Creative Pebble X Plus speaker system

Laptop speakers don’t always deliver stellar audio. Desktop PC speakers are even worse. The solution is to add a desktop speaker system to take over the audio duties from the built-in ones. And with wireless Bluetooth on board, desktop PC audio systems often take on the role of wireless music streamers as well. Here’s my hands-on review of an interesting option that offers 2.1 audio, RGB lighting, and some style for around $130, the Creative Pebble X Plus speaker system.

Configuration

One of the first things that hit me when I opened the box were the cables. The Pebble X Plus offers wireless Bluetooth connectivity, but the speaker system itself is wired. That means an integrated 4-foot cable connecting the two speakers and the subwoofer, a pair of USB-C cables, and a 3.5mm AUX cable.

Not all of these will be required for every setup, but connect to a PC and you’ll likely need them all. There are two spherical Pebble X speakers, each about 5.35 inches in diameter and weighing about a pound and a quarter, plus a cube subwoofer that’s just over 6 inches square and weighs just under four pounds.

I was mainly interested in seeing how this system would perform with music, so I had a fairly simple setup. Plug the speakers into the subwoofer, then use one of the USB-C cables to connect the main speaker to a USB power adapter. Creative doesn’t include that power adapter, so you’ll need to have one handy with a minimum of 30 W. Or, you can plug a USB-C cable directly into your computer’s USB-C port (it supports USB audio), but doing so means less power than a standalone power adapter, and the system’s music output will also drop – from 30W to 15W. The speakers have two USB-C ports, so you can connect directly to your computer with one for audio, but use the other to connect to a USB power adapter to still get that full 30W output.

There’s a 3.5mm AUX input on the speaker, so you can connect a source like a turntable to the system, there’s a headphone jack and, of course, there’s Bluetooth wireless connectivity.

Once everything is plugged in and turned on, there are controls on the speaker for power, volume, source and RGB lighting. For more comprehensive controls that take full advantage of the system’s capabilities (including custom RGB lighting effects and audio options), download the Creative mobile app.

Key Features of Creative Pebble X Plus:

• 2.1 Wired speaker system
• Dual 2.75-inch full-range drivers, 3.5-inch flat-cap subwoofer drivers with dual passive radiators
• Maximum power up to 60W when connected to USB power adapter
• Frequency response 45-20,000 Hz
• Bluetooth 5.3 (SDC codec), 3.5 mm AUX input, USB-C, headphone output
• Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine, BassFlex, EQ, Dialog+
• Volume, power and RGB lighting controls on the speaker
• Includes 2 x USB-C to USB-C cables, 3.5mm AUX cable (USB power adapter NO included)
• MSRP: $129.99

Hands On

Once the minor – and once – hassle of connecting everything is over, the Pebble X Plus is very easy to live with. Everything you need to use the basics of the system is on the left speaker. I’m into RGB lighting, so playing around with the different lighting effects was fun.

What about the voice? Well, the Pebble X Plus speaker system offers 2.1-channel audio, but it’s designed for desktop use. This means that the maximum distance between the left and right speakers is about four feet, which is a little low for full stereo effect. That said, it will certainly offer more separation than a portable wireless speaker, which is stuck at mono output (although more expensive options may have a DSP arrangement and drivers for simulated stereo).

The round speakers are equipped with 2.75-inch full-range drivers that are angled 45 degrees to produce audio. The subwoofer has a 3.5-inch driver in front and passive radiators on both sides. The result is audio that is more expansive than a single speaker can produce, with a low actual level of it. No LOTbut for music that subwoofer adds a beat. With up to 30W RMS on tap (60W peak), it can also pump out some serious volume. I streamed music from my phone for several hours, and it was easy to forget that this is really a desktop computer speaker setup and not a dedicated audio system. Note that its Bluetooth only supports the SBC codec, where more expensive systems typically offer AAC and/or AptX for superior wireless audio performance.

The Pebble X Plus speaker system won’t give a quality stereo system a run for its money. However, like a compact 2.1 desktop speaker system for your computer and Bluetooth music streaming that costs $130? This system fulfills that role quite well.

Creative Pebble X Plus recommendation

Given the price, relatively compact size, respectable audio output, and RGB lighting, the Creative Pebble X Plus is an excellent choice as a desktop PC audio system. It can also be used as an affordable wireless music system or even connected to a turntable. Just be prepared to hide some cables, don’t expect AAC/AptX wireless audio quality, and don’t forget that 30W USB-C power adapter.

If you want to save a few bucks (and some space) and extra bass isn’t important to you, Creative also sells the Pebble X speakers as a pair without the subwoofer for $89.99, and the company also offers a more budget-friendly Pebble style speakers for $25.

Disclosure: Creative provided the Pebble speakers for evaluation purposes, but there was no data in this review.