The iBook G4 speakers are passable... but they're not that great. I couldn't see myself listening to music on them for any significant period of time. But then again, I am a bit of a closet audiophile. A set of speakers would certainly help things significantly. The only thing to consider is where your cousin is likely to be using the laptop for the majority of the time. If it's on a desk then speakers would be fine, but if it's on the go or lounging around on the sofa (etc) then speakers may just sit unused since they are a bit of a hinderance. Maybe a decent set of headphones would be a better purchase for those situations?