The Bottom Line: Amazing Bose sound for less than $100. These are a godsend for laptops, flat panel monitors, MP3 players, and whatever other uses you can dream up.

I purchased the Bose Companion II Computer Speakers to make up for the shortcomings of a flat-panel monitor with integrated rear-facing speakers. Out of the box, my new monitor sounded like a tin can...I turned the volume up all the way on the computer only to find that the "integrated" speakers couldn't cope, so it was off to Sam's Club for replacements.

I purchased some Bose MediaMate speakers for an older computer several years ago, and was unhappy with the experience. I bought the speakers at a Bose outlet for about $130, and they never did function properly due to a faulty cable connection.

However, after listening to the Companion II speakers in-store and reading generally positive reviews, I decided on these instead of the Companion III system, which featured a blocky subwoofer and mountable cube speakers (I didn't want to risk alienating the neighbors with a cranked-up bass). Setup was a breeze; I simply popped them out of the box, plugged them in, and away I went.

The difference was instant (and amazing). Instead of the tinny computer speakers, with Bose Shrek III now sounded like it was in a theater, with a becoming richness and resonance and a powerful bass to underscore the onscreen action. The speakers sound equally good when applied to jazz, classical, or anything else you can throw at them.

The Bose Companion speakers provide rich, full sound with a good range of highs and lows; one downside is the inability to physically adjust levels (the speakers do so automatically), although you can go in through your control panel and do so. Also, a remote would have been nice, but for the price, these provide excellent sound for the money. There are dual audio inputs, so you can use these with your computer as well as portable audio devices such as MP3 players or CD players.