Laptop designers have managed to squeeze an amazing amount of hardware into a small box, including the ability to generate a broad range of audio signals from a CD, a DVD, games, and the Internet. Most current laptops include a sound adapter that’s similar to a basic sound card on a desktop machine.
So far, so good, but there’s no room for a decent set of speakers and not enough wattage to produce deep, vibrant sound and significant volume. My most advanced laptop has a pair of speakers at the edge of the front surface; they’re cute as a button and about as large. They’re good enough to allow me to hear a movie’s dialog or soundtrack, but not good enough to allow me to revel in it.
However, if I plug a good-quality headphone into the audio output jack on the side of the laptop, I’m happy. And if you want to add to the bits and pieces of hardware you carry along with your laptop, purchase a set of external powered speakers that boost the music’s volume and quality. These external speakers can be run off batteries or an AC adapter.