Even though they’re used as practice amps for the home, there’s no reason to have to scrimp on sound with desktop guitar amps. Thanks to the marvels of modeling amp technology you can get a multitude of amplifier tones and effects all in one unit. This is what makes them so good for practicing along to your favorite songs or writing your own music with a unique sound.
Now there’s no ‘best’ sounding amplifier as such, but some desktop amps do certain sounds better than others. Amps like the Yamaha THR30II definitely lean more toward traditional and vintage tones, whereas something like the Boss Katana-Air will be much better at a modern high-gain tone. You’ll need to weigh up which you’re likely to use the most and decide based on that if you find yourself stuck between two choices.
Effects are something you should pay attention to as well. Having built-in effects can really help you augment and expand upon your sound, as well as help you to emulate some of the most famous guitar tones. The majority of desktop guitar amps will ship with some effects, but it’s always worth checking to make sure it has the ones you need.