Soundbars offer a different experience than your more traditional speaker setup. Since you can't string tweeters together with cables to string a setup together, you have to place them directly in front of you, which can have unintended consequences for the sound. Gaming-specific speakers often have this very over-the-top marketing style where the target gamer of the ad is completely blown away by the sound, immersed in the footsteps of a battle or the roaring sounds of a dragon above. With the OXS Thunder Pro, this is the closest I've ever come to a marketing experience... and I'm not sure I like it.
Starting with the looks, this thing is loaded with RGB lighting, featuring dual up-firing, front-firing, and side-firing speakers, complete with that familiar explosion of color when you power it up. Those bright lights serve a purpose, they're used to choreograph which of the listening modes are being engaged at any given moment. We'll talk more about that later, but for now just know that the RGB lighting isn't completely pointless, and it does look pretty darn nice in the dark.
One of the main advantages of a soundbar like this is that you simply plug it in and it works. You don't have to deal with terminal cables or find space on parallel parts of a desk for optimal sound. Just set it up, plug it in, and start listening.
It also comes with two different controllers; a remote that lets you change settings from a distance, and a little wheel that you can turn and tap to change volume and power the device on. That dial feels a little redundant with the remote, but it's a neat bit of tech that feels surprisingly intuitive to use.
Thunder Pro Specifications
Speaker: 2 x 0.75-inch tweeters, 2 x 2.5-inch woofers, 4 x 1.5-inch full-range drivers
Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB, Aux, HDMI
Weight: 4.5 kg
Frequency response: 75Hz - 20kHz
Price: $600 / £600
It's helped along by its excellent connectivity, which works with USB-A, USB-C, Aux, Bluetooth and HDMI, although it doesn't come with the necessary cables so you'll have to find your own. This connectivity is great, and the ability to switch between them using the remote means you can keep multiple devices connected at once. You can also plug in a mic and headset if you want to be able to chat to friends while you play. The only place it falls short in terms of connectivity is space for a sub output, but with built-in subwoofers you probably won't need one.
It's clearly a very nice bit of kit, solid and powerful, loud enough to really slam into a desk. However, this impressive facade belies an audio quality that's lacking if you catch it in the wrong audio space. Hrvrd's On With Disease, a track full of intricate guitar work, pounding drums and soaring vocals, thunders thanks to the speaker's high bass levels. On the other hand, TTNG's Baboon, a mathematical miasma of mids and highs, doesn't quite fare quite right. The OXS Thunder Pro feels just about perfect for Loathe's Aggressive Evolution, on the other hand, thanks to the Djenty guitar work, thumping drums and Deftones-esque vocals.
Fittingly, following the announcement of Doom: The Dark Ages, if you go back to Doom 2016 you'll hear all the demonic rips and tears, thanks to Mick Gordon's super-thick, distorted tone.
Destiny 2, which has managed to capture my partner's life since The Final Shape launched, is great in those fast-paced firefights and almost becomes too much. See, the OXS Thunder Pro is aptly named as the thing that slams into a desk and can be almost overwhelmingly atmospheric.
While it has plenty of ways to dial the volume up and down, there's a glaring point where it goes from a somewhat disappointing speaker to a monstrosity. For this reason, it's almost hard to recommend it as a purely under-monitor speaker. The volume, size, and remote control actually make it a much better TV audio source. If you're looking to crank up the OXS Thunder Pro, don't sit in front of it, because it gets so loud you'll get lost in the wall of sound. The handful of drivers allow for 3D audio, meaning you can distinguish directional sound from wherever you're sitting. When it's working properly, it's honestly a magical experience, even if it does start to lose its charm after a while.
Buy as...
✅ You want serious compatibility: With the ability to connect via Aux, USB, Bluetooth and HDMI, it can handle just about anything.
✅ You like bass: While it doesn't produce as much bass as, say, the Razer Nommo V2 Pro, it still packs quite a punch.
✅ You want immersive sound: Thanks to Dolby Atmos support and the many speakers spread across the bar, it offers a very immersive and engaging sound profile.
Do not buy if...
❌ You want clear midtones: While the bass here is very good and the highs generally sound solid, the mids can get a little muddy.
❌ You want to use it at a low volume: If you don't turn the volume up high enough, the sound can be a bit disappointing and can quickly become too loud.
❌ You have a limited budget: There are better choices available at a lower price point, even if they lack some of the OXS's more interesting features.
Mass Effect, a game that's a little more subdued than Destiny 2 thanks to its focus on character dialogue, is fine here, but not as crisp as I'd like given the bass quality and connectivity. The midrange gets muddy, which you really start to notice in TV shows and movies too. It could work with Dolby Atmos, which allows for true surround-sound imaging, but at a certain point it feels more form over function. How immersive that sound is could be great, but I'd prefer a really high-quality set of reference speakers over this in most cases.
That's all before we even mention the rather prohibitive $600 cost for the cheapest model. For now, you can get almost all of the best PC gaming speakers and still have money left over for a brand new game. The Thunder Pro tries valiantly to cover the more confusing midrange with three game modes; FPS, RAC and MOBA, which focus on different parts of the sound. Overall, this is a good idea and the fact that you can go from hearing footsteps more clearly to listening to team calls makes for a more compelling listening experience.
The Thunder Pro has great connectivity, a good look, and flashy controls, but it lacks a few things in its overall delivery. OXS has put out a product that I genuinely want to like more than I did, and ultimately delivers a still solid, but uninspiring experience. And that's not what you want from such a premium product.
