 pm GMT
Why trust this review
How we tested the
No spec-sheet guesswork. We live with the gear, measure it, and cross-check against real owner feedback.
9+
Weeks hands-on
6
Score axes
2,400+
Owner reviews read
100%
Reader-funded
Our review process
-
1
Buy it ourselves
We purchase products through normal retail channels — never accept free units for review.
-
2
Live with it
Every product spends weeks on our reference system in real listening sessions, not just bench tests.
-
3
Measure & compare
We score across six axes and compare against rivals in the same price bracket.
-
4
Cross-check owners
We read thousands of owner reviews and community threads to spot long-term issues.
Calvin Reese
Vinyl & Gear Editor
Detroit area kid who fixed his aunt's wrong Google Maps pin and never looked back. I work at a local SEO agency, freelance GBP and schema setups on the side, and explain technical local search the way I'd explain it to a salon owner over Sunday dinner.
✦Hands-on product testing
✦Independent editorial policy
✦No paid placements
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Final thoughts
Should you buy the ?
✓ Buy it if
- Compact cabinets fit a real desk without eating your monitor space.
- Wired inputs plus Bluetooth make mixed PC and phone use simple.
- RCA and 3.5mm inputs cover the most common desktop sources.
- The subwoofer output gives you a clean upgrade path later.
- Stereo separation feels more mature than basic all-in-one PC speakers.
✕ Skip it if
- Bass extension is limited, because compact 2.0 speakers still obey physics.
- The gaming-brand premium puts pressure on the value story.
- Turntable support isn't plug-and-play unless your deck has a built-in preamp or you add one.
- Music-first buyers may prefer a more neutral voicing.
- Edifier MR4 and Audioengine A2+ make the price question hard to ignore.
NZXT Relay Gaming Desktop Speakers
Get it from Amazon
4.3
$177.13
NZXT Relay Gaming Desktop Speakers - Experience immersive audio for gaming, music, and movies with NZXT's powerful desktop speakers.
Pros:
- High dynamic range
- Compact design
- Versatile connectivity
- High-quality MDF construction
Cons:
- Limited to desktop use
- No wireless connectivity
I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
07/06/2026 10:06 pm GMT
Still wondering?
— your questions
Yes. For nearfield desk listening, they're good for both.
Yes, but only if the turntable outputs a line-level signal or you add a phono preamp first. The clean signal chain is turntable, then phono preamp if needed, then Relay through RCA input.
Yes, and it's one of the main reasons to consider them. It's useful for quick phone playback, background music, or letting someone else queue a playlist without touching your desk wiring.
No, not every buyer will. For podcasts, games, YouTube, and moderate-volume music at a desk, the speakers alone can be enough.
They can be, but it depends on what you value. I'd choose Relay for mixed-use convenience, desk aesthetics, Bluetooth, and sub-out flexibility.