Creative’s Sound Blaster series of soundbars are usually their marketed as their high end speakers catered for gamers. This time, the new Sound Blaster GS3 soundbar only starts at S$79, and offers aesthetic and function features that gamers will fancy.
Unboxing
In the box, you will find the following:
- Creative Sound Blaster GS3
- USB-C to USB-A Cable
- Quick Start Leaflet
Build quality and design
It looks like there is a formula for soundbar sizing at Creative as the Sound Blaster GS3 measures 41cm long with a height of 7.4cm (410 x 92.7 x 73.7 mm / 16.1 x 3.6 x 2.9 inches), same length as the Stage SE. This size fits well under any 24 or 27-inch monitors. The Sound Blaster GS3 features an angled design where the soundbar points slightly upwards. The enclosure of the Sound Blaster GS3 uses a matte black plastic which I prefer over glossy finish as it just looks more modern and reduces fingerprint stains.
Build quality is good as well. The soundbar has a nice weight to it and is supported by two thick rubber feet that keeps it firmly in place on the desk. There is a button cluster and knob located on the right hand side of the soundbar. The knob offers a continuous stepped motion for adjusting volume. The buttons are a little stuff to actuate. They control input source, enable/disable SuperWide technology, and switch between RGB lighting effects.
Speaking of RGB lighting, there is a nice RGB light strip located on the base of the soundbar. Pressing the RGB buton cycles throught the multiple lighting presets such as Chasers, Aurora, Peak Meter, Glowing, Wave and Cycle. You cannot customize these effects, but can control the brightness of the light.
Sound quality
The Sound Blaster GS3 offers a good amount of bass and kick from a soundbar of its size, which gets more prominent at higher volumes. There isn’t much sub-bass extension which is expected. Midrange has some elements of warmth coming from the bass. Vocals and instruments remain clear and forward in the overall mix. Treble is present with prominent sparkles especially with hi-hats. Overall volume at 24W is good enough for regular use, but can definitely be louder if you looking to fill a room for a movie-like experience.
Enabling SuperWide mode tames the mid-bass and treble, so kicks are hi-hats are more blended in the overall sound. Vocals and instruments are more spread out compared to its previously more centered sound. To me, SuperWide kind of flattens the sound curve but creates a more open and wider soundstage which makes gaming and watching videos much more enjoyable.
Connectivity and controls
There is no remote control for the Sound Blaster GS3, all controls are either done on the soundbar itself. The controls are located on the right-hand side, in the form of a knob surrounded by a cluster of three buttons. The knob is convenient to quickly adjust volume, while the SuperWide button is located perpendicular to where you’d likely to be sitting so that it is easy to locate.
As for input options, you have three ways – (1) USB, (2) 3.5mm AUX-in, and (3) Bluetooth. You choose the connectivity mode by cycling through each option via the input source button. Bluetooth on the Sound Blaster GS3 is the latest 5,4 version which had close to no audio-video latency, and was stable during my time of testing. You also have a headphone-out port located where the knob is for added convenience of using a pair of headphones when the situation calls for it.
Conclusion
If you don’t have much space on your desk for your gaming setup, the Sound Blaster GS3 offers a compact solution by placing it under your monitor. At S$89, it does not sound as powerful as similar priced Stage SE, but the SuperWide feature is great at expanding the soundstage for a more immersive gaming experience. It is also pretty versatile as it offers both of 3.5m AUX port for connecting in and out.