TestLap
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Online speaker test

Play each speaker on its own, test bass and sweep the frequency range to find rattling, unbalanced or dead speakers.

Set your system volume to about 50% first. Unplug headphones to test the built-in speakers.
Playing: —
20 Hz (bass)1 kHz20 kHz (ultra high)

Note where the sound rattles or drops out. Press the button below the moment you hear distortion:

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40%

Runs entirely in your browser. No data, images or audio are ever uploaded.

How to test in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Set the volume to about 50%

    Unplug headphones so sound comes from the built-in speakers. Do not start at 100%, the sweep gets piercing.

  2. 2

    Click Left speaker, then Right speaker

    Check that the sound comes from the right side. Both sides should be equally loud with no rattle.

  3. 3

    Try bass and the sweep

    Rattling or inaudible bass means weak speakers. Use the sweep to find frequencies where the sound breaks up.

Reading the results

  • Correct side, equal loudness, clean bass: good speakers.
  • One side silent: broken speaker wire or burnt-out speaker. Replaceable, but the laptop has to be opened.
  • Distortion at every frequency even at low volume: torn cone. Distortion only at high volume is normal for thin laptop speakers.
  • Rattling during the bass test: loose screws or chassis resonating. Not a speaker fault, but a sign the laptop has been opened.
  • Constant faint hiss with nothing playing: audio circuit noise, often worse with the charger connected.

Audio tips for used laptops

  • After the built-in speakers, plug in headphones and repeat Left and Right to check the 3.5 mm jack for crackle or a dead channel.
  • Play a music video with vocals as well: pure tones are poor at revealing how "muddy" a speaker sounds.
  • Speakers are the most overlooked part when buying used, because few people test them. Do not skip the microphone test right after this one.

Frequently asked questions

I click but hear nothing+

Check that the speaker icon in the OS is not muted, that the browser is not muted in the volume mixer, and that the output device is the laptop speakers rather than an HDMI monitor or Bluetooth headphones.

Left and right are swapped+

Some machines end up with swapped channels after a speaker replacement or an odd driver. It barely matters day to day, but it hints that the laptop has been repaired.

One side is much quieter+

Check the balance in Sound settings → Device properties first. If balance is centred and one side is still quiet, that speaker is worn or has a torn cone, common on used laptops that played a lot of music.

Bass rattles or buzzes+

Laptop speakers are small and weak bass is normal, but rattling or buzzing on low notes means a torn cone or a loose chassis. Drop the volume to 30%: if it still rattles, the speaker is faulty.

The sweep goes silent in places+

Hearing nothing above roughly 16 kHz is normal for adult ears. A dropout in the middle range (500 Hz to 5 kHz) is a speaker fault.

With headphones plugged in I still hear the speakers+

The 3.5 mm jack is not detecting the plug, often from dirty contacts. Rotate the plug gently: if it works intermittently the jack is loose.