Customer Reviews

Logitech Laptop Speaker Z205

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(47)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

(SEE EDITS AT BOTTOM)
We've been using this on our laptop for two weeks and really like the sound quality it produces. It clips right on to the top or side of the laptop monitor without any issues (unless we forget to take it off and try to close the laptop with it still attached). The sound is certainly loud enough, especially if you'll be sitting right in front of it. We've watched several Netflix movies and it seems to do just fine.

It does take over the sound controls of your computer, and it seems like the interval jumps between volume settings is pretty big. Basically, you just have the options of Silent - Soft - Medium - Loud - Really Loud. But it's not a big deal. It does what it's meant to do. Our Dell Inspiron picked it right up when we attached the USB cable, and it's nice to have the volume and power buttons on top of the speaker itself.

Cons: There is no protective case for this. Just a wimpy cloth sleeve to put it in. Virtually no protection offered to the speaker. Also, I don't really care for the way the USB cable connects to the back of the speaker. It gets bent very easily because it sticks out from the back at a 90-degree angle and I'm afraid that will be the first thing to get damaged.

A nice, strong little speaker that does its job well without too much fuss.

[EDIT: The thing just died on us tonight, after only two months of use. A short has developed in the cable at exactly the place I commented above in the "Cons" section. I've submitted a request to Logitech about repair/replacement. We shall see what they come back with.]

[EDIT #2: I have been in touch with Logitech, and found them to be quite helpful. They suggested a couple of tests to make sure the cable was in fact the problem. After that, they sent me an email warranty verification form to fill out and return. I sent that in, and within 24 hours they responded that a new speaker and cable would arrive in 7-10 business days. I'm pleased with the response, and Logitech has kept me as a customer because of their good customer service.]

I've been using this nifty little speaker gadget for a little over two months now, and have been very happy with it.

It's a compact gadget that clips right on to your laptop screen, and has power and volume control buttons on one side, and a USB port and a 3.5 mm jack (to connect to external music players) on the other side. It comes with an 18 inch long USB cable, and a small carrying case that can house the gadget and the included USB cable. The gadget uses USB power from your laptop so there's no need for a separate power cord.

When first connected via USB, the speaker gadget loads a driver onto the computer automatically. The software installation process also automatically makes the Z205 the default speaker, but the simple manual configuration steps for doing so are listed in the included operations manual.

To compare the sound qualities from my Windows 7 laptops' (Toshiba and HP) built-in speakers and the Z205, I had to manually switch speaker configurations to make the speaker on test the default. I then restart my media application (e.g., Windows Media Player, etc) after each switch, turn the volume setting to maximum, and play one of the audio or video sample files that come included with Windows 7's Media Player installations (e.g., classical music, Wildlife in HD video, etc). The results were clear: the Z205 delivered better sound quality in all cases. The sounds from the Z205 were fuller, sharper, and richer; not BOSE-quality but still much much better than those coming from the laptops' built-in speakers.

Lightweight and compact, the Z205 can be conveniently packed for travel. The 3.5 mm jack for connecting to external music players is a very much appreciated bonus too!

Some reviewers have commented that this nifty little speaker gadget can really deliver very loud volume to fill a very large room, while others have opined that the maximum setting is not loud enough for them. My own experience agrees more with the latter: at maximum volume settings, the Z205 delivered sounds that, in my experience, were about 2-3 times louder than my laptops' built-in speakers but I still felt comfortable that the loudness level wasn't excessive. And although the Z205 doesn't deliver BOSE-level sound quality, it's still a considerable improvement over my laptops' built-in speakers.

We have several different brands of laptops here at work: Acer, HP, an old Sony, and an old Gateway, this portable speaker attached to every one of them; (update: it also fits just fine on my Dell at home).

From a female's perspective, I found this speaker to be cute, as far as speakers go - it just looks nice, period. But besides being cute, it's also designed well - inside the clip section there is rubber cushioning so it won't scratch your computer.

The sound is fairly good, but don't expect Bose-quality. It's easy to install - just plug in the USB cord - each computer found the hardware immediately whether it was XP, Vista or Windows 7 - I tried on all 3 OS's.

The USB connection is on the back, along with a 3.5mm jack for an MP3 player (you would have to play this while running through the computer).

If you don't want to clip it on your PC, it also has rubber feet on the bottom of the clip so you can just sit it beside your computer if you wish to do that instead.

It also comes with a drawstring carry case, in addition to the USB cord.

I have been using the Logitech Laptop Speaker Z205 for about a month now, and I'm completely satisfied. OK, first of all, this external speaker unit is designed to increase the viewing and listening experience of a single user, not fill an entire room with a high quality audio experience. And, when it comes to filling that role this little unit does a fantastic job.

OK, here's how you use it. This small stereo speaker unit has a spring-loaded click that allows it to acquire a firm grip on the top of any laptop computer. You then plug the USB cord into one of the computer's USB ports, push the power button on the speaker unit, and it's ready to go! There is also a volume adjustment on the top of the speaker. If you are watching something on your computer or you are listening to music while you work, then this little unit will serve you well.

The unit is surprisingly small (about 1.5" tall x 5-6" long and maybe 3/4" deep). Even so, it produces a clear, pleasant sound quality for watching DVDs, etc., on your computer.

The really nice thing about this unit is that it is truly small enough to take with you when you travel. I have taken external speakers with me before, and those tend to be bulky, there are lots of cords involved, and can be a bit of a pain! This small unit is not.

So, if you are looking for an external speaker for your laptop, one that you will use solo, or perhaps with one other person or two at the most, then I highly recommend this little system.

5 stars all the way...again, for what it was designed to do.

Sound quality: is distinctively better than most cheap laptop speakers, possibly not because these were that great, but simply because these are larger and outside of the laptop body. Still, no bass representation can be expected from these two tiny cones and they sure don't produce any. But the mid-range is nice, at least nicer than the build-in speakers.

Portability/Pouch: comes with a soft pouch, so the cable will not get lost, but it is a soft pouch, so it will not protect against pressure. If you pack it, don't put it into a soft-sided bag or next to something with a sharp edge. Otherwise build quality is solid and it has a grill to protect the cones.

Convenience: It is easy to install (both physically and the drivers), at least under windows7. The clip is solid enough to hold it even if you move the laptop around and it is padded, so it wont scratch, but the front should have been cut out to leave room for the camera / mic that is on most laptops nowadays. The buttons on the top are a very nice idea, but the clip does not hold the box strong enough for this, so you will have to be careful when trying to use them. It is a bit wobbly when you press it.

Other use: The clip is shaped so this can be just put down on a flat surface (even has four tiny rubber legs), does not have to be clipped to the top of a screen. Has extra input for a mp3 player, but no room for internal power source (batteries), so it has to be hooker up to a laptop to work. This is a limiting factor, otherwise it could have been used as a standalone speaker for your music player.

Another possible use would be to hook it up to a desktop, but for the same or little more you can get 2.1 speakers (including from logitech) with MUCH better sound.

Target audience: is the frequent traveler, who carries his laptop and wants to use it in the hotel room to watch some movies.

Value: For $20 this would be a good value. For $35 (which is what amazon typically charges for it, although I got it for $30) it is a bit too pricey.

Summary: It is an upgrade, but not that much of an upgrade. It won't work unless you hook it up to a laptop (not self powered), so not usable as standalone speaker. It covers up the camera and the mic on the front of the screen, so interferes with you using your laptop for video calling or even for just plain audio calling.

For watching movies on your laptop, if you watch it alone, you are better off with a decent headphone. If the headphone is not an option, i.e. you watch it with someone else, it is good, but not great.

There are a lot of good things here and it is certainly better than most built-in laptop speakers, but could have been better and sound quality is still just so-so. Should be cheaper.

This is a good size for a frequent flier. Big enough for great sound and small enough to fit in the laptop case. The "bag" that holds the speakers & cable is okay but I would have preferred a hard shell case.

But the important thing is the sound. It is incredible. The depth of sound is impressive. With surround sound sources it does very well at the 3D effects. This could also be a factor of my laptop having a great audio system too. But I couldn't hear that level of 3D with the built in speakers.

Logitech also put some thought into mounting. This can either clip to the top of the laptop or sit on it's base on a table. Very well designed.

The power and volume controls are easily manipulated. The USB drivers also self installed on my Windows 7 laptop. There is another plug on the unit for an alternate sound source (i.e. iPod) but I haven't tried that yet.

[Edit 18 months now and still working great even though it travels on the road with me just about every week. I keep it in the cloth sack it comes with and haven't had any problems with damage. I also switched to a Macbook Air and can verify it works great with the Mac.]

I am very picky being an ex sound engineer. These speakers are a great option. You have to remember they are, a compact external speaker system. I have a Toshiba Satellite T115 Ultra compact notebook which I love except the speakers are not what I wanted but due to the small form factor thats to be expected. This speaker system looks great, does not put too much weight on my screen, has plenty of volume and is very clear. Over all this is a great speaker option that has great sound quality.

Love my Toshiba's and most have Harmon Karden speakers; if you have H-Ks, you need not have this Logitech Z205, which is not quite as good as the factory H-K's. My latest, a Toshiba L505 business laptop, however, did not have decent speakers at all. So, bought the Logitech's, and now it shines. The clip stays on snuggly, tight, and I mount it over the webcam at the top bezel of the laptop screen (so, in this position, I cannot use the webcam--but you could use it at other positions, but it won't then be in the middle of your ears and thus it'll lose the stereo effect). The USB 2.0 picked it up immediately on Windows 7, no driver issues. The computer automatically drops over to the Logitech without me having to go into the My Computer and fiddle with settings. I unhitch, and it immediately starts playing out of my internal computer speakers again. There is no aux power neede for the Logitech--it uses the USB power to drive it, which is nice. In fact, I have the Logitech speakers on a 4-prong USB splitter (without external power to it, either), and even with keyboard and mouse in two of the other USB ports, the Logitech has enough power. So, it's not a power hog.

If there is a downside to this product, it is the closeness of the speakers. As mentioned above, the "spread" of the speakers is only about 4 inches. Sure, it makes for a small and portable package, but the stereo sounds would be enhanced if it had at least as much spread between speakers as even the inherent notebook speakers at about 12-13 inches. You're forced to keep this pretty much right in front of you, and very much the only option is on the upper bezel of the screen (as in the video demo), and thus it blocks your webcamera. A product idea for future if to make the speakers disengageable, so that one could split and separate them if desired to both enhance sound stero and allow use of webcam, or link them together for travel and portability. I do, though, like the small and compact size of this speaker bar. With so many laptops in so many colors, another hue than straight black gloss would be a nice option.

The sound quality is good, It gets loud, and it's hard to quantify, but I will just say that it's better than stock speakers on any netbook and notebook I have owned, with the exception of the Harmon-Kardon speakers. It has reasonable bass, even without a subwoofer.

If portability is truly not a key for you, though, the Bose Companion II speakers for under one hundred dollars is a true steal...they are with booming sound (powered by ac outlet), but without the cumbersome bass hookup with extra wires. I love Bose Companion IIs and own several pairs for the docking stations for my notebooks.

Four of five stars for the Logitechs. Five+ of five stars for Bose Companion IIs.

I tried these speakers on my Asus 1008 HA netbook. Needless to say, the speakers on my netbook are pretty weak and the sound quality at high volumes leaves much to be desired.

These speakers attach to the top of the monitor with a clamp and a chord runs to the USB port. So it's a little awkward if I run an external optical drive, a speaker, and a power chord at the same time - looks like the poor little netbook is on life support.

The speakers hold in place pretty well, but adds heft and the balance of the netbook is thrown off a little. The sound quality is an imporvement over the speakers that came with the netbook - but it's a very modest improvement. Honestly, I'm not sure I can envision a time when I really need a step up in audio quality with a netbook. If you're looking for something that adds a tremendous amount of sound quality, these speakers are not for you.

I've tried two of these now, and the power / usb chord breaks easily at the speaker unit. Bad design! I wouldn't try it again unless the company does a re-design.
Update June, 2011: the company was VERY HELPFUL and replaced my speaker with one of better design. I am very happy with the upgraded design and with logic customer svice! I would definately choose their products in the future.