The best soundbars of 2025: Tested, rated and reviewed

Sonos Arc Ultra under a TV
(Image credit: Future)

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single TV in need of decent sound, must be in want of one of the best soundbars. If you're on the hunt for a new soundbar, you're in luck — I've spent the better part of 10 years searching for excellent gear that makes your TV sound better.

Whether you're looking for a home cinema hero or a brilliant budget option, I've collated the best soundbars that Tom's Guide has ever tested. From setup to sound, we break down each option to be as simple as possible: No matter what you're looking for, I can help you find a great soundbar to fit on your TV stand.

If you want the very best soundbar that money can buy right now, you're looking at the Sonos Arc Ultra. It's loud and in-charge — although it will make a dent in your wallet to match. If you're looking for something on a budget, you should think about the Sony HT-S100F. Budget price, but excellent sound.

My favorites

Meet the testing team

The Tom's Guide testing team is an experienced bunch who love good sound. Here's why you can trust us to find the best soundbar for your needs:

Tammy Rogers
Tammy Rogers

From the time I built a surround system from the cheapest stuff I could find on eBay to reviewing the latest and greatest sound gear, I put a whole lot of time and effort into working out which soundbars are worth your money. I've constructed this guide with input from the rest of the team so that we can use our experience to guide you through your soundbar journey.

A headshot of Tom's Guide staff writer Erin Bashford.
Erin Bashford

When I’m testing soundbars, I put them through their paces in our state-of-the-art testing suite, complete with a top-of-the-range Panasonic QLED TV and an array of 4K Ultra HD Blu-Rays. I’m looking for soundbars that make movies come to life — both budget-friendly and premium.

A headshot of Staff Writer, Reviews Nikita Achanta
Nikita Achanta

As a reviews writer, I put soundbars through rigorous testing by analyzing sound quality across various film and TV genres, connectivity options, and determine whether they're the best value for money. I love watching movies at the cinema so I like a soundbar that can closely replicate the sound via Dolby Atmos. I also play a lot of video games on my PS5 and there's nothing better than a soundbar that makes you feel like you're actually a sword-wielding samurai in feudal Japan.

How do we test the best soundbars?

Before we dive deep into the best soundbars, I just want to go through what we look for when we're testing them. We make sure to evaluate the soundbar in some key areas.

Setup: While it's something you're only going to do once, we want to make sure that it's as easy as possible to get working. Plug-and-play is the name of the game here, and if there are extra features we want to make sure that they're as easy as possible to use.

How big is it? Everyone's space is different. Maybe you've got a massive room with loads of stuff in it, or maybe your living room is more compact and minimal. You want a soundbar that's going to suit your space, and, more importantly, not going to take up too much of it. We check whether the soundbar fits under our 50-inch OLED Philips testing TV to make sure you're not going to have any size issues. Ultimately, it needs to fit on your TV stand.

Are there any extras? What's in the box, and are its contents any good? Some soundbars come with extras like surround speakers and subwoofers. I want to make sure that those extras are worth it, and that they're not just pictures to sell them at the store.

Sound: This is arguably the most important part of the soundbar, and there are a number of things we look out for here. How's the dialog? Is it clear, or muffled? What about the bass — are you going to have rumbling floors in your movies, or are there going to be problems with the low end? I love testing the sound portion because I get to watch movies instead of working; But it's still important when testing and working out whether a bar is for you.

Best soundbar overall

Best overall

Specifications

Surround: Yes
Smart Features: Yes
Subwoofer: Yes, sold seperately

Reasons to buy

+
Clear Dialogue
+
Great new controls across the top
+
Brilliant Dolby Atmos performance
+
Combine with Sub 4 for very solid bassy rumble

Reasons to avoid

-
A full set-up quickly becomes very expensive
The brief

Sonos Arc Ultra under a TV

(Image credit: Future)

The Sonos Arc Ultra is the best soundbar around. It's not cheap, but it's surround sound and Dolby Atmos performance beats just about anything else that lacks seperate surround speakers. I'll almost certainly never watch movies with anything else for some time.

The Sonos Arc Ultra is more than just a soundbar. It's a fully fledged audio entertainment center that connects to your TV and just happens to be really good for movies and TV.

I particularly like how you can stream your music to it from any device — I frequently find myself spending a bunch of time listening to my favorite tunes from Qobuz and Tidal with it, thanks to its ease of use.

But it's really that epic movie experience you're looking for with something like the Sonos Arc Ultra, and you get it in spades. The Dolby Atmos with just the soundbar is unlike anything else around, and if you add in the optional surrounds, it's a game-changer.

I absolutely love watching just about anything with the Arc Ultra — although you will want to pick up a Sonos sub so that you can get the low-end grunt your movies deserve. It's not cheap — but it is so, so worth it.

Best soundbar under $100

Best cheap

Specifications

Surround: No
Smart Features: No
Subwoofer: No

Reasons to buy

+
Great balanced sound for the price
+
Sleek appearance
+
Well-made remote
+
Affordable
+
Fantastic for TV

Reasons to avoid

-
Sometimes doesn’t automatically turn on with TV
-
No surround sound — not Dolby
-
Sometimes tinny
The brief

the sony ht-s100f or sony ht-sf150 in uk, a black soundbar with buttons on the top, a remote, photographed with a panasonic TV

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The Sony HT-S150 is a great sounding soundbar for an epic price. It won't break the bank, but it'll increase the sound quality of your movies and TV far and above the sound from your TV speakers.

When you don't want to spend loads of money on a soundbar, something like the Sony HT-S150 is just what the doctor ordered. It's a lovely, cheap soundbar that does everything you need it to — make your TV sound better than the built in audio.

It brings more clarity to dialogue, most importantly. Everything from your favorite movies all the way to news bulletins and everything in between become much easier to make out, perfect if you're struggling to hear what people are trying to say.

It's relatively compact as well, so you'll have no problems fitting it on your TV bench beneath most sizes of screen. Our tester found it super easy to use well, with very few (if any) connection issues that sometimes plague cheaper devices.

It's not going to be as impressive as some of the more expensive options on the list, but it more than makes up for it with excellent clarity for all your watching.

Best soundbar for movies

Dolby Atmos and a sub for less

Specifications

Surround: Yes
Smart Features: No
Subwoofer: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Room-filling Dolby
+
Wireless subwoofer connection
+
Vocal clarity despite heavy background noise
+
‘Cinema’ mode
+
3 ‘Voice adjust’ modes to suit your preference

Reasons to avoid

-
Some modes lose vocal nuance and warmth
-
No smart home capabilities
The brief

The Polk Audio Signa S4 being used in a lounge with a large TV. On the TV screen is a green forest scene. In the background is a blue wall.

(Image credit: Future Photo Studios)

The Polk Signa S4 is a great option if you want amazing movie sound, but don't want to shell out for something expensive. The sub in the box brings some extra low-end, while the sound bar's very solid Dolby Atmos is great for action movies.

Generally, if you read the words 'Dolby Atmos' on something that costs less than $500, you're in for a rough time. When something claims to have all encompassing sound you'd hope it does — and, thankfully, the Polk Audio Signa 4 really does.

Erin was immediately impressed with the surround sound of the Signa 4, with some excellent sound quality when watching movies. She really felt like the movie was coming from all around her while watching, which is always a nice surprise when you're testing something slightly cheaper.

The subwoofer in the box added some needed low-end to the party, so those movies where impactful and involving the entire time. All in all, a great experience for movies.

It was great for TV as well, with clarity to dialogue for the news and soap operas. It's an attractive unit we found as well, so you won't have to worry about it drawing too much attention to itself when you put in your TV stand.

Best all-in-one soundbar

All-in-one Dolby Atmos

Specifications

Surround: Yes
Smart Features: Yes
Subwoofer: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Immersive sound quality
+
Cinematic, consuming Dolby
+
Delicate balance between loud and quiet sounds
+
Easy setup
+
App control

Reasons to avoid

-
Takes a second to start up again after pausing video
-
Missing HMDI 2.1 for 120Hz passthrough
The brief

the jbl bar 1300x a black soundbar with HDMI ports, two surround channel speakers, a subwoofer wirelessly connected

(Image credit: Future)

If you want a true surround sound package in one unit, then the 1300X could be just what you've been looking for. It's extra speakers attach to the bar itself, and then you can move them into position when you want to a movie. It's not cheap, but it's a movie monster.

Where the likes of the Sonos Arc want to separate surrounds into different products, the JBL Bar 1300X packs everything into one box and lets you connect them together to take up less space.

As a result you get what is perhaps the most flexible soundbar around. Those connected surrounds are great for adding some extra dimension to your movies, as Erin discovered — to this day she wonders how she ever went without them.

As a result, it's not a cheap soundbar — but it is one of the best sounding. Movies sound massive and spacious, and the subwoofer in the box brings plenty of punch when you're watching something with a little action.

It's a big soundbar, mind you, so you'll need plenty of space to fit it onto your TV stand. It's relatively slim though, so it should fit under most TVs. Remember you'll need somewhere to put those surround units as well, or you won't get the full surround effect.

Best value soundbar

Mid-price, mid-size, top performer

Specifications

Surround: Yes
Smart Features: No
Subwoofer: Built in

Reasons to buy

+
Minimalist, low-profile design
+
Immersive soundscapes with strong bass
+
Crisp and clear dialogues
+
Built-in subwoofer
+
Easy plug-and-play setup

Reasons to avoid

-
No voice assistant support
-
No AirPlay/Wi-Fi Streaming
The brief

A black Sony HT-S2000 soundbar

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

With Dolby Atmos support and a built-in subwoofer, the HT-S2000 is an all-in-one box that houses some excellent hardware for a very solid price. Perfect for a smaller space or a flat that can't house a separate subwoofer.

If you don't have much space, you're not going to want an extra subwoofer taking up room in your living room. This is the perfect soundbar for you — it's got a beefy built in sub so that you don't need anything on top of the soundbar for excellent sound.

Nikita loved the sound of the bar when she tested it, with loads of movies sounding excellent over the bar. It's got plenty of low-end for a small space, with impact for explosions in movies.

She also found that it went lovely and loud, so you could really hear everything properly when using the bar. Crucially, the Dolby Atmos was very convincing as well, with plenty of space to the surround presentation.

Dialog for TV shows is crisp and clear, giving you a great step up over the speakers built into your TV. It's super easy to set up as well — it took Nikita only a few minutes to get plugged in a listening to great audio.

Best compact soundbar

Compact surround for all

Specifications

Surround: Yes
Smart Features: Yes
Subwoofer: Yes (sold seperately)

Reasons to buy

+
Impressive sound for its size
+
3D audio with support for Dolby Atmos
+
Reliable TruePlay tuning
+
Best option for 55-inch and smaller TVs

Reasons to avoid

-
More expensive than Beam (Gen 1)
-
Some new formats not available at launch
The brief

Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar up close

(Image credit: Future)

If you want a fully featured soundbar that packs in some great sound and a smart WiFi connection, then the Beam Gen 2 is a great option. It's Dolby Atmos is surprisingly good for the size as well.

Sonos's soundbar lineup is one of the best around — there's a reason there are two on this list. The Beam Gen 2 is the middle child of the range, offering top shelf specs at a slightly lower price and size.

It sounds excellent. There's plenty of bass out of the little bar, and then great representation across the rest of the range for full-bodied movie watching. It clears up muffled dialogue as well, so you get the very best when you're watching TV content.

The WiFi connection is very useful as well, letting you stream your music to the bar from your phone. I happen to really like the Beam Gen 2 — it's perfect for smaller rooms that can't fit one of the larger options.

There is a little more setup and the Sonos App remains slightly buggy, but it's well worth it's price tag.

Also tested

I've seen loads of soundbars pass over Tom's Guide's testing table, and while there are some excellent options out there, not all of them can fit onto one list.

That doesn't mean they're bad, by any stretch of the imagination — and they might just be the best soundbar for you. Here are some of the soundbars that we liked testing:

Vizio M-Series M512a-H6

Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 ★★★★☆
This surround package is a very solid option for a not-unreasonable price. There's some excellent sound quality on board, as well as 11 different audio channels and separate surround speakers for a mind-blowing movie experience. It's a great soundbar, but it's sound and value wheren't quite up there with the options above. Perfect if you want the cinema experience without breaking the bank, though.

Read our Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 review

Yamaha True X Bar 40A ★★★★☆

Yamaha True X Bar 40A ★★★★☆
If you want something that looks super sleek and tidy, then the True X Bar is a great option. Its Dolby Atmos performance is admirable, and the price is right at $499 — although for best results, you'll need to spend a little more and grab yourself a subwoofer.

Read our Yamaha True X Bar 40A review

How to choose the best soundbar for you

How easy do you want it to be to use?

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

A black Sony HT-S2000 soundbar

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

One of the best bits of most modern soundbars is that they're all simple to use in some form or another — but if you want something that you just plug in and use, then you'll want to avoid any with smart features.

While those smart features can make them sound better, or work for different types of content, they add complexity. An app might make it possible to access room EQs and the like, it also makes it more complicated for the end user.

Avoid soundbars with Wi-Fi and apps if you just want something that plugs in and works. Thankfully, most soundbars now just need your TV controller to control the volume, thanks to HDMI eARC.

Are you watching movies, watching TV or listening to music?

The Fluance Ri71 in Tom's Guide's audio testing environment.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

First up, if your primary use case is music, go for a pair of speakers with an HDMI port like the Fluance Ri71 above. They sound much better than sound bars for music, bar none. You'll thank me later.

Now, for the other questions. TV users will want something that increases dialog clarity and makes it easier to hear what's going on in the news. You won't need a subwoofer or any kind of surround support. The Sony HT-S100F above is going to be perfect for you, given it's not too expensive and works great for TV.

Movie watchers should look out for subwoofers and surround speakers. You want more space for your Dolby Atmos mixes and the subwoofer will help with the low-end rumble you get with movies. The Sonos Arc Ultra and subwoofer is a good option for you, or the JBL Bar 1300X if you want something in one package.

Size matters

A black Sony HT-S2000 soundbar

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

If you've a small room or a small TV, you don't want a massive soundbar; that much should be obvious. It wouldn't fit, for one, but it would also make your TV look much smaller. And who wants that.

However, you also don't want a soundbar that's too small for your TV. Otherwise, all of the sound will appear to come from the middle of the TV, rather than from it's sides like it should. You'll want to get a decently sized soundbar if you've got something between 50-75 inches big. Larger than that and you should probably consider either the biggest soundbar you can lay your hands on, or a proper stereo setup built around one of the best home cinema receivers.

Tammy Rogers
Audio Editor

Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.