Creative Sound Blaster GS5 Review

For a lot of people with desktop or laptop arrangements, the desk setup is a refuge of solitude for gaming, cinematic movie-watching, and listening to music. That’s why high-quality audio gear can enhance the experience and make it exponentially more immersive. Especially when played out loud.

But the next question then becomes, “Do I get a soundbar or bookshelf speakers?” The former is more compact and can be snuck under your monitor, but some say there are too many compromises here.

We tested the Creative Sound Blaster GS5 to see if it could be our all-in-one desktop audio solution.

Build and Design

Taking the Sound Blaster GS5 out of the box is a fairly simple experience. You get the sound bar, a power brick/cord combo (and several plug options, which we appreciated), a USB Type C cable, and a minimalistic remote.

The included remote feels light in the hand, but it’s well-designed and has all the necessary buttons. That’s a step beyond as dedicated PC/gaming soundbars rarely come with remotes at all; it’s something we’d expect from a TV soundbar.

The Sound Blaster GS5 itself is straightforward. At the front is the grille (as with any soundbar), with the only detail being the “CREATIVE” logo on the bottom left side.

Underneath is a light bar for RGB illumination, while a look at the rear reveals the port selection. Apart from the power and USB Type-C slot, an OPTICAL IN and 3.5mm AUX jack are also available for wired listening. That’s a welcome addition since not everyone is willing to listen via Bluetooth.

Our favorite part of the design is the physical knob on the right side. It makes changing the volume so intuitive – and having the Bluetooth, RGB brightness, and SuperWide toggles here make it so easy to use in day-to-day life. Pressing on the knob is also either POWER or MUTE. You can also plug your wired headphones into the side.

The only issue we had with the design was the lack of interchangeable feet. Our desktop monitor is on a stand, not a mount – which the GS5 failed to clear. There are lots of hassle-free workarounds though.

Overall, this is a compact piece of kit even compared to some of its PC and TV competitors, but it doesn’t feel hollow or cheaply built at all.

Connectivity and Features

As a 2024 release, the Sound Blaster GS5 comes with Bluetooth 5.3 instead of 5.4 or 6 onwards. However, the differences between 5.3 and 5.4 are minimal, with the latter being optimized mainly for smart devices and IoT-powered homes. You can still expect low latency for laidback gaming experiences – especially compared to much older versions of Bluetooth audio.

Thankfully, Creative has also offered both wired 3.5mm and USB Type-C options for zero-latency competitive gaming.

Actually using the remote is as straightforward as it gets. Apart from the usual music buttons (next, previous), you can also toggle the Bluetooth, Audio Modes, SuperWide surround, and even the brightness of the RGB lights.

Speaking of the lights, they’re a welcome addition to spruce up your setup. You can choose if you want a static color or also set it to a dynamic strobing effect. The way the light is diffused is a clear sign that this was a well-thought-out feature rather than an afterthought.

Need more control? There is a Creative application available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. The mobile versions give you access to RGB lighting customization, output switching, and other features. The desktop versions, on the other hand, go a step further to get into the nitty-gritty of EQ customization so you can get the sound you want out of the GS5s.

You can build and save your own EQ presets for specific games, purposes, and everything under the sun.

Audio Quality

We can sit here and praise everything about the Sound Blaster GS5s – but at the end of the day, an audio product can only be as good as how it sounds.

The Sound Blaster GS5s are equipped with two 15W Racetrack drivers. There is no dedicated subwoofer for bass duties. Instead, there is a rear acoustic chamber to naturally boost the lower frequencies.

Out of the box, we were genuinely impressed. Usually, soundbars can feel quite underpowered to the ear. Even the soundstage can seem very limited due to the form factor. Well, we’re happy to report that these are non-issues with the GS5 in day-to-day use, and the average listener will be very satisfied with these.

It’s not your generic gaming soundbar where everything is thrown out of the window for room-shaking bass. The mids are very present, creating identifiable separation between the vocals and the track. The highs are there but it isn’t harsh at all. It’s a comfortable listen.

Despite the lack of a dedicated subwoofer, the passive system does enough to transmit low frequencies naturally. Maybe those who need an EDM nightclub bass blaster or a “Dolby Atmos” at home can look elsewhere, but at no point did we think it sounded tinny or hollow. You’d still enjoy watching a blockbuster hit on these.

Based on our experience, the depth of its audio delivery might be attributable to the fact that this doesn’t rely solely on USB power, but is instead plugged into a wall socket.

The only time you’d feel it running out of steam is when you crank the speakers to the upper echelon of volume levels (the top 25%). A lot of the musical elements do still make it distortion-free, but you’ll start noticing the lows running out of oomph. Not all parts of the music get louder proportionately. In layman’s terms, some stuff starts getting left behind.

We don’t think most people would listen at that volume though, especially for its “desktop” purpose. It shines best in near-field listening, where you are sitting directly in front of the unit. While it could pass as a room speaker, it might not highlight the GS5’s best qualities.

The various sound modes also come with their own set of unique characteristics. Our favorite is undoubtedly “Gaming” mode as it’s the bassiest setting. In “Movies” mode, clarity in projecting dialogue was the priority, but some scenes lacked impact – especially at high volume. Normal, or “Effects Off,” is smack dab in between.

Keep in mind that you can only access “Music” and the others via the app, whether on your phone or PC.

The SuperWide mode does emulate surround sound to a certain extent, even supporting either Near Field (desktop) or Far Field (room) usage. Points for Creative’s effort in maximizing the GS5’s potential, but it still doesn’t give the separation that bookshelf speakers would.

Conclusion

The Creative Sound Blaster GS5 is an excellent mid-tier option for PC soundbars. While this might’ve been a budget pick in other countries, the field is much more competitive here in Asia due to the presence of alternatives half the price.

Despite this, we’ve tried some of those out and admit that the GS5 justifies the PHP 4,995 it retails for in the Philippines.

Creative has definitely flexed their experience in building these products, giving it an edge over their entry-level models. Even if it lacks some features from their high-end line, you’d never feel shortchanged unless you were a purist or audiophile.

To sum it all up, the Creative Sound Blaster GS5 is a good starting point for most listeners before getting more serious about audio. We’d highly recommend it if you only have a bit of space on your table and you’re restricted to this sub-PHP 5K budget.