Dolby Atmos is great at delivering spatial audio sound, but getting it set up properly has always required a TV that supports the standard; a soundbar or AV receiver that can decode the signal; and, of course, an HDMI cable to pair the two together.

But those days will soon be behind us.

Announced ahead of CES 2026, LG Sound Suite is the first soundbar to support Dolby Atmos’ FlexConnect protocol, which allows you to connect up to four speakers, a soundbar and a subwoofer in a 13.1.7-channel configuration wirelessly to your TV.

Spatial audio speaker placement without the headache

If you’ve never done it, stringing together a surround sound system is both an artform and a practice in patience. Cutting speaker wire with just the right amount of slack only to realize that you need another six or seven inches is certainly something I don’t miss.

Dolby Atmos fixed this problem by only requiring a single HDMI cable to run from a soundbar to an HDMI eARC port on the back of the TV. Unfortunately, I’ve heard from some readers that even that can be tough with certain living room layouts.

FlexConnect will fix that problem — but comes with the caveat that both the TV and soundbar need to support the new standard. So far, the LG Sound Suite is the only soundbar that can receive a FlexConnect signal and LG’s upcoming 2026 TVs are the only ones that can send it. (Though LG says that some 2025 models will also be updated to support FlexConnect via a software update sometime in the future.)

Don’t have a perfectly level shelf to put those two rear-channel speakers on? No problem. FlexConnect and Sound Suite will even custom-tune the sound to fit the space.

A new reason to buy LG OLED TVs?

Keep in mind that although the LG Sound Suite is the first soundbar to support FlexConnect, it’s not the first piece of audio gear with that distinction — that honor belongs to the TCL Z100 wireless speaker, which my colleague Kate Kozuch tested earlier this year.

The biggest draw for the LG Sound Suite for me personally is its out-of-the-box integration with LG’s 2026 TVs. LG has yet to announce what’s included in the lineup outside of the brand’s first-ever Micro RGB TV, but it’s almost certain that we’ll see 2026 versions of the LG C5 OLED and LG G5 OLED, two of the best OLED TVs of 2025.

Am I salivating over the possibility of unboxing an LG C6 OLED and an accompanying Sound Suite system for immediate 13.1.7-channel spatial audio? Absolutely.

Unfortunately LG didn’t give us a firm date on either product, so for now I’ll just have to settle for seeing one (or both!) at CES 2026 in early January.

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If your soundbar just hasn't been making your movies sound as cinematic as they deserve, then perhaps it's time you entered the world of the home theatre with one of the best AV receivers. That's how you get the best surround experience possible, after all. If you're willing to invest in some speakers as well. One per channel, of course. We never said it would be cheap.

Our favorite amplifier at the moment is the Denon AVR-X4800H. It's an excellent performer with loads of great features, and doesn't cost as much as similar options. If you want something even cheaper, then you should opt for the Denon AVR-X2700H. It's a great beginner AV receiver.

So if you're looking for a new way to get even better sound for your movie nights and TV binge sessions, then look no further than one of the best AV receivers of 2026.

About the author

What is an AV reciever?

An AV reciever is a kind of amplifier that's designed for home cinema and movie watching. You plug it into your TV with an HDMI cable, and then it takes the audio signal, and processes it for seperate speakers. You need to have speakers for an AV reciever to work — it's a kind of go-between device.

You could have as many speakers as you like, although there's a minimum of two. Everything from a normal stereo (2 speakers) up to a much larger surround setup (7.1 and above). It needs to be plugged into the power as well. Remember to budget for speakers with an AV reciever.

Do I really need an AV reciever?

This is a big question to ask yourself. Do you have the space for multiple speakers around the room? What kind of watching do you do? Can you budget for more than two speakers?

If the answer to any of those questions is no, then you don't need an AV receiver. I'd argue, in fact, that very few people need an AV receiver — you're much better off with the space-saving capabilities of one of the best soundbars, or the musical chops of a pair of HDMI-enabled powered speakers like the Kanto Ren.

But, if you love watching movies, you've got plenty of space, plenty of budget, and permission from your significant other, then an AV receiver might be just what you've been looking for.

The best AV receivers you can buy right now

Best AV receiver overall

A sonic tour de force, the X4800H is a home theatre amplifier with long-term appeal. The provision of a full board of 8K /4K 120Hz HDMI inputs, and coverage of all the significant home cinema sound formats, ensures that this Denon amp will partner any display or source you might acquire for a long time to come.

It's not a small box by any stretch of the imagination, but that just means its filled with loads of impressive amplification internals. 9 channels of channels mean that you can attach a massive surround or Atmos system. The screen on the front makes it easy to read what mode its in, and then there's an easy setup mode when you plug it into your TV or projector. From there, you can setup all of the different settings and features to get the most out of your reciever.

The sound profile is best described as visceral. The soundstage is crisp and detailed, but there is a sense of power and precision as well; directional panning is totally convincing. While Denon rates on-board power at 9x 125W (into 8 Ohms) / 200W (into 6 Ohms), it sounds rather more muscular than that. This is a blockbuster amplifier designed for blockbusters but is also darn good with music, sounding light and agile with two-channel stereo and seamlessly immersive with 3D audio mixes.

• Read the full Denon AVR-X4800H review

Best value AV receiver

Denon’s AVR-X2700H provides an affordable jumping-on-point for the brand’s 2021 X-series AV receivers. The price tag hints at budget components, but in a smaller viewing room (rather than a cavernous theater), it defies expectations.

While this one might not have as many channels, its still a great AV receiver for most people. There are plenty of HMDI ports on the back so you can hook up loads of devices, and there's an easy setup menu when you hook it up to your TV or projector. It's a solid piece of kit that gives your home cinema system a good centerpiece.

In our listening tests it gave a punchy delivery and has no problem with action-orientated soundtracks, plus it’s nuanced enough to portray subtle ambiance too. Power output is rated at 150W for multichannel, which is generous and it’ll support a 5.1.2 channel configuration or conventional 7.1 surround (depending on how you’ve set up your loudspeakers). There’s also 8K support, albeit via a single HDMI 2.1 input.

Best AV receiver for ultra-hi-res image support

The TX-NR7100 is perfectly suited to movie and gaming fans alike. It has strong connectivity for hooking up ultra hi-res, or fast frame rate sources — all 6 HDMI inputs offer 8K and 4K 120Hz playback support. It boasts 100W per channel amplification and can be configured for up to 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos loudspeakers. There's also DTS:X compatibility, plus IMAX Enhanced certification and THX post processing.

Installation is aided by a step-by-step onscreen guide. It’s similar to what we’ve seen on the Denon AVR-X4800H and Marantz Cinema 50 AV receivers, albeit without the polish. There are two options when it comes to Room EQ: Onkyo’s own AccuEQ system, and Dirac Live room correction. Bothe deliver excellent results but Dirac Live was our reviewer's preference.

THX is a feature that has fallen from favour when it comes to home theater, but it still has value when it comes to upmixing. It brought a huge improvement in staging and storytelling to sci-fi based TV dramas as the THX processing adds scale and extra ambience to onscreen drama.

The AVR also handles complex sound sequences well with satisfying placement of objects and pans from stage left to right. It can sound ominous and heavy with deep rumbles rolling across the soundfield with thunderous LFE (Low Frequency Effects) you can almost feel. Stereo music is less effective and there are better AV receivers with audiophile sensibilities, but when it comes to value, features and overall performance for home theaters, the TX-NR1000 can deliver.

• Read the full Onkyo TX-NR71000 review

Best AV receiver for format support

The Marantz Cinema 50 is one of the most future proof home theater amps we've seen. The connectivity on offer is truly impressive with 8K and 4K @120Hz support, 6 HDMI inputs plus three outputs, and an impressive auto calibration system. Format support is extensive with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro 3D capable, as well as Sony’s 360 Reality Audio. It’s also IMAX Enhanced certified, which could come into its own when Disney+ starts streaming IMAX audio mixes.

If you’re looking for an AV amp that can deliver massive dynamics, with whip crack fast transients and a fearsome bass extension, the Cinema 50 doesn’t disappoint. It’s a tremendously exciting listen and steers gunfire shootouts beautifully, with effortless panning, and even at high volume there's no hint of strain.

It does music well too. Marantz’s lauded HDAM amplification circuitry is warm and melodious. In 2-channel mode, we’d say the Cinema 50 is comparable to a high quality mid range stereo amp, and with strong format support is as future proof as they come right now.

• Read the full Marantz Cinema 50 review

Best AV receiver with spatial audio support

The STR-AN1000 is a 7.2ch AV receiver, which is not only Dolby Atmos and DTS:X enabled but it supports native 360 Reality Audio, and also boasts 360 Spatial Sound Mapping. The latter is particularly interesting, and effectively provides virtual speakers to fill in the gaps. It applies psycho acoustic processing to subjectively move actual speakers into more immersive virtual positions. It can be applied to stereo sources to create a surprisingly convincing multichannel effect, and overlaid on native immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos, to virtually enhance the soundstage.

Sony quotes a power output of 2x 120W (into 6 Ohms), or roughly 85W per channel. It’s not a volume monster, but will suffice in a typically living room or studio apartment. It's an exciting listen, with smooth sonic steerage of objects and real sense of drama. It sounds bigger than its power specification implies, and handles blockbusters with authority. Just take care with the set up.

• Read the full Sony STR-AN1000 review

Best AV receiver for small spaces

Available in silver-gold to U.K. buyers and black only in the U.S. and Australia, the Marantz Cinema 70S is a half-height lifestyle AV receiver perfect for smaller spaces and viewing rooms. The sonic signature has a warm sound that works with hi-res audio as well as movies and gamers.

You can run a 5.1.2 Atmos setup with a uniform 50W delivered across all 7 channels and was peerless with movie soundtracks. In Army of Thieves (Dolby Atmos, Netflix), our reviewer really got the sense that they were travelling into the inner mechanism of the safe when Ludwig Dieter lays his hands on the lock, during the safecracking competition. The clicky travel of the dial is crisply delineated against the symphonic score, which rises all around.

Hooked up to a Fire TV stick listening to Dolby Atmos music mixes from Tidal, our reviewer was thrilled at just how seamlessly the 360 presentation was. Billy Porter’s "Break A Sweat" places the listener firmly in the middle of the dance floor, with horns in the surround, the vocal dead center and the main beat gyrating across the LCR. In our 5.1.2 configuration, there were no sonic gaps or dips with any kind of content, just a totally immersive listening experience.

• Read the full Marantz Cinema 70S review

How to choose the best AV receiver for you

Buying something as complex and multi-talented as an AV receiver can be overwhelming to a casual consumer, so if you’re serious about transforming your sound output into something more theater-like, start educating yourself on the necessities by familiarizing yourself with the things to consider.

Configuration

Something to know right out of the gate is that most seven-channel AV receivers support a speaker configuration of 5.1.2, which is the standard 5.1 surround layout with two additional height/up-firing speakers. Models that feature nine channels of amplification can be used for either 5.1 with four Dolby height speakers (5.1.4) or 7.1 surround with two height channels (7.1.2). Speaker models such as those in the new Klipsch Reference series could make a great partnership for a home cinema setup, and has several upward-firing height speakers to meet Dolby Amos requirements.

Connectivity

Finding the best AV receiver isn’t just about HDMI inputs. Sure we like plenty of inputs, but the number of outputs are important too, particularly if you plan on running both a flatscreen and a projector in the same room.

If you're considering an AV receiver as a connectivity hub for a music system as well as movies, then be sure to check out our guide to the best turntables for any budget. Many of the receivers available today come with a built-in moving-magnet phono stage to enable vinyl playback from any of the record decks we've tested.

Resolution and frame rate support

Do you need 8K or High Frame Rate HDMIs? If your AV receiver is unlikely to have a games console connected then the answer is no. In which case there’s some great deals to be had on AVRs with regular HDMI 2.0 inputs.

Surround sound

Dolby Atmos compatibility is a given (and by default that means you’ll get DTS:X too), but how many channels do you need? Given the option, 9 channels always trump 7, because it opens up more speaker options such as 5.1.4 or 7.1.2, for example.

Don’t have a full Dolby Atmos home theatre loudspeaker setup? Look for a model that offers height virtualisation technology, so you can enjoy an immersive audio experience even when you don’t have a full set of physical speakers.

Power output

Power isn’t just about roof-raising volume, and even if you’re not lucky enough to have a dedicated movie room, a model with big amplification makes sense. A high power output means an AVR can deliver dynamic transients, and pressure load a space without clipping or strain.

Surround sound explained

One of the most confusing things about any kind of home cinema system is the surround sound channel numbers you'll often spot on the box. What do they mean, and what do they tell you about the receiver that you're about to buy?

Those numbers denote the channels that are available to use with the reciever. It's broken up into three different sections. The first number are the surround channels. The is for subwoofers. The final number are the height channels, for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

Say, for example, that you've got a reciever that's got a 7.1.4 surround sound setup. That means you've got 7 surround channels, that you could use for a centre, left and right stereo, two side surrounds, and then a pair of rear surrounds. You've then got a single subwoofer channel. Finally, you've got 4 height channels that you can place around the room in pre-determined Atmos spots. You can use Atmos testing videos to make sure all your speakers are in the right place.

AV receiver FAQ

As much as I've tried to explain everything about AV receivers, you're almost certainly going to have questions remaining about what are, ultimately, complicated bits of equipment. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about AV receivers, and all the answers you could ever want.

What's all this about room correction?

Everyone's movie room is different. They're different shapes and have different furniture inside that can affect the sound of your system. In order to make movies sound their best, no matter what's in your room, manufacturers have built room correction systems that listen to the sound and then compensate for the differences in decor and shape.

Some, like Denon and Yamaha, have made their own room correction systems built into companion apps. Many amplifiers come with microphones to aid the process, and its built into the setup of the device. It's well worth going through the stages, and it can make a big difference to bass extension and surround sound placement.

Can I connect other devices to my AVR?

Yes, you can! And you most certainly should. Your AVR can be used as the central pillar of a home music system, especially as more and more devices can connect to whole home music streaming devices. That means you can connect your turntable, CD player, or other devices.

For turntables, there are a couple of things to bear in mind. Some AVRs do not have a built in phono pre-amp, and so you'll need either a separate device or a TT with a pre-amp built in. If your AVR has a built-in pre-amp, you'll need to make sure you connect your TT to the correct RCA plugs. They'll be labelled "phono."

Are AVRs good for gaming?

They are good for gaming, though it depends on the types of games you like to play. For immersive RPGs filled with movie-like cutscenes and massive set pieces, you're in for a sonic treat. For fast-paced online shooters, you'll likely want to stick with your gaming headset.

Just make sure that your new AVR and your TV support HDMI 2.1 for the best audio and visual experience possible. That means that 4K120Hz will be supported, along with Variable refresh rates and other game-specific features can be supported.

How we test AV receivers

When testing models for inclusion in our best AV receivers page, we play a range of media — including movies, music and games — to evaluate overall sound quality performance. We also test any companion software that may come with an AV receiver, and factor in how easy it is to set up and use each receiver with a reference speaker system.

Other features we consider include the different kinds of connectivity options, all of which determine how well it will work with your home entertainment setup. We also take into account power output, the number of supported audio channels and subwoofer outputs, and available processing software for decoding movie soundtracks as well as their ability to handle music sources — all factors that greatly affect how each speaker will sound in your living room.

Once we complete our testing, we rate each AV receiver based on our five-point system (1 = worst, 5 = best). If a product hits nearly every mark, it’s awarded an Editor's Choice badge.

Samsung and Google's jointly designed 3D audio format is set to get even better with a few upgrades to rival its biggest competitor, Dolby Atmos.

Announced by Forbes, Eclipsa Audio 2.0 is getting increased multi-channel support and improved object-based tracking. It currently supports up to 28 channels, but the upgrade will raise the bar even further.

Eclipsa Audio is also embarking on a new certification process, which was initiated in October. It aims to make device compatibility simpler, more consistent, and streamlined, which should bring Eclipsa Audio to a wider range of TVs, smartphones, and even services.

Samsung told Forbes an official launch of Eclipsa Audio 2.0 is in the "near term," but Tom's Guide has reached out directly for further clarification.

Eclipsa Audio 2.0 adds true "object based" sound

Much like Dolby Atmos, Eclipsa Audio is a 3D and 360-degree sound format that enhances audio to make it feel more robust and all-encompassing. One of the ways it does this is with object-based sound, which the new 2.0 upgrade is set to provide.

True object-based sound will allow sound designers and engineers broader control over sound stages in various content. Essentially, sound designers aren't shackled to fixed channels when placing individual sounds or sound effects throughout a particular track, allowing them to move these sounds more freely in a three-dimensional space.

Eclipsa Audio 2.0 is also increasing the upper limit of channels it supports, which currently tops out at just 28, so users will be able to hear and feel sounds more broadly. Given that most home theater speaker systems top out at 34 channels, Eclipsa Audio 2.0 can't go too much higher in support, but it will be a hi-fi guru's dream come true.

Unfortunately, not many devices or even services support Eclipsa Audio yet. The functionality is still relegated to Samsung TVs, Harman audio products, and YouTube, which makes sense on a practical level, as it's thus far marketed to content creators.

Samsung told Forbes that the brands looking to support Eclipsa Audio are "growing," but mum's the word on when it might be supported by some of the best streaming services or even other TVs. However, that might all change following its improved certification process.

Complying with loudness standards

One of its biggest hurdles is certification and testing to ensure Eclipsa Audio follows the loudness set by the ITU-R BS.1770-4 standards. It's a mouthful, but it essentially outlines compliance guidelines Eclipsa must follow regarding consistent audio loudness across apps and services.

Led by HDR10+ LLC in collaboration with the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA), a new certification program aims to streamline device compatibility for Eclipsa Audio. It launched in October, with the TTA heading up testing, so a broader range of devices might receive Eclipsa Audio support in 2026.

Given Google's backing, it's expected to launch on select Android OS devices, though it's unclear when they might receive it or which devices might get the Eclipsa Audio treatment. Currently, Samsung TVs are one of the few displays that meet the program's requirements. Hopefully, it can be added to more TVs with Google TV support, but time will only tell.

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Setting up surround sound has always been a headache, and that’s coming from someone who reviews home audio systems for a living. You get all the speakers, untangle a web of wires, scratch your chin about where to place them and half the time it still doesn’t sound quite in sync with your TV.

Simply put, surround sound tends to be more intimidating than immersive.

That’s precisely the pain point Dolby is going after with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect. Instead of punishing you for not having a perfectly measured home theater, FlexConnect promises to make Dolby Atmos sound its best with whatever you’ve got. Whether it’s one speaker or a multi-speaker setup, FlexConnect will automatically recognize and adapt software-supporting hardware to your room layout.

TCL Z100: the first FlexConnect speakers

I got to see and hear FlexConnect in action inside TCL’s new Z100 wireless speakers, the first U.S. products to ship with this kind of Dolby technology built in. The Z100s are TCL’s attempt to create an entertainment space without a traditional soundbar.

With these modular speakers, you can start small with and expand later, with a FlexConnect system currently supporting up to four total speakers (including one subwoofer) connected via Wi-Fi in one space. A single Z100 is a 1.1.1 channel speaker with 95 watts of power.

All of TCL’s 2025 4K TVs already ship with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, so the Z100s don’t replace the TV’s speakers, they work together. Once you turn the speakers on, the TV identifies each speaker and runs a quick tuning process using a series of beeps. In seconds, Atmos knows where every speaker is placed and adjusts the sound accordingly.

In other words, even if your speakers aren’t “optimally” placed, FlexConnect tunes sound on screen to land in the proper place in your room.

Watching some action-packed movie scenes, I could hear roaring plane engines zip from one side of the room to the other. When an explosion went off, the bass punched harder than expected while smaller details seemed to fly out toward both back corners of the room — even though only one rear corner had a Z100.

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect: Outlook

While it would be great to have a professional 9.1.4-channel system for movie night, at home most of us are lucky to manage a soundbar and maybe a sub. FlexConnect bridges the gap in terms of both budget and accessibility by creating a virtual soundscape that makes the most of what you have.

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Just like most cinephiles, I can't get enough of a good surround mix. Something that makes it sound and feel like my movies are happening all around me, so that I'm immersed in the world of whatever movie I might be watching.

For a long time, it was an assembled bunch of speakers and old gear that I'd bought from eBay that gave me my surround sound mix — but when I heard that the Sonos Arc Ultra could create a similarly excellent movie experience, my interest was piqued.

So I decided to give it a test and see how good it might sound, how simple it is to use and how easy it is to live with. Spoiler alert: Unfortunately, not everything was plain sailing during my Sonos Arc Ultra surround sound journey.

Setting everything up

Getting the Sonos Arc Ultra working on its own was super simple. I just placed it in front of the TV, plugged it into power, and then plugged the HDMI port into the eARC port on the TV. There were a couple of different setup steps required in the Sonos app, but then it was done. All sorted.

From there, we had to connect the other components of the system, starting with the Sonos Sub4. This was also relatively simple. I plugged it in and then used the Sonos app to connect it to the Arc Ultra wirelessly. At least I say relatively simple — it did take a couple of tries for the app to recognize the soundbar, and I had to go over the process a couple of times before everything was sorted.

Now it was the turn of the surround speakers — in my case, a pair of Sonos Era 300s. While the soundbar and subwoofer were fairly easy to place, the Eras were not. They're much larger than the surround speakers I've used in the past, so they need more space behind the couch. I borrowed the speaker stands from my upstairs HiFi, but this is hardly a permanent solution. It's also one of the primary issues with the system so far — but I'll get back to that later.

Once placed, I could get the speakers set up with the Sonos app. There were a couple of issues here, although none of them really made life too annoying. Both speakers needed updates as I went through the setup process, but one of them decided it had to do something else and quit the update halfway through. Finally, they were both in the Sonos app — but now I had to join them to the Arc Ultra and the Sub 4.

"Easy!" I thought. "Not annoying at all," I hoped. Alas, it was a pain. In the app, things initially looked simple — and they would be, if things worked properly. But I had so many signal dropouts and issues that by the time I'd finally managed to get them connected together, the only thing I could think was "this had better be worth the effort."

I can see the vision of the surround sound setup of the Sonos Arc system — if everything worked well, it would have been much, much quicker. Unfortunately, it seems plagued by instability and all kinds of weird usability quirks afforded by Sonos' consistently disappointing app.

But, my goodness, was it worth it for the sound.

Spatial Audio excellence

The Sonos Arc Ultra on its own is already pretty impressive for Dolby Atmos when you're watching movies — but adding in the extra spatial audio capability of the pair of Era 300s elevated things to a whole new level.

There were now double the height channels coming from different parts of the room, working together to make things move every which way above your head. There's extra side virtual surrounds for stuff happening on either side of you, and then the physical rear channels afforded by the speakers being behind you.

All in? Everything sounds unreal. Every single one of my test movie scenes blew me away. There was massive bass depth from the subwoofer, and everything happening around me made sure that I was immersed in the scenes. This whole thing took a whole lot longer to write because I just couldn't stop watching my movies — I had to force myself to turn Star Wars off.

The frenetic action of the opening scene of "Star Wars: Episode III" put me directly in the middle of the space battle over Coruscant. Anakin and Obi-Wan fly over Star Destroyers and the droid fleet in the thick of battle, each laser blast zooming past my head. The dialogue was still able to cut through the rest of the din, however, making sure I could hear what the Jedi were saying.

It was the spatial audio bubble that was the most impressive bit, however. It was clearer, and each element of the soundscape was easy to place within my space. A spinning buzz droid slips off Anakin's ship and wizzes behind me, disappearing into the distance. It's super impressive.

The rest of my testing revealed more impressive surround sound: the car chase from "The Matrix Reloaded," the opening scene from "Kingsman," the rain in The Emperor's Blades in "Dune". Everything sounds huge and makes your movies sound amazing.

Living with the ultimate surround soundbar

So it sounds really, really good — I don't think I can deny that at all. There's incredible surround sound, the spatial audio feels like a game changer and it even sounded good for spatial music (even if I'm not entirely enamored with the format).

But some liveability quirks are now persuading me to put the Eras back in their old homes. The first is down to them, in fact. They're much larger than traditional surround speakers, taking up a whole lot more space behind the sofa. There are stands that take up less space than the chunky ones that I used, but even then, there's the "uh oh, I might knock these over" factor whenever you walk behind the sofa — as I do, whenever I need to get to the conservatory.

Then there are the power cables to each speaker. When it's a speaker cable, you can more easily route them out of the way and off the floor because they're generally thinner, and all going to one place. The power cables the Era's need are much chunkier and need to be plugged into the wall or an extension block. In my case, I nearly tripped over them multiple times because they had to trail across the floor in a walkway. Not ideal.

Finally, there are the Sonos app problems that continue to plague all of my Sonos devices. The rear surrounds dropped out a couple of times, there were all the setup issues and I've had problems with getting music playing on the system even through the Sonos app itself.

It's a massive shame, because conceptually, the Sonos Arc Ultra and its surround system are very cool. Wireless surround that uses all of its own amps to save space on your TV stand? And it's all connected to the internet? Great, sounds good.

But the reality just isn't quite there. It sounds phenomenal, and it's incredibly impressive. But, as I now put it all back where it came from, I can't help but think a traditional Home cinema system might not just sound better, but also provide even better spatial audio sound quality thanks to physical surround and height channels. It would have more reliable wired connections, and there would be far less that requires connection to the internet.

Considering that I could pick up a multi-channel true surround system for a very similar price, I do wonder if the wireless nature of the Sonos Arc Ultra and its accompaniments start to make less and less sense — especially considering how annoying the setup turned out to be.

So, I'll be going back to the Sonos Arc Ultra on its own for now — but this experience has whet my appetite for the Dolby Atmos experience. Perhaps it's now time to start looking at amplifiers again...

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It's a fact of life: most of the best soundbars boast Dolby Atmos. If you don't know what Dolby Atmos is, first, why are you here? Second, don't worry, I'll tell you.

So what is Dolby Atmos? Dolby Atmos is basically a spatial audio format built into soundbars (and other audio gear). It makes the sound feel like it's coming from all around you. On soundbars with extra channels like surround speakers and subwoofer, this sensation is all the more heightened.

Soundbars come with channel setups; these act like codes, so you know what you're getting. For example, a 2.0 channel setup (like the Majority Elias, which I'll discuss later) has two stereo channels in the soundbar and no subwoofer or surround channel speakers. An 11.1.4 setup, like the JBL Bar 1300X, has 11 stereo and surround channels in the soundbar, a sub channel, and 4 Dolby Atmos channels. Confused? You're not alone.

I know — it's actually really complex. Dolby Atmos is everywhere, but beyond its mad channel setups and confusing names, do you really even need it?

You don't need Dolby Atmos if...

Although I'd be the first person to jump at getting an epic surround home cinema setup, I can also acknowledge that my apartment doesn't really bode well for Dolby Atmos, and here's why.

You have angled or high ceilings

So if you get a cheaper soundbar, it probably has something called upfiring speakers. These types of soundbars lack channel (secondary) speakers, so they rely on speakers that shoot sound upwards to provide that surround-sound experience.

For example, The Majority Elias (£99, UK-only) is a soundbar that has "Dolby Atmos". Those quotes are doing a lot of legwork right now. Sure, the brand paid for the Dolby Atmos license, and the upfiring speakers inside the soundbar that is somewhat capable of Atmos. However, if you live in an apartment like mine, these particular upfiring speakers are completely useless.

I live in a gorgeous period property — it was built in 1792. As a result, my apartment's Georgian ceilings are high. Like, 16 foot high ceilings. Yep, I know. That's high.

As a result, height upfiring speakers simply don't work in my home. Similarly, if your ceilings are angled (like, you live in a penthouse or your cinema room is the attic), the sound waves will struggle to bounce off the surface as planned.

However, this is only the case for cheap 2 channel soundbars. If you have a soundbar with rear and side upfiring speakers and high ceilings, this probably won't be as much of an issue.

So if you have flat ceilings between 8-12 foot tall, you're probably good to go. If you don't, your lovely upfiring speaker soundbar may as well be as Atmos-less as the $99 Sony HT-S100F, which you should definitely buy instead.

You don't have 4K Blu-Rays or premium streaming subscriptions

If you haven't already noticed, basic tiers of even the best streaming services lack Dolby Atmos. You'll need to look for 'Dolby Atmos' in the audio quality section. Streaming services will literally say 'Dolby Atmos' in the movie information. If it says '5.1' that is not Dolby Atmos. It is more basic surround sound.

It's worth noting that streaming services compress size of the file. This means the file will cut out elements at the high and low end of the frequency range to save space, and results in a weaker-sounding track. Just like with Bluetooth audio, you'll never get as high-quality audio on streaming as you will on Blu-ray.

Netflix's cheapest tier ($7 a month), Disney Plus's cheapest tier ($10 a month), and Hulu ($10 a month), do not have Dolby Atmos.

Apple TV+ ($10 a month) and HBO Max ($10 a month) have Dolby Atmos in the basic tier, so I'd recommend either of these sites for the cheapest way to get Dolby Atmos on streaming.

Amazon Prime Video ($3 a month on top of Prime) offers Dolby Atmos on the ad-free tier, so would be a fantastic streaming service if you've already got a Prime account. You can even get a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime Video right now.

For the best Dolby Atmos, I'd recommend getting some Ultra HD 4K Blu-rays. I test all soundbars with UHD 4K Blu-rays on a Panasonic Blu-ray player, and oh boy, does it make all the difference. Obviously.

Not all 4K UHD Blu-rays have Atmos, though, so you'll still need to check the box.

So, if you don't have the aforementioned streaming services, and you don't have 4K UHD Blu-rays, I don't think you need Atmos.

Your budget is under $500

The best Dolby Atmos soundbar I've tested is the JBL Bar 1300X — which is amazing. It's also $1,700.

However, if $1,700 is just a little (or in my case, a lot) out of reach, I'd recommend the Polk Audio Signa S4. This 3.1.2 setup is $399, which is much more affordable than other surround soundbars I've tested. It's also often on sale for $299.

Most people agree that more like 5.1.2 is the minimum, which would price you out of the Polk Audio option, too. However, in a pinch, I found 3.1.2 to be perfectly serviceable. It just won't be as good.

As a result, if your budget is below about $300, then 'true' Dolby Atmos is likely not going to happen. The cheapest one I've seen recently is the TCL Q75H Class, a massive $599 (and that's cheap!).

You can get a 3.1.2 setup for $300 (like the Polk Audio Signa S4 on sale), but a true Atmos soundscape (with real height channels) will definitely run more like $500.

So do you need Dolby Atmos?

If you've got the following:

• 8-12 foot high flat ceilings
• High-res streaming services like Netflix Premium and Amazon Prime Video OR 4K UHD Blu-Rays
• $$$

Then yes, you do need a Dolby Atmos soundbar. And you'll have an amazing time immersed in movies, TV shows, heck, even gaming (if you have the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S).

Dolby Atmos really does make movies feel more immersive. Obviously it will — it's literally an audio format designed for that sole purpose. If you can afford an excellent soundbar and you want to get 360° audio out of your movies, then by all means, get a Dolby Atmos soundbar. My favorite is the JBL Bar 1300X, but there are plenty more excellent options out there — all of which I've mentioned here.

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• Sony HT-S2000 review: I heard sounds I never have before with this $499 soundbar
• JBL Bar 1300X review: A lesson in how to make home cinema accessible
• Best Dolby Atmos soundbars: Top TV speakers with 3D sound recommended by certified audio experts

When you think of surround sound systems, you probably think of gigantic speakers mounted on the walls around a large room. Modern technology has helped a little with this — these days, it’s possible to get a solid surround sound system in the form of a few speakers combined with one of the best soundbars.

But even then, for the best results you need to be able to place speakers slightly behind you, and in a best-case scenario beside you and above you too.

So what do you do if you want surround sound or 3D audio in a smaller room? Are you simply out of luck?

Well, while your results might not be quite as impressive as what you could get in a large room, there are actually plenty of ways to get a high-end surround or 3D sound system in a small space — whether your budget is limited, or you have plenty of cash to burn.

Curious how? Here’s a look.

Method 1: Use headphones

The first method is actually pretty simple — don’t use speakers at all. Plenty of modern headphones support 3D audio, including Dolby Atmos, at least in a virtualized kind of way.

For Apple TV users, it’s pretty easy to use headphones to get solid surround sound. Apple’s Spatial Audio tech is among the best-virtualized surround sound tech out there, and you can use any recent AirPods models, including the AirPods Max, to get a pretty good approximation of Dolby Atmos audio when watching compatible movies and TV shows.

That goes for those with a Sonos soundbar and the Sonos Ace headphones too — the two can communicate through a proprietary connection to deliver spatial audio.

One step closer to using real speakers is to combine a soundbar with open earbuds. Open earbuds let outside audio in, allowing you to hear the audio from the soundbar itself.

The earbuds can then be used to play the surround audio, and together, you’ll get a more natural sound and better immersion. So far, unfortunately, the only way to achieve this is with the Bose Smart Soundbar with the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.

So what are the downsides to this approach? Well, the main one is that it really only works for one person. You can’t connect multiple pairs of Bose Ultra Open Earbuds to the Bose Smart Soundbar, and while you can connect multiple pairs of AirPods to an Apple TV, you can’t use Spatial Audio with more than one pair of AirPods connected to your Apple TV.

Still, if you mainly watch alone, using headphones may be the cheapest and most space-efficient way to get surround sound or 3D audio in a small room.

Method 2: Upgrade your soundbar

While technically not true hardware-based surround sound, you can get a pretty good representation of surround sound or 3D audio with a modern high-end soundbar.

Why is that possible? Many modern soundbars are built specifically to not only play audio towards the listener directly, but also towards the side walls (which bounce back towards the listener to simulate side speakers), and even towards the ceiling (which bounces back down towards the listener to simulate height channels).

Even some mid-range soundbars, like the Bose Smart Soundbar and Sonos Beam Gen 2 support tech like this, though if you have the cash, you’ll likely get better audio from a higher-end model like the Sonos Arc Ultra or the Samsung HW-990D.

The biggest downside to this approach is that while you’ll definitely get more immersion, you won’t get a great representation of rear channels — and even the side and height channels that are simulated won’t be as impressive as those actually delivered through speakers.

It’s a great way to save space while still, at least, getting a little more immersion.

Method 3: You could still mount wireless rear speakers

In smaller rooms, it’s common to have a couch up against a wall — which means there may not be room for actual rear speakers behind the main viewing position.

Thankfully, depending on your situation, you could still place speakers on that rear wall to get more immersion.

To be clear, in surround sound systems, rear speakers shouldn’t really go directly behind the listener anyway. Instead, they should be slightly behind, and to the sides, typically pointed towards the listener (though this can vary with smart speaker setups that use reflections).

In smaller rooms with a couch against a wall it still might not be possible to place speakers on that wall — given some of those speakers might extend just as far as your head. Unfortunately, the wireless solutions that leverage actual side placement (on the walls to the side) are limited.

You’d expect speakers as smart as the Sonos Era 300 speakers, when combined with a Sonos soundbar, to work excellently in this setup, given the fact that they can bounce audio in all different directions — but they’re unfortunately not built for that.

Instead, it might be worth using small wireless surround speakers (even the Era 100 speakers), placed on the rear wall, to the sides, and angled slightly down towards the listener.

Method 4: Bipole speakers

If you’re willing to set up an A/V receiver and use speaker wire to connect all the different speakers in your room, then it’s worth considering bipole speakers, which can be placed to the side of your seating position instead of to the rear.

They should also be placed higher than the listening position.

Bipole speakers essentially play audio in two different directions, and can be used for both the “rear” and “side” channels in a surround sound system. Again, you’ll need a receiver and the ability to run speaker wire around the room, or in the walls, to leverage bipole speakers.

You’d also then use them in conjunction with a center channel, left and right channel, and a subwoofer if you can.

Method 5: In-wall speakers

If you have cash to spend, own your home (instead of renting), and are willing to do some DIY, then perhaps you’d be interested in speakers embedded in the walls rather than mounted or placed on a surface.

This will require some work — you’ll need to run speaker wires through the walls and connect them to an A/V receiver, and you’ll need to buy and install speakers inside the walls.

In a perfect world, this would involve speakers placed in the wall behind you and separated to the sides, (bonus points if you can move the couch forward a few inches), in the two side walls, and in the ceiling for height channels.

You’re likely to get a better experience even if you just go for in-wall rear speakers. In this situation, you’d want to place the “rear” speakers above you, separated to the sides, and pointed down towards the listener.

All the biggest home theater companies make in-wall speakers for this purpose, including the likes of Polk Audio, Klipsch, and Focal.

What’s best for you?

So what’s best for your situation? Well, there are a lot of variables so it really depends, but here’s a basic look. If you’re on a budget and watch alone, the headphone route may be your best bet.

If you don’t want to add extra speakers to the mix at all, simply buy a soundbar that has side and up-firing speakers. And, if you don’t mind adding extra speakers, frankly, most people should still just buy smaller rear speakers, and mount them on the rear wall (separated to the sides of the listeners, angled slightly down towards the couch).

The other options make for a great experience, but are reserved for those willing to spend a lot of cash and run a lot of wire — and if that’s you, it’s perhaps even worth getting professional help for your specific room.

No matter what, the size of your room doesn’t have to mean you can’t enjoy surround sound — you just have to be a little more precise in how you approach it.

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If I'm not working and I'm at home, I like to wind down by watching a movie, bingeing a comfort show, like Agatha All Along or Good Omens, or playing video games on my PS5 Slim.

So of course I need one of the best soundbars to make me feel like the Avengers are fighting in my living room.

But these don't always come cheap. The best of the best, like the Sonos Arc Ultra with its eye-watering $999 price tag, will leave a hole in your pocket. Well, I've just found the perfect inexpensive home theatre solution.

I'm talking about the Sony HT-S2000, which I've spent a couple weeks testing. It has a retail price of $499 / £449, but right now you can get it for just $298 at Amazon /£398 at Amazon U.K.

Now that is a good deal for a 3.1-channel soundbar with Dolby Atmos support and a built-in subwoofer.

So what makes the HT-S2000 worthy of 4.5* and the coveted Editor's Choice award? Like I said, I heard sounds I never have before with this soundbar, and that's even while watching non-Atmos content.

Whether you're jamming to tunes at a party or watching a thriller that has you on the edge of your seat, you'll feel every sound effect in your chest. Let me walk you through why the HT-S2000 has become my new favorite speaker.

Fitting right in

The Sony HT-S2000 sports a minimalist, low-profile design which helps the soundbar fit right into your existing setup.

Its top surface is made of high-quality plastic that makes it look more expensive than it actually is, while a metal mesh grille hides the soundbar’s five speakers. Yes, five speakers: three for the left, right and center channels and two dedicated woofers for the bass.

This is a sleek soundbar, measuring 31.5 x 5 x 2.6 inches, which means it's perfect for 40-inch TVs and larger. I own a 43-inch TV and the HT-S2000 felt right at home placed on my TV stand.

Setting the HT-S2000 up is easy peasy too: simply plug the HDMI cable into the back of the soundbar and the other end into your TV's eARC/ARC port. Within minutes, I was ready to watch — and cry my eyes out to — the likes of Interstellar and Marley & Me.

Full disclosure: you don't get Wi-Fi streaming or AirPlay with the HT-S2000, which is what kept it from earning a 5/5 rating from me. But what you do get is Bluetooth 5.2 which works like a charm.

This soundbar really blows the best Bluetooth speakers I've tested out of the water.

Feeling the bass in my jaw

Now onto the main event: the Sony HT-S2000's sound quality. If you're looking to get the most out of your Dolby Atmos content, then the HT-S2000 is perfect for you.

Tune into Top Gun: Maverick and you'll have new-found appreciation for the opening sequence. This soundbar does a fantastic job of ensuring you hear every tiny metallic clink, ropes hitting the runway, the ground staff's radio chatter, and of course, fighter jets whoosh-ing as though right past your ear.

In addition, the HT-S2000’s S-Force Pro Front Surround creates a virtual ‘wraparound’ so it sounds like different sounds were coming from different parts of the room — immersive listening at its finest.

Explosions are loud but never too loud that they'll hurt your ears, while dialog is crisp and crystal clear. Want to watch the gut-wrenching-heart-breaking ending to Hachi: A Dog's Tale? You'll hear the dog's almost-muted whimpers and the soft sound of the snow falling, making you well up instantly.

I'd never actually realized you could hear the snow falling in the scene, which goes to show just how powerful the HT-S2000 is.

And for those who don't have access to Atmos, fret not. The HT-S2000 is still exceptional. Watching Avengers: Endgame online and without Atmos was still thrilling, and the portals scene really came to life.

I could clearly hear every spark igniting and fading as each portal opened and the OST in the background sounding so deep that I could feel it in my jaw was the cherry on top.

I couldn't not listen to my favorite tunes from my trusty playlist on Spotify Premium to see how the HT-S2000 performed. And boy did bass-heavy tracks sound glass-shattering and acoustic tracks sound emotionally charged. You can, of course, read all about it in my full Sony HT-S2000 review.

This is an absolutely incredible soundbar that's easy to recommend for those looking to upgrade their home theatre, or just taking their first steps into the world of soundbars. And the 40% discount at Amazon is too good to pass up. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch Oppenheimer and be amazed all over again.

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As someone who watches a lot of TV and plays many video games, the Sony HT-S2000 has transformed how I consume media and sounds. With a built-in subwoofer that delivers thumping bass and enhances action scenes, this 3.1 channel soundbar creates immersive soundscapes that had me appreciating sounds I’d never heard before.

Priced at just $499 and with Dolby Atmos support, this is your way into the home theatre scene. The HT-S2000 is plug-and-play, and it sports a low-profile design, allowing it to effortlessly blend into your existing setup. With dedicated Night and Voice Modes, you can enhance dialogues or reduce them, and you can even use your phone as a remote control.

Is this one of the best soundbars today? Yes. Should you buy it? Also yes. For the complete breakdown, read my full Sony HT-S2000 review.

Sony HT-S2000 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A soundbar with a built-in subwoofer
• Who is it for? For movie lovers wanting to upgrade their home theatre system
• How much does it cost? $499 / £399
• What do we like? Impressive (and immersive) sound quality, crisp and clear dialogues and booming bass, the low-profile design and easy plug-and-play functionality
• What don’t we like? There’s no voice assistant support or AirPlay/Wi-Fi streaming

ony HT-S2000 review: Specs

Sony HT-S2000 review: Price & availability

The Sony HT-S2000 is the brand’s entry-level soundbar which is available in black and has a retail price of $499 at Amazon U.S. / £399 at Amazon U.K. We’ve also seen it drop to $298 in the past, and this 3.1-channel beast with Dolby Atmos and DTS-X support is great value for money. It’s got a built-in subwoofer too, for a more well-rounded sound profile.

Sony’s offering is similarly priced to the Bose Smart Soundbar and the Klipsch Flexus Core 200 — both retail for $499. It’s far more affordable than the best of the best Sonos Arc Ultra ($999) and the Sony HT-A7000 ($1,399).

Sony HT-S2000 review: Design

• Low-profile design and wall-mountable
• Ideal for 40-inch TVs or larger
• High-quality build

If you want a soundbar that looks minimalist while offering big sound, then the Sony HT-S2000 could be right up your alley. Sporting an all-black design with mesh wrapped around its entire body, the HT-S2000 maintains a low-profile, blending into most existing setups. The metal mesh grille hides the soundbar’s five speakers: three for the left, right and center channels and two dedicated woofers for the bass.

The top of the HT-S2000 houses the black control panel, and the top surface is made of high-quality plastic with a matte finish which feels good — and premium — to the touch. Everything you need to control the HT-S2000 is located here: power, input, Bluetooth, and volume up and down touch buttons. You also get a small remote control that lets you do the same things while giving you additional control over three bass settings and EQ modes. A front panel display lights up in white to let you know the current settings being changed (or the input). It’s bright and easy to read even from a distance.

The HT-S2000 doesn’t have a massive footprint either, measuring just 31.5 x 5 x 2.6 inches, so it should feel right at home with 40-inch TVs or larger. I used it with a 40-inch and a 55-inch TV and the soundbar didn’t feel out of place, providing an excellent soundscape when connected to either. It weighs just 8.3lbs too, making it easier to lift it up for cleaning or easy transport.

Sony HT-S2000 review: Connectivity & controls

• HDMI out with ARC/eARC
• Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity
• Straightforward controls

Keeping with the ‘minimalist’ philosophy Sony has opted for the HT-S2000, its physical ports can be counted on one hand. On the back, you’ll find an HDMI port (with eARC/ARC) alongside an optical digital audio located in a recessed panel, a USB-A port to play music on connected drives, and a power port.

It’s important to note, though, that the HT-S2000 doesn’t support music streaming using Wi-Fi or AirPlay, which other pricier soundbars like the Sonos Arc Ultra can do. If you want to play music from your smartphone, you can do that too thanks to a solid Bluetooth 5.2 connection.

Sony recommends installing the BRAVIA Connect app on your Android or iOS device to remotely control the HT-S2000. I downloaded it onto my Google Pixel 7 Pro and found it extremely easy to swap between main, main/sub and sub speakers. Then there’s the togglable Sound Field feature. It allows you to select different modes based on the input source or speaker connections. You don’t have to worry too much about it, though, as the soundbar will automatically select the right mode.

Unlike the Bose Smart Soundbar, The HT-S2000 doesn’t have voice assistant support so you can’t just ask it to increase the volume, for instance. Personally, this isn’t a feature I see myself relying on as I use the remote control, but it’s worth pointing out anyway for those who need voice control.

Sony HT-S2000 review: Setting up

• Plug and play
• User-friendly app

Setting up the Sony HT-S2000 is a walk in the park. The soundbar can be mounted on a wall but I placed it on my TV stand — as I suspect many others will do. Once you’ve found the right place for it, all you need to do is plug it into the power socket and connect it to your TV with the HDMI cable — just make sure your TV has an eARC/ARC port. You can also use the optical digital input but it doesn’t support Dolby Atmos or HDMI-CEC control (to adjust the soundbar’s volume via the TV’s remote control). It’s about as plug-and-play as it gets.

If you have Wi-Fi speakers, like the Sony SA-RS3S Total 100Ws ($348), you can link them up with the HT-S2000 via the app. You can also use the app for A/V sync adjustment, automatic volume adjustment, and DTS Virtual:X to enhance stereo or mono soundtracks.

That’s the setup I used when using my TV, but I also connected my phone via Bluetooth. All you need to do is tap the Bluetooth icon on the soundbar (or the remote control) and pair with it via your phone’s settings — again, easy.

Sony HT-S2000 review: Performance

• Clear, crisp dialogues
• Immersive virtual ‘wraparound’ sound
• Excellent for both movies and music

Like I noted earlier, the Sony HT-S2000 is fitted with five speakers and it’s got a built-in subwoofer. You don’t have to buy it separately or make extra space for one to get a well-rounded sound profile. And boy does the HT-S2000 create immersive, well-balanced soundscapes. Whether I was watching an action movie with intense fighting scenes or one with emotionally charged dialogues, the HT-S2000 transmitted every individual sound clearly, thereby completely transforming the way I consume media.

Dolby Atmos is the big selling point here, so to kick things off, I watched the opening scene of Top Gun: Maverick, Tom’s Guides testing reference. Mind you, this is a movie I’ve seen thrice at the theatre so I remember exactly what it’s meant to sound like — and the HT-S2000 came very close to replicating it. The sound of the fighter jets’ engines powering up while ground staff talk over radios was well-balanced and clear, with neither overpowering the other. And as the first jet gained speed and Kenny Loggins’ Danger Zone played as it took off, my living room filled with the jet’s roar.

The HT-S2000’s S-Force Pro Front Surround created a virtual ‘wraparound’ so it sounded like different sounds were coming from different parts of the room, which made the listening experience extremely immersive. This was also my partner’s first time watching the movie and I saw her jaw drop as the song’s chorus hit, and she remarked that it was like being at the movies.

I also have to point out that even when not watching Dolby Atmos content, the HT-S2000 still does a stellar job of reproducing a wide soundstage. Interstellar was a great example: the scene where Matthew McConaughey’s character is listening to messages from his family. I had the movie downloaded onto my external hard drive so I watched it through the soundbar — no Dolby Atmos. It sounded far better than through my TV’s speakers or any headphones. Hans Zimmer’s Cornfield Chase playing in the background is enough to make a grown woman cry, of course, but the HT-S2000 gave it a bassline so deep (when set on Max) that I could feel it in my chest. Every line of dialogue spoken by Cooper’s children is crystal clear and detailed, with not one word sounding muffled. I could also clearly hear Cooper’s muffled cries and whimpers.

The HT-S2000 has two dedicated audio modes: Night and Voice. Toggling Night Mode reduces louder sound effects, such as explosions, while keeping dialogue at an audible level. On the other hand, Voice Mode enhances dialogue clarity. Both of these work well.

If you fancy listening to some tunes when you’re hosting a party, the HT-S2000 is a solid musical option. I listened to my trusty playlist on Spotify Premium to test the HT-S2000's music capabilities. This is a powerful soundbar that checks a lot of boxes for both movies and music — especially if you like bass. Lows, mids and highs are balanced well, as I found while listening to Twenty One Pilots’ At the Risk of Feeling Dumb, where Tyler Joseph’s high notes never sound piercing and his lows sound crisp, even when he changes frequencies. In bass-heavy tracks like Pink Floyd’s Money, you can make out every single bass note while appreciating their weight.

Overall, the HT-S2000 sounds incredible. If you’re on a budget and can’t drop nearly $1,000 on the likes of the Sonos Arc Ultra, Sony’s offering is an accessible way of upgrading your home theatre system.

Sony HT-S2000 review: Verdict

If you’re taking your first steps into the world of home theatre systems or are looking to upgrade, the Sony HT-S2000 might be the answer to your prayers. This 3.1 channel soundbar, with its five speakers and built-in subwoofer, creates immersive soundscapes with a virtual ‘wraparound’ sound. Background music in tense scenes engulfs your living room and high notes never sound piercing.

Priced at $499 — and sometimes heavily discounted during sales — the HT-S2000, with Dolby Atmos support, is one of the best soundbars we’ve tested. There are other ways to boost your TV sound, like with the best cheap soundbars, but the HT-S2000 is well-worth the money if you want a low-profile soundbar that delivers big, rich sound.

Making waves at CES 2025, Eclipsa Audio is set to be a major win for 3D audio enthusiasts. The Dolby Atmos counterpart, built on Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF), aims not only to make audio more immersive across devices and TVs but also give creators and engineers alike more freedom in the way users experience sound in everything from conventional movies to YouTube videos.

Earlier this year, Google announced Eclipsa's debut on Android devices like the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra thanks to an Android Open Source Project (AOSP) slated for sometime later this year. Now, however, according to FlatpanelsHD the Dolby Atmos rival is said to be landing on even more devices including Google TVs made by TCL and Hisense, as well as LG TVs like the LG G5 OLED.

And the best part? It's totally free.

It's unclear when exactly these brands might see the new audio format, but it will be built directly into Android 16 with Google initially focusing on TVs, soundbars and interface support. Eclipsa is also bound for Google Chromecast devices as well as AV receivers, though you may have to wait a bit before these come to fruition.

Eclipsa expands across more devices

The open source 3D audio spec, which directly challenges Dolby Atmos, works in a slightly different way than its rival, using channel-based audio as opposed to object-based audio. It's also codec-agnostic, ensuring it works across the range of different encoders, from AAC and LPCM to Opus and FLAC (and beyond).

Google's already announced its inevitable support on YouTube, and Samsung hyped the unveiling of Eclipsa Audio on its 2025 sets, which are bound for release sometime in late April or May. But now it seems even more TVs and devices will be implementing the 3D audio tech, namely some of the best Google TVs, including Hisense and TCL models, LG TVs, and Android 16 devices.

Although Google is focusing on TVs, OS support, and soundbars at this time, it did note future support bound for AV receivers and is working on implementing it with VLC, the open source media player. The tech giant highlighted a forthcoming spring release of an Eclipsa Audio plugin for AVID Pro Tools Digital Audio Workstation, software that's used primarily for music creation, sound recording, and audio mixing.

Mums the world right now in terms of both iOS and tvOS support, but Google did relay to FlatpanelsHD that it "could not comment on Apple's plans" at the time.

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Your Super Bowl party might have just gotten better.

Comcast and Dolby just announced that Super Bowl 2025 will be broadcast in Dolby Vision, bolstered by Dolby Atmos sound. There's a catch, though: These formats will only be available to Xfinity TV customers as part of the company's Enhanced 4K coverage, either by way of the Xfinity X1 box or the Xfinity Stream app.

Dolby Vision is a proprietary HDR format designed to make use of the high-contrast and voluminous colors associated with modern displays, while Dolby Atmos is an enhanced spatial audio format that creates an immersive, three-dimensional sound experience.

In addition to Xfinity Enhanced 4K access, you'll also need a TV that supports both Dolby Vision. This rules out every Samsung TV on the market, as the brand doesn't offer this feature on any of its TVs.

And, while plenty of TVs support Dolby Vision as a spec, not every TV is equipped to make the most out of the format. In other words, the fact that your TV has "Dolby Vision" printed on the box doesn't necessarily mean that you'll notice a difference in picture quality while Dolby Vision content is playing.

The good news is that there's still time to upgrade your living room ahead of the Super Bowl. In addition to the Dolby Vision stamp, look for TVs that offer high brightness and excellent color volume. Some of the best TVs on the market— like the award-winning Hisense U8N — check all of these boxes. You don't have to spend an arm and a leg to make the most out of Dolby Vision.

If you want to take advantage of Dolby Atmos audio, you'll need a sound system that supports Dolby Atmos. We recommend one of the best soundbars for Dolby Atmos, which will go a long way toward improving the overall audio experience of your viewing environment.

To learn more about HDR formats before you shop, check out our guide on whether or not you need Dolby Vision.

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Finding a good soundbar isn't hard. Plenty of the best soundbars are available at a range of great prices, with loads of options for different use cases and budgets.

Finding soundbars to match your TV, though, can be a whole lot more difficult. Even soundbars that come from the same manufacturer might not match your chosen TV set, leaving you with some form of design mishap atop your TV stand.

Philips wants to make it a whole lot easier to find a soundbar to match your TV, with a new range of soundbars that feature the same slick design as its latest TV sets. There are three models, and they're all wrapped in satin chrome for not just a good look, but a classy addition to the new Philips MLED950 and OLED810 TVs.

Slick designs, great specs

The first soundbar in the line is the flagship B8500. It measures 35 inches across, so it's a large device, but it's only 2.5 inches tall so you won't have to worry about it covering the lower half of your TV screen. It's supposed to fit perfectly with the central stands of Philips top-of-the-range TVs, and it's been filled with some top-notch hardware so you've got excellent sound to go with a great picture.

There's 5.1 surround sound, along with Dolby Atmos support. HDMI 2.1 allows for 120Hz 4K passthrough, and there's Bluetooth 5.4 should you want to listen to music from your phone with LE compatibility. The included sub brings the low-end, with an 8-inch driver and 150W of power.

The second soundbar is the B8200, and it wants to take up less space under your TV. It's only 1.4 inches tall, and a mere 1.6 inches deep. Despite that small size, it still packs in 2.1 sound and Dolby Atmos support. The sub features two stacked drivers, with 120W of power.

Finally, there's the 2.1 channel B6100. This looks to fit perfectly with smaller 48-inch to 55-inch screens, and has 40W of power and Dolby Atmos support. The subwoofer has 120W of power for the low stuff.

All three sound bars are coming out this year, although there's no news about how much they're going to cost. The B6100 is coming this May, but there's no news about the other two options. We'll be rigorously testing all three when they land, so stay tuned as to how we rate them.

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Dolby Atmos might be the first name you think of when it comes to spatial audio (Apple Spatial Audio, perhaps, being the other) but there's a new player in town. It's called Eclipsa Audio, and it's a collaborative effort from Google and Samsung.

Samsung announced the Eclipsa Audio 3D format at CES and it's setup to be a key rival to Dolby's more ubiquitous Atmos format. But is it any better than Dolby Atmos, or even all that different?

Here's everything you need to know about the new format, and how it compares to the 800-pound gorilla in the spatial audio world, Dolby Atmos.

What is 3D or spatial audio?

Spatial audio is the logical next step after traditional surround sound. Traditional surround sound formats play sound on a flat plane — that’s to say, they can play audio in front of you, to your sides, and behind you. That’s pretty immersive, but there’s a whole other dimension to play with — which is where 3D audio comes in.

3D audio not only plays sound around you, but also above you. Our ears are incredibly complex — and they can pinpoint the directionality of a sound, even when it’s coming from above you. 3D audio formats typically imitate sound being played from above you by firing sound up towards the ceiling, which then reflects back down to you to create that “height” effect.

Unfortunately, creating a sound bubble isn't necessarily that simple. To create a truly immersive audio effect, the whole chain of content — from creation to delivery — has to be designed with spatial audio in mind. That’s to say, when you watch a movie that supports Dolby Atmos through your Atmos-compatible speakers, you’re watching on a streaming service that supports Atmos, and a movie with audio that was specifically mixed with Atmos in mind.

Eclipsa Audio vs Dolby Atmos

Samsung has a somewhat complicated relationship with Dolby. Perhaps, actually, it’s not that complicated — Samsung just doesn’t want to pay the fees associated with licensing Dolby technology. That’s painfully clear on Samsung TVs, which don’t support the Dolby Vision HDR standard, instead supporting the royalty-free alternative, HDR10+. Generally, Dolby Vision is considered to be better than HDR10+, plus more content supports Dolby Vision.

Despite both being competent spatial audio formats, some assume that Eclipsa Audio will end up being the HDR10+ to Atmos’ Dolby Vision. In other words, it may not end up being quite as high-tech or as immersive as Dolby Atmos, but it will at least be a way to get spatial audio support without having to pay to license Dolby Atmos or DTS:X.

The actual technology behind Eclipsa Audio is likely to be at least similar to Atmos. The format also supports using sound reflections to imitate a three-dimensional location for sounds, just like Dolby Atmos. That said, we’ll have to wait and see how the two actually compare when Eclipsa Audio starts rolling out beyond a simple demo on the Alliance for Open Media's website.

In short, the two formats are similar on paper, but Eclipsa Audio is open-source and free to license, which could help bring down the cost of spatial audio gear.

How soon can you get Eclipsa Audio in your home theater?

That rollout could happen sooner than you might expect: Google and Samsung announced they were working on a Dolby Atmos competitor back in 2023. At the time, however, it was under the name “Immersive Audio Model and Formats” (IAMF). Yeah, not quite as snappy but you have to respect how literal it is.

Now, a few years later, we’re on the precipice of an actual rollout under a newer and (admittedly) cooler name: Eclipsa Audio.

Initially, it’ll come to a host of Google products. YouTube will support the format, and YouTube creators will be able to upload videos that make use of the Eclipsa Audio format for more immersive sound.

Not only that, but Google and Samsung also announced that Eclipsa would be added to the Android Open Source Project (essentially stock Android) later this year, meaning it’ll come to every Android phone that can still get updates.

Of course, to actually play Eclipsa Audio content, you’ll need hardware that supports it. That’s where Samsung comes in.

At CES 2025, the company announced that it would be bringing Eclipsa Audio support to the entire Samsung 2025 TV lineup and many of its soundbars. Thankfully, those models still seem to support Dolby Atmos, and we wouldn’t expect Samsung to stop licensing Atmos for at least a few years, until there’s significantly more Eclipsa-compatible content.

Content really is the last piece of the puzzle here, and it’s perhaps the biggest question mark. YouTube is a big get, as it means that anyone could upload content that supports Eclipsa Audio — though it’s hard to imagine anyone but the biggest creators, or those in a particular audio niche, actually taking advantage of that. That said, THX has also jumped onboard, which is perhaps more important, considering THX’s status as a legendary audio company.

Can Atmos and Eclipsa coexist peacefully?

There is absolutely room for a new spatial audio standard that's royalty-free, just as there's room for HDR10+. Its creation could allow for more content to support an immersive audio format, and movie studios will have more options for their upcoming projects. Competing standards could, in turn, help push audio technologies forward.

But the back-room decisions on audio formats won’t have a massive impact on consumers in and of themselves. What will impact the rest of us is if hardware manufacturers take a stance, and choose one over the other.

Most mid-range and high-end TVs support both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, meaning that when you turn on a movie or TV show, you’re getting some kind of premium HDR experience no matter which format it supports. That, however, isn’t true for Samsung TVs. On a Samsung TV, you can enjoy content in full HDR10+ — but if a movie happens to be encoded for Dolby Vision, it’ll default back to the inferior HDR10 (not HDR10+), which simply isn’t as impressive or as lifelike.

It makes sense that a company like Samsung would want to avoid paying licensing fees — but hopefully, the company keeps both Eclipsa Audio and Dolby Atmos support around for the foreseeable future, so that customers can get immersive audio no matter what content creators and studios choose to support.

Unfortunately, when it comes down to dollars and cents, my bet is that Samsung will ditch Dolby as soon as it can — but it may be a few years before there’s enough content for that to be feasible. Until then, there's room for both in our hearts and, more importantly, our home theaters.

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At the beginning of the year, Samsung and Google announced Eclipsa Audio, a 3D audio format meant to rival Dolby Atmos. The new spatial audio tech is supposed to arrive in Samsung's 2025 TV and soundbar lineup as well as the Google-owned YouTube this year.

Eclipsa Audio is similar to Dolby Atmos and uses "audio data such as the location and intensity of sounds, along with spatial reflections” to create a 3D experience.

Google has now confirmed that the free Atmos alternative is also launching on Android this year via an upcoming Android Open Source Project (AOSP) release.

It's a huge announcement since it means millions of devices will get access to this tech that has so far been relegated to your local movie theater or TV system.

Google wrote in a blog post, "Google and Samsung will be launching a certification and brand licensing program in 2025 to provide quality assurance to manufacturers and consumers for products that support Eclipsa Audio."

As one of Google's biggest mobile partners, we're going to assume that Samsung will get this feature pretty quick, especially as the Korean company is in the midst of launching this year's new Galaxy S25 lineup.

What will truly make this new spatial audio work is if its coupled with the best earbuds and best headphones. Unfortunately right now, the only spatial audio capable headphones on our best lists are Apple's AirPods Pro 2, which utilize head-tracking to make it feel like you're sitting in a movie theater when using Dolby Atmos enabled audio.

The excellent Sonos Ace headphones, do support Dolby Atmos but are hindered by the ongoing issues with the company's app and rumors of potential sale, possibly to Apple.

Samsung's own Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are supposed to support Dolby head-tracking and that's what will be needed to let your Android devices truly take advantage of Eclipsa Audio.

Hopefully, during the Galaxy Unpacked event this week Samsung will announce updates to allow the Buds to accommodate the news.

Google's blog post noted a number of free tools for developers to download to make their own Eclipsa capable files as well as enable manufacturers to develop their own workflows.

Assuming manufacturers like Bose, Sony and more get on board with Eclipsa it really could spread 3D spatial audio to a wider variety of ears than have had the chance to experience before.

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It’s not often I’m impressed with the performance of in-car audio systems. In fact, I’ve been known to avoid listening to my favorite songs and artists on the road when I know the sound quality isn’t up to my standards. But that couldn’t have been further from the case inside the 2025 Cadillac OPTIQ with Dolby Atmos.

Dolby currently has partnerships with 20 automotive markers to develop in-car spatial listening experiences, with a majority of implementation seen in the EVs. At CES 2025, Dolby Atmos’s capabilities were specifically showcased with Cadillac since the technology is coming standard in the brand’s ‘entry-point,’ $54,000 luxury electric SUV.

The 2025 OPTIQ packs a AKG audio system with 19 total speakers optimally installed inside the cabin. Each seat has a speaker just above ear height for mid-to-high frequencies and vocals, while lower frequencies are powered by speakers towards the bottom of each of the four doors.

A long dashboard speaker beneath the windshield and a pair angled inward from the trunk area complete the 360-degree coverage. Acoustic-laminated glass benefits listening, too.

I jumped inside the passenger seat for a demo and cycled though a few songs Dolby and Cadillac suggested.

In A-ha’s ‘Take On Me,’ the instrumental layering sounded clearer than I ever heard in the 80s hit, while ‘Hush’ by The Marias flexed head-circling synths and a rhythmic clap that sounded like it was coming from right next to my ear.

For a more vocal-heavy record, Jacob Collier’s ‘Witness Me’ sounded so realistic that I could hear his breathy emotion as the a cappella track traveled from behind to up and over my head.

But the real test for me was how one of my favorite artists sounded in the cabin. The folks from Dolby let me turn on a Taylor Swift song from The Tortured Poet’s Department to wrap my demo, and ‘So Long, London’ seemed like the obvious choice.

The choral intro swirled around the cabin while the song's heartbeat-feel thumped through my chest. I didn’t have a chance to attend The Eras Tour, but I imagine that this is what it would've felt like.

Impressive audio aside, the 2025 OPTIQ features a 33-inch touchscreen Android Auto infotainment system, Super Cruise assisted driving technology, a 302-mile range and AWD standard.

I can’t speak for how it actually drives, but if it were practical to consider a car just so I could have a space optimized for listening to my Apple Music playlists, the OPTIQ is now at the top of my list.

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Whether you're an audiophile or not, odds are you've at least heard of Dolby Atmos, a 3D audio format that's become a main selling point for most TVs and soundbars on the market. Now, Samsung and Google are challenging its dominance with a new standard, Eclipsa Audio, that'll arrive in Samsung's 2025 TVs and be available on YouTube too.

Samsung announced in a press release this week that Eclipsa Audio will be available on all of its upcoming soundbar and TV models, including the lower-end budget series and flagship devices. Demonstrations are expected to be unveiled at the upcoming CES 2025. Samsung and Google are also working with the Telecommunications Technology Association to develop a certification program that will ensure devices with Eclipsa Audio meet the quality standards set.

Similar to Atmos, this audio format supports adjusting “audio data such as the location and intensity of sounds, along with spatial reflections” to create a 3D experience, Samsung said. The new standard could eventually serve as a free alternative to Dolby Atmos, complete with a suite of tools to craft a 3D immersive audio experience, like adjusting the intensity and location of certain sounds.

It's been a long time coming. The two companies announced their partnership to create a Dolby Atmos competitor in 2023, initially with the less snappy name of Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF). At the time, Samsung spatial audio lead WooHyun Nam said the format would offer “a complete open-source framework for 3D audio, from creation to delivery and playback, ditching the licensing fee model that Dolby uses. With Dolby Atmos, creators and hardware makers like Samsung pay to license the tech for their products.

Dolby Atmos competitor coming to YouTube

Samsung also noted that starting next year, YouTube creators will be able to upload videos with Eclipsa Audio tracks to the Google-owned platform.

“We believe that Eclipsa Audio has the potential to change the way we experience sound,” Google Chrome's VP of Engineering Jim Bankoski said in the press release. “We are excited to see how the creator community uses it to create new and innovative audio experiences.”

Enabling 3D audio experiences on certain YouTube videos is certain to raise some eyebrows, but it's worth noting that YouTube appears to be the only big name on board for now. Whether Samsung and Google can convince other streaming firms to embrace Eclipsa Audio will be the true test of whether it can challenge Dolby's foothold on TVs, projectors, and other devices.

Still, it's exciting to see spatial audio branching into even more kinds of content outside of expensive TVs and soundbars. We expect to hear more about Eclipsa Audio in the coming days as CES 2025 gets underway.

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If there's anything we consistently complain about when it comes to displays, it's the incredibly middling sound systems on offer. Even premium, more high-end models like those among the best OLED TVs tend to have rather poor speakers that require just a little extra oomph for more clarity and immersion.

That's why I'm here to say more TV makers need to copy the Panasonic Z95A OLED TV. Why? Well, it's got one of the largest (and loudest) speaker systems we've ever seen on a TV. There's several benefits to this, like making Dolby Atmos all the more entrancing and gaming an absolute riot.

But it's what Panasonic does with that speaker system that makes all the difference. After all, size isn't everything, am I right? Panasonic's Sound Focus feature allows users to more accurately adjust the way their speaker system works for them. It's actually an incredibly feat of software that I think few are talking about.

There's a slew of benefits to bringing better speakers to next year's flagship TVs. Let's get into why more TV makers need to put a better emphasis on their TV speakers and why Panasonic's Z95A is the poster child.

Unbridled oomph in your TV speakers

You're always going to need to pair any new TV purchase with one of the best soundbars as they're just not great. That is, none of those among even the best TVs have great audio — except of course for the Panasonic Z95A OLED TV, the only display I've seen with a 5.1.2-channel speaker system at a whopping 160W output.

That's some serious firepower that even some soundbars don't hold a candle to let alone OLED TVs. As I mentioned in my review of the Panasonic Z95A, the only TV to come close in sheer output power would be the Hisense U9N Mini-LED TV, which sports an 82W speaker output.

If that says anything it should be a testament to the middling audio found on most TV sets, as the U9N is one of Hisense's most premium 2024 Mini-LED TVs, sporting a starting price of $2,999. That's also to paint the picture we're working with in terms of pricing, as adding such a robust speaker system certainly won't come with a lower MSRP.

But it would most certainly save you money. If something like the LG C4 OLED TV, which currently has all but a mere 40W 2.2-channel system, was retrofitted with a more powerful speaker, say something more like 82W on a 2.1.2-channel system, it would be far more beneficial to the end user. It might cost a bit more, but the C4 always proves to be one of the most value-intensive OLEDs in the market.

Not only would this mean you don't not need to buy any additional soundbar or even more expensive sound system, but it would also allow LG engineers to do some interesting stuff on the software side of things with the TV audio. Once again, just look to the Panasonic Z95A and its Sound Focus feature for inspiration. It's more than just a sound investment.

Focusing on the sound

When I was first introduced to the Panasonic Z95A and its Sound Focus feature, I was blown away. The team flew all the way from Japan to show me how it worked, allowing users several different forms of control over how their OLED TV utilizes the internal speaker.

Beyond just the main presets on offer, such as Sport, Area, Pinpoint, and Ambient, users can also choose specific areas on a 120 degree axis point. In my initial briefing, one example Panasonic gave for using this is to allow the elders in the household better hearing capabilities. Essentially, both Pinpoint and Area can let you place the perfect sound in a cone around your favorite seat in the house.

That's pretty awesome if you think about, especially if you're prone to watching TV on somewhat of an angle. Off-axis viewing, while pretty common, tends to leave open potential distortions to TV audio as you're not directly facing the speakers. But with Panasonic's Sound Focus feature, that literally doesn't matter at all as you can be facing the TV from practically any angle and hear perfectly well with a few tweaks.

Now, does that mean you shouldn't ever pair your TV with a model among the best Dolby Atmos soundbars? No, in fact I think even if TVs did get better audio, you're still probably better off with a soundbar. They're just much more well-refined and often even have far advanced specifications, like the new Sonos Arc Ultra and its custom-built Sound Motion audio driver technology.

Then again, maybe Panasonic and Sonos could work together and get the latter's Sound Motion technology on the next Z95A? Now that would be something to balk at even if it's highly unlikely. But Sonos is working on its own ad-supported TV operating system, so maybe there's room for it in the TV industry in some capacity.

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The connectivity company Fasetto recently announced that its forthcoming Audio Cu system has received Dolby Atmos Product certification. The system, spotted by The Verge, connects devices like TVs to speakers and subwoofers using the existing electrical outlets in a home. 

The Audio Cu is supposed to be an alternative to running and hiding speaker wires around your home theater setup. It's also supposed to be an alternative to wireless systems that run on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections, which have their own challenges with latency and signal.

In an example that the company shows on its website, for a simple three speaker (two towers and a center channel), a subwoofer and a TV set up, you would need five Audio Cu boxes and five wall plugs. The TV needs a transmitter, with Fasetto claiming you don't need an AV receiver, while the speakers each get a receiver device. 

The Audio Cu device has to be plugged directly into a power outlet to work properly. So, for your speaker plugs, you'll need to open a second plug spot or a surge protector if you're plugging more than one device into the outlet.

Fasetto claims that the system's latency is less than 20 milliseconds and is not affected by any interference like that of other home electronics. Their examples include vacuum cleaners and microwaves.

The speakers need red and black terminals, and Fasetto claims up to 10 channels can be sent via power lines from one transmitter, which will accommodate up to a 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos setup. Up to six transmitters can be used in separate setups, with Fasetto saying that the Audio Cu system maxes out at 32 channels.

A separate app for setup and configuration also contains EQ adjustments, and audio presets. However, they say normal volume control can be done via your standard remote.

Fasetto has not released a price or launch date for the Audio Cu system. So, it's hard to estimate how much a package of transmitters and receivers will run you if you add them to your home theater setup. 

From what we can tell, this would probably work best in a small home or apartment where outlets are relatively close when setting up your system. Otherwise, you're running wires to power the speakers, defeating the purpose. If you have them, it might work well in a larger space with more strategically placed outlets.

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Amazon Prime Video's new ad-free subscription plan went live now nearly 2 weeks ago and users are already starting to see additional differences between the more expensive option and the ad tier — namely the absence of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

These streaming quality changes were first spotted by German news site 4Kfilme, as many Prime Video users started to notice the dip in quality. 

Various tests were conducted across a wide range of  the best TVs, which included Sony, LG, TCL, and Samsung models. It should be noted that Samsung TVs do not support Dolby Vision HDR content, though it and Google are working on their own iteration of the tech standard.

While other audio and visual technologies still exist, like 5.1 surround sound, 4K resolution, HDR10, and HDR10+, the loss of both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos is quite the change — especially given the fact that Amazon has seemingly given no word on this disparity.

The new price for Dolby Vision & Atmos support

Amazon Prime Video's new more expensive ad-free tier first rolled out to customers starting on January 29th in the US and later for folks in the UK, Germany, and Canada on February 6th. The price hike adds $2.99/£2.99 to the monthly subscription simply to cut out annoying ad breaks in the middle of Prime movies and shows.

Following the upgrade, Prime Video customers will once more gain access to both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Amazon itself has confirmed the tech downgrade for ad tier subscribers to Forbes, thus ensuring users that it is not a technical mistake.

Confusingly, users on the basic tier Prime Video subscription will still have access to the alternative HDR formats of both HDR10 and HDR10+, as well as 5.1 surround sound. It’s unclear if these might be pushed into the premium plan later down the line, but currently it seems they will remain in Prime’s basic plan.

Amazon gave no mention of these changes prior to users discovering the alteration. It’s yet another instance of Amazon pushing for better ways to monetize. However, with alternatives to both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on the near horizon, several may not even want the upgrade or need it to begin with.

A Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos alternative

Called Project Caviar, Samsung and Google have teamed up to design their own versions of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It’s not only intended to mirror the potential provided by these two audio and visual tech enhancements but bring additional “functionality beyond what Dolby Atmos and Vision offer,” per Protocol.

HDR10+ is one such part of Project Caviar, which aims to bring royalty-free 3D audio and HDR video formats to wider audiences over the excessive foothold Dolby has with its Vision and Atmos counterparts.

Tentatively called Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF), the Dolby Atmos counterpart under Samsung and Google has been in ongoing development since 2020. Samsung showcased various ways its IAMF will enhance the viewing experience in a blog post released late last year. 

It’s unclear when Samsung TV buyers or prospective users can expect the official rollout of IAMF and its broader Project Caviar initiatives. 

As of right now, it might be best for Amazon Prime Video customers to upgrade to the premium tier if they want improved video and audio quality via Dolby Vision and Atmos support — especially those who have one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.

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With CES 2024 just around the corner, a slew of product reveals is in store with the first set being LG’s upcoming soundbar lineup. 

The 2024 soundbars as presented by LG in its press release hinge primarily on TV synergy and audio immersion using several features that make them stand out from the crowd: The two newest soundbar models in its lineup include the SG10T and S70TY, while the S95TR is an upgraded version of LG’s S95QR from 2023. 

Among the features coming to next year's lineup is a new AI Room Calibration feature that "rapidly analyzes the environment of a room and adjusts the settings" both for the front and rear surround speakers. Using newly designed internals and a rich feature set that is expertly paired with specific LG TVs, these new soundbars could prove to make a world of difference in your everyday entertainment consumption — provided you have an LG TV to pair alongside them. 

 Meet LG's new 15-channel Dolby Atmos beast

As already mentioned, LG’s new 2024 soundbar lineup consists of three main products: the S95TR, SG10T, and S70TY. They’re listed in accordance with their general market, with the S95TR being LG’s flagship model. 

Given its premium nature, the S95TR comes kitted with all the bells and whistles, including 15 channels, 810W of total power output, and a list of internal upgrades to set it apart from the previous S95QR iteration. The size of the soundbar has been increased slightly to better compensate for these internal improvements. 

The S95TR will use an enhanced passive radiator and a set of upgraded tweeters for impeccable audio quality and boosted bass. Its five dedicated upward firing drivers will also make it quite a beast for those who love Dolby Atmos, but do note that this is a wired product as opposed to the other new LG offerings.

On that topic, the new LG SG10T is a wireless soundbar with some neat tricks up its sleeve. The most obvious one is its ultra-thin design that’s intended to make wall mounting far easier and fit more cleanly with LG’s G series OLEDs, like the LG G3 OLED, which the soundbar specifically caters to.

In the more mid-range category is the S70TY, yet another wireless soundbar built specifically for LG’s QNED TV models. It’s set to leverage LG’s up-firing channel speakers and is intended to aesthetically match with the LG QNED80, QNED85, QNED90, QNED95, and LG QNED99 TVs.

There’s little else LG announced in terms of exciting internals on the new soundbar models and pricing remains a question mark most likely until CES 2024. 

The company did, however, highlight some key features that will make these models turn your TV viewing experience into a draw dropping spectacle.

Enhanced TV audio immersion...for LG TVs

So which of the features are specific to LG TVs? Leveraging the WoWCast feature, soundbars — like the aforementioned SG10T and S70TY — can wirelessly send Dolby Atmos sound to other compatible devices, such as LG TVs and even alternative LG soundbars.

LG’s Wow Orchestra, a feature that allows both the TV and soundbar to work in tandem for perfected sound quality, is also being improved and included on newer LG soundbar models. 

Finally, the newly introduced Triple Level Spatial Sound technology is also an exciting new addition on LG soundbars, gifting them, as the press release states, “lifelike sound and a compelling sense of space.” The feature uses a 3D engine to analyze channels for the most optimal and immersive sounds possible. The good news is that this one should work regardless of whether you own an LG TV or not.

Those in attendance at CES 2024 in January can get a special taste of LG’s new soundbars and the delectable audio enhancements they provide to the home cinema. LG will be in the Central Hall of the LAs Vegas Convention Center at booth #15501. 

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Apple Music is already one of the biggest providers of Dolby Atmos audio tracks and, soon, it’s likely going to add even more tracks to the service thanks to a potential new incentive program that rewards artists for recording in the spatial audio format.

According to a new report by Bloomberg, Apple is going to pay artists more in royalties when their music is played in the spatial audio format, which in turn should cause an influx of new Dolby Atmos audio tracks for streamers to listen to. At least, that’s the plan on paper.

Why the sudden interest? It all comes down to the upcoming launch of the Apple Vision Pro headset — due out early in 2024 — and rumored release of the AirPods Max 2, both of which could support near-lossless spatial audio. A slew of new music coming down the pipeline right as these products are about to launch could help drum up some interest in the new devices, something Apple is surely keen to do.

What is Dolby Atmos? 

Dolby Atmos is already one of the most prominent names in the home theater space — and, thanks to streaming services like Apple Music, it’s found success in the music industry, too. 

In short, Atmos provides a greater level of surround sound detail than is typically available in stereo or 5.1 surround sound mixes. Apple introduced Dolby Atmos audio to its Apple Music service in 2021 and has been a major proponent of the format ever since.

Currently, there are more than a dozen Apple devices that support spatial audio including the latest iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro as well as the AirPods Pro 2 and the current-generation AirPods Max. With two more devices potentially on the horizon, now's as good of a time as any for Apple to invest in its Dolby Atmos music catalogue. 

Looking for a new way to listen to spatial audio tracks? Check out our guide to the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.

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When it comes to spatial audio, Dolby Atmos is the name most folks think of first and is available on many of the best soundbars. However, it’s not the only game in town — and more competition is already on the way. 

The latest competitor to throw its hat in the ring is the Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF) that have been in development since 2020 by Samsung and Google, and was announced earlier this month in a blog post on the Samsung Newsroom. 

The key differences between Atmos and IAMF is that the latter will be designed specifically for a TV’s built-in speakers rather than separate upfiring speakers, and the software will be open-source instead of controlled by a single company. 

So why is it making headlines now? IAMF was officially adopted by the Alliance for Open Media back in October 2023, which means Samsung could start rolling it out in the next few years.

IAMF vs Dolby Atmos: what’s the difference? 

While the main differences involve who owns and licenses the format and the sort of hardware the format will work with, IAMF also adds an AI component that can “analyze scenes and emphasize certain aspects of the content."

“In TV and film, there are certain scenes where the soundtrack or background music is the main focus,” says WooHyun Nam, a member of the Visual Technology Team at Samsung Research. “IAMF will balance the sound in these instances. Similarly, the technology will fine-tune audio when there is character dialogue to allow the listener to focus on the conversation.”

So not only will there be a vertical component to the sound that will envelop you the same way Dolby Atmos does, but IAMF also can change volume levels on the fly to match what's happening in the scene.

Moreover, because IAMF is designed to work on smaller speakers with less power, Nam says that it'd be possible to bring IAMF to Samsung's future phones as well. 

“I want to create a more advanced 3D audio technology that makes users feel like they are truly in the scene of a movie, TV show or live event,” he said. “I also hope to continue this research until 3D audio is applied to Samsung’s smartphones.”

Why make an alternative to Dolby Atmos?

As you might expect, it all comes down to money. 

If you’re a hardware maker and you want to use Dolby Atmos and/or Dolby’s proprietary HDR format Dolby Vision, you have to pay Dolby to use it. 

Those costs add up overtime, which is why (among other reasons) Samsung has been reluctant to bring Dolby Vision to Samsung TVs. HDR10+, another open-source AV format, has been Samsung’s go-to HDR format for that reason.

Without having heard IAMF in-person, there’s no way of telling if it stands up to Dolby Atmos at this point — but I’ll be excited to stack them side-by-side when Samsung includes the technology in its TVs sometime down the road.

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Dolby has announced its plans for a new technology that will enable users to place wireless speakers around their living room for a customized spatial audio experience — it’s called Dolby Atmos FlexConnect and it’s coming first to TCL TVs in 2024. 

The way the technology works, according to a press release sent by Dolby, is that you’ll be able to buy wireless FlexConnect speakers that will sync up to a TV’s built-in speakers. These speakers can go anywhere in the room and will automatically be calibrated to fill the room with Atmos sound. Dolby Atmos, for those who've never heard of the technology before, is a better version of surround sound that adds a sense of height and depth to an audio mix.

Unlike some of the best soundbars that will turn off the TV’s built-in speakers, FlexConnect will use the TV speakers to augment the surround sound. It’s similar to what we’ve seen in LG’s WoW Orchestra, Samsung’s Q-Symphony and Sony’s Acoustic Center Sync technology, though each of those required a matching soundbar and TV from the same brand.

Once it’s rolled out to more TV models, any FlexConnect speaker would be compatible with any FlexConnect-enabled TV — so you won’t be locked in to any one brand — and would be available at a number of price points.

Analysis: Wireless speaker technology is the wild west of AV 

While interoperable wireless Dolby Atmos speakers sound incredible, we’re not going to line up on day one to buy them — FlexConnect is just the latest in a long line of wireless audio technologies that promise a lot and deliver too little. 

Other brands that have tried something similar to this include DTS Play-Fi and WiSA, the latter of which feels eerily similar to Dolby FlexConnect. The problem with these technologies is that they’ve always required specific TVs and speakers to work — and knowing which speakers and TVs support the technology has been a hassle.  

To Dolby’s credit, however, Atmos is now nearly universally supported on new 4K TVs. The technology is supported on some of the best TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense and TCL as well as many of the best soundbars and AV receivers. In short, building a Dolby Atmos system has never been easier. 

If Dolby can get its partners to all support FlexConnect and get some decent audio manufacturers on board with the plan, there’s a good chance that in the next few years we’ll all have calibrated wireless Dolby Atmos speakers in our homes. 

Until it proves that it can get the rest of the industry on board, however, we’ll stick to the best soundbars like the Sonos Arc. 

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In addition to testing the best headphones and best Bluetooth speakers for music listening for Tom's Guide, I also review TV soundbars built to boost TV sound and bring an immersive experience to home viewing. I'm continually swapping soundbars in and out of my TV audio setup for reviewing purposes to find the best soundbar for you, and the Majority Sierra Plus soundbar has been taking care of audio signals from my Samsung 55-inch TV for a month now. 

If you've not heard of Majority Audio before, then you're not alone. I confess, it's a fairly new brand to me, but the company is making waves in the budget audio category. It has a range of attractively priced and built speaker systems aimed at movie and music fans alike, and I was keen to see how the newcomer stacked up against more costly soundbars I reviewed recently. 

The Sierra Plus is a 2.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos soundbar with a wireless subwoofer. To you and I, that's left and right stereo channels with a single subwoofer channel and two Dolby Atmos channels. Originally priced at $329 / £295, the Sierra Plus is currently on sale for $264 / £229 (around AU$470) at Amazon, which feels like great value for a soundbar and wireless subwoofer package. 

In fact, it's the most affordable model I've ever encountered and even more affordable than the entry-level Sonos Ray soundbar ($279 / £279 / AU$399), albeit without the slick multiroom capabilities.

Although I haven't yet given a full Tom's Guide review to the Majority Sierra Plus 2.1.2 soundbar package, it has been a rewarding listen and could easily join the ranks of our best cheap soundbars as a great low-cost TV sound boosting option.

It can be purchased without the wireless sub for $189 from Amazon, but you're going to struggle to get much low frequency power for convincing action effects, and dialog really does sound thin and weedy without it.

Looks-wise, the Majority is a bit on the bland side. It's plainly finished in black with a wire mesh speaker grille running along the front. Measuring 37.8 x 4.25 x 3.19 inches, it's the ideal size to fit beneath my 55-inch TV screen, and didn't foul the bottom of the display. It weighs around 17.5 pounds, which is around the same weight as the more compact Sennheiser's Ambeo Soundbar Plus that the Sierra Plus replaced in my TV sound setup. 

The speaker arrangements run to four full-range drivers along the front face, plus there are two upward firing drivers on the top. An always-on scroll display shows volume level, EQ settings, and audio formats. The top face has control buttons for power, source select, and volume controls. A remote control is also provided; there's no control app available.

Bluetooth connectivity is on board should you be looking to stream music from your phone. There's also 2x HDMI inputs, 1x HDMI output (with ARC), as well as digital optical, a 3.5mm analog aux jack, and a USB port.

Power boost

Any soundbar supplied with a subwoofer is always going to score extra points for value and sound quality capabilities, especially at the package price. But the fact that Majority throws in a Bluetooth wireless model, makes it one of the most attractive Dolby Atmos soundbar packages I've seen at the price.

The total power output of the combined speakers claims to be rated at 400W, which is pretty respectable given the low price point and I've no reason to doubt the figure. Despite the power claims, though, I did need to set the sub to its max level to get it to integrate properly with the soundbar's output. Anything less left a gaping whole between where the soundbar's low frequencies dropped off and where the subwoofer kicked in.

There's no way to adjust the hand over frequency of bass frequencies from one to the other that I could find, but maxing out the sub's level seemed to bridge the gap in my TV viewing space. Boosting in the bass level by a few notches also helped to give the sound more weight and gravitas.

One of the things I like most about the Majority Sierra Plus is that essentially this is a stereo soundbar, with up firing speakers to take care of Dolby Atmos formats. I've said before when it comes to TV sound that I favor stereo speaker setups over immersive soundbars that attempt to create an artificial soundscape through multiple speakers pointing in all directions. The Majority keeps audio simple, and that's one of the main reasons the Sierra Plus sounds so good at the price.

Of course, there are compromises. Not all the EQ settings are tuned as well as they might be, but I found that Movie mode gave the best balance across a wide range of material. Also, while the dialog sounded more convincing with bass ramped up and the subwoofer set to its near maximum level, I found that some voices sat right at the frequency handover point between the soundbar and the sub. This had the effect of making certain dialog in Breaking Bad (I know, I'm a latecomer to the Netflix show) sound rich and full, while hushed conversations sounded noticeably thin and difficult to hear.

Perhaps my biggest grumble, though, was the soundbar's ability to randomly power itself on despite the TV screen being turned off. Although, I'm quite prepared to believe that this is something to do with one of the settings on my Samsung TV (it's been through a lot), this isn't something I've encountered before with the TV hooked up to other makes of soundbar. Despite some foibles, though, this is a great soundbar at a great price. 

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If you've yet to be fully persuaded by the benefits of listening to music in spatial audio, then you may be interested in my pick of the 6 best tracks I've heard in the format so far. Each song manages to showcase the full potential spatial audio tracks can bring on the latest speakers or headphones capable of handling the new audio format.

I've been discussing spatial audio for a while now. I confess, though, I'm not entirely convinced by the new audio format and every spatial audio mix. After all, do we really need a more nuanced version of a song just to give it a greater sense of scale when played on today's wireless speakers or headphones?

An audio format that's built around remixing a song to deliver a stronger sound on today's small speakers, say, doesn't exactly feel like progress to me. To my mind, anything that messes with the original recording undermines the music mix that the artist(s) and record producer(s) settled on at the time the song was made, and from that point of view feels like a backwards step.

As an audio expert, I have spent more years than I care to mention listening to stereo recordings on conventional speaker systems. I know all about the benefits listening to music on a good quality system can bring in terms of soundstage depth, and conjuring up a three-dimensional sonic image of a musical performance in my living room simply by using a pair of Hi-Fi speakers, or the best audiophile headphones. Ironically, this is the goal of Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio formats, but for non audiophile setups using modern speaker systems and headphones.

Of course, not all spatial audio format songs are as effective as one another. So if you really want to hear what spatial audio is capable of, play these 5 Dolby Atmos remixed songs on a Sonos Era 300 speaker, which is designed specifically for spatial audio formats. Alternatively, you can try any stereo speaker setup or pair of headphones that support spatial audio, such as the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro Max, to discover what the format can bring when done right.

1. Rocket Man by Elton John

Few tracks demonstrate the immersive capabilities of spatial audio more effectively than Elton John's remixed Dolby Atmos version of "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long Long Time)". The soundscape this version of the classic song manages to produce on my Sonos Era 300 smart speaker is so expansive that it defies belief that it's coming from a single source. 

The exaggerated backing vocal harmonies and ramped up synth sounds in this Dolby Atmos mix aren't authentic to the version I've listened to hundreds of times over the years. It's very effective, though, and although I don't dislike it, it does feel a bit too different. Thankfully, not everything has been tinkered with in the track's mix, and the song still has a lovely warm characteristic that evokes the original 1970's recording style, making it sound familiar and different at the same time.

2. Thriller by Micheal Jackson

Another classic pop album that's been given the Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio treatment on Apple Music is Jackson's "Thriller." There are some neat touches that make the synth sound bigger on "Beat It" than the speaker cabinet the track is being streamed on, and has a room filling sound that is very engaging. 

Meanwhile, I can well imagine that there's some audio trickery applied to the howling wolves at the beginning of the "Thriller" album's title track, but it refused to play on my Sonos Era 300, informing me that 'the song is not encoded correctly.' It's not the first time this has happened when trying to stream Apple Music content to the Sonos Era 300, and leads me to suspect that there are still some encoding issues to be addressed between Apple Music and Sonos. 

3. No Time To Die (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 

From Hans Zimmer's rousing orchestral score for James Bond's most recent outing to Billie Eilish's brooding performance of the title track, the No Time To Die movie soundtrack is a fine example of how orchestral pieces can work spectacularly well with spatial audio. Once again, the sound is much bigger in scale than I would typically expect from a single cabinet speaker, and the rousing strings and lavish production of the soundtrack are projected upwards and outwards, filling the room.

The track called "Matera" is a particular highlight, with all the signature elements of a Bond movie rolled into one very beautiful piece of music, and I have to confess that the Dolby Atoms Spatial Audio elements make it sound pretty spectacular on my Sonos Era 300. 

4. Royals by Lorde

Lorde's "Royals" track from 2013's "Pure Heroine" album was a go-to track ideal for showcasing bass performance on passive speakers and subwoofers in my reviews for a previous role, and I'm pleased to discover this Dolby Atmos version. The remixed version has all the scale to show off the bass handling of whatever speaker or pair of headphones you're listening on, and gives an extra dimension to the finger snaps and harmonies that seem to stretch beyond the confines of the speaker cabinet.

I love the way I am able to follow each layer of the backing vocal harmonies, and the way they seem to build on the Sonos speaker. The crashing gong sounds at the beginning of the chorus also appear to have additional presence in this mix that I wasn't aware of when listening to the original stereo version. This all adds up to the Dolby Atmos version of the song being added to my go-to demo tracks for spatial audio. 

5. A Day in The Life by The Beatles

The Dolby Atmos mix of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album by The Beatles is full of special effects that show just how ahead of their time the band was back in 1967 when the album was originally released. I've often found the original mix of the album a bit too chaotic for my tastes, but this Dolby Atmos remix version unpicks the multitracked layers to give each element its own space within the soundstage. 

With so many tracks on the album to showcase Dolby Atmos' capabilities with throwing sounds wide of the soundstage thanks to the likes of the cock-a-doodle-doing cockerel on "Good Morning, Good Morning", to the extra dimension given to the snaking synth sounds on "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." Even more spectacular, though, is "A Day In the Life." 

The way the Dolby Atmos version places the instruments in their own acoustic space within the soundstage is remarkable for a 55-year-old recording. The drum kit feels as though it's actually positioned behind the speaker in the soundstage, which is a really neat trick that gives this mix the impression of depth. If fact, the soundstage conjured up by the Sonos Era 300 here sounds closer to what I'd expect to hear on a traditional stereo music system, with two speakers placed several feet apart, than any single speaker setup I've heard so far.

6. The Immaculate Collection by Madonna 

Regarded as one of the best-selling compilation albums by a solo artist, Madonna's 1990s collection of songs on "The Immaculate Collection" remains one of the best-selling compilation albums of all time, with global sales exceeding 30 million. The original CD of greatest hits included tracks remixed in Q-Sound, an early version of spatial audio sound that enveloped the listener sat in the 'sweet spot' in front of a pair of stereo speakers.

I was a fan of the collection of songs, largely because of the immersive Q-Sound remixes on tracks including "Like a Prayer" and "Express Yourself", and this released Dolby Atmos remix version of some of Madonna's biggest hits throws out a wide soundstage that places me right at the heart of the music for every song.

Although much of Madonna's early 90s output have the better production, with drum beats appearing to come from somewhere outside of the speaker cabinet, it's early-era (mid-80s) Madonna songs that are the most effective Dolby Atmos remixes. Tracks like "Lucky Star" and "Boderline" have more prominent guitar and synth lines that seem to pop out of my Sonos Era 300 speaker, and the space around the vocal reverb makes it sound like Madonna is singing in a much larger auditorium than on the original mix of the track.

If you were ever a fan, then this Dolby Atmos remix version of one of the best compilation albums of the 1990s is pure nostalgic joy with a modern-day twist. This album is the perfect demonstration of how good spatial audio can sound.

How to hear spatial audio tracks

From Apple's AirPods Max headphones to the latest HomePod 2 smart home speaker, the idea of spatial audio seems to be finding its way into all kinds of products. Indeed, it's a fundamental part of the distinctive design behind the Sonos Era 300 smart speaker, which makes some spatial audio tracks sound so impressive they defy belief that they're coming from a relatively compact speaker design.

It is no surprise, then, that spatial audio music is taking off, and as Apple Insider points out, it's important to note that there's no fixed definition for the term spatial audio. 

When it comes down to it, Apple Music uses Dolby Atmos mixed tracks that it calls Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, while Tidal and Amazon Music Unlimited employ both Dolby Atmos and Sony's 360 Reality Audio formats in their Spatial Audio content libraries.

There are some issues with easily tracking down spatial audio version of songs. For Apple Music subscribers using iOS, though, this third-party music library tracker app automatically discovers which of the tracks and albums in your Apple Music library have a spatial audio version, all without having to carry out lengthy searches of your favorite artist's back catalog.

I've found it particularly useful with getting to grips with spatial audio content in my own library, rather than relying on Apple Music's playlist of Spatial Audio tracks, it has made streaming tracks to my Sonos Era 300 smart speaker far more straight forward.

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With the AirPods Pro 2 launching in 2022, it was only a matter of time before Nothing launched its next-gen ANC model with a feature set that rivals the most popular and best wireless earbuds in the world. 

We pitched the original AirPods Pro against the Nothing Ear (1) when they launched in 2021, and now it's time to update the conversation. 

With a similar drop stem design that looks a lot the AirPods Pro and a similar generational shift to personalized sound and active noise-cancelation features, the Nothing Ear (2) significantly undercut the main competition by $100. 

This comparison breaks down both models to help you choose the right noise-canceling model for your budget. Read on to discover the best wireless ANC earbuds for you in our Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2 analysis.

Nothing Ear (2) vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Specs compared

Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2: Price and availability

The pricing matches the company's recently announced price increase for the Ear (1), which saw it jump by 50% to $149. Still, that puts the Nothing Ear (2) firmly within budget noise-canceling earbud territory compared to its closest personalised sound ANC rivals, and makes it $100 cheaper than the Apple AirPods Pro 2. 

The Nothing Ear (2) ANC earbuds are on sale now priced at $149 / £129 / AU$219 directly from the Nothing store. They are also available at the Nothing Store Soho, London, and select Kith stores around the world. 

Apple's AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) ANC earbuds are on sale priced at $249 / £249 / AU$399, which is the same amount the original AirPods Pro launched at in 2019. They are available from the Apple Store at the full asking price, but they can also be found regularly discounted at online retailers.

Winner: Nothing Ear (2)

• Bookmark our best headphone deals page for all the latest bargains

Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2: Design and fit

Most tech-savvy people will recognize Apple's AirPods from anywhere, and there's not much about the AirPods Pro 2 design that has changed from the original, or that hasn’t already been discussed. 

Likewise, the Nothing Ear (2) have a remarkably similar design to the first generation Ear (1). As with the original, there’s plenty of an attention to detail on the Ear (2) that you just don’t see on many earbuds, from the tiny printed lettering on each stem to the clearly visible touch sensors and three microphones in each earpiece.

Comfort levels were high during my testing, and I barely noticed the Ear (2) inserted into my ears during my listening sessions. The pre-fitted mid-size eartips worked well for my ears, and the Ear Tip Fit Test confirmed that they were indeed the correct size and achieved a good seal in my ears. 

The slightly oval shape helped to make them feel surprisingly secure during my gym workouts, too, although it's important to point out that as with all earbuds, the fit of the Ear (2) may be more secure for some wearers than others.

The earbuds have been upgraded from the IPX4 rating of the original to IP54 that makes them better protected from dust and resistant to sweat and moisture to the same level as the AirPods Pro 2. 

Apple changed very little with regard to the AirPods Pro 2’s earbud design but its flagship earbuds do now come with skin-detect sensors. Everything else is remarkably similar to the original, from the all-plastic frame to the angled sound port that easily slides into the canal. Further testing showed us the AirPods Pro 2 are a more practical alternative for running than the first-gen model, with the new tip kit providing a tighter grip. The Ear Tip Fit Test helps achieve optimal fit.     

Both the Apple and Nothing charging cases are compact and portable-friendly. The AirPods Pro 2’s case has built-in tracking, while the Nothing ear (case) is smaller than the original and has a strong build quality. I like the presentation case styling with a clear lid that shows off the Ear (2) earbuds, and it has a more sophisticated look than the AirPods Pro 2 charging case. The Nothing Ear (case) is rated to IP55 dust and water resistance, and in this case makes the charging case better protected than the AirPods Pro 2 case enjoys.

Winner: Tie

Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2: Controls

I found Nothing's touch controls to be more responsive than the AirPods Pro 2 when it came to registering tap and swipe gestures, and you get good sence of tactile feedback. A single press input gives play/pause, answer/hang up calls, while a double press enables skip forward or reject calls and a triple press works as a skip back. Pressing and holding on either the left or right earbud switches between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode, while volume adjustment and manual voice assistant activation on your playback device can be assigned to either earbud via a double push-and-hold command.

Apple added touch volume controls to the Force Sensor, which operate flawlessly on the AirPods Pro 2, using slide gestures to seamlessly adjust volume instead of pressing the sensors. You can still activate commands through single, multi-, and long-press gestures, which execute commands with precision. Motion detection is available to initiate auto-pause when taking out one bud. “Hey Siri” wake word functionality completes the package to enjoy excellent hands-free digital assistance.

Winner: Tie

Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2: Sound quality

The Nothing Ear (2) introduces a personalized sound profile and fully customizable EQ rather the presets of the Ear (1). Each earpiece is fitted with an 11.6mm dynamic driver that has been tuned by Nothing to give a balanced and rewarding sound across the frequency range right from the off. 

Sound quality is great even without any EQ tinkering, with a rich and powerful bass line and open and natural sounding vocals. It's not all good news though, and the slightly hard tuning makes treble frequencies sound harsh with all kinds of content, and can serve to highlight codec deficiencies with digital artefacts/nastiness under certain conditions. There's also no spatial audio support.

The AirPods Pro 2 have adaptive EQ, new drivers and custom amplifiers for richer, energetic sound. You can still tweak audio performance by switching between numerous EQ presets in iOS. Lastly, you get Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic headtracking. This updated version scans your ears and head to create a personalized sound profile that enhances 3D effects when listening to Dolby Atmos-supported content. 

The overall sound balance is one of total balance across the frequency range, giving tracks the punch and delicacy they deserve in equal measure. The AirPods Pro 2 may max out at 320kbps using the AAC codec, but it always sounds smooth and is a master at disguising any digital artefacts caused by low data transmissions of audio signals over Bluetooth.

Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2

Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2: Active noise cancelation

Apple claims that active noise canceling for the AirPods Pro 2 has been significantly improved, and can “reduce up to two times more unwanted background noise.” That's difficult to accurately assess, but subjectively the ANC feels improved and is very effective. Outdoor listening was peaceful, as the buds tamed low- and mid-frequency noises. Plus, they reduce high-frequency noises and wind presence better than their predecessor; the soundstage won’t be affected as much by whisking effects or blaring noises. Adaptive Transparency is another new feature introduced on the AirPods Pro 2 that greatly increases awareness of surroundings.

Nothing has upped its game with ANC capabilities and has introduced Personalized and Ambient Adaptive ANC, as well as a Transparency mode. Noise canceling isn't nearly as effective as Apple's AirPods Pro 2, and their ANC performance won't rival the best noise-canceling earbuds, but it was welcome all the same at reducing the sound of trains or talkative colleagues in the Tom's Guide office.

The number of levels has increased from two on the Ear (1) to three levels on the Ear (2), with High, Mid, and Low, plus Adaptive. During my testing I had them mostly set to High or Adaptive. The repositioned mics make picking up speech easier in Transparency mode without inadvertently boosting other sounds. They were also pleasantly untroubled by wind noise when stood on a blowy train station platform.

Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2: Special features and app

The Nothing X app is a vital download for Ear (2) users, providing access to touch control customization, Noise Control, Ear Tip Fit Test, Find My Earbuds (within range), Personal Sound Profile, Dual Connection, and Firmware Updates.

Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair are also on board, and you get on-ear detection, which works flawlessly. Music is paused almost instantly upon removing an earbud, and resumes quickly once it’s back in place.

The AirPods Pro 2 have an even longer list of features, incluidng ANC, adaptive EQ, announced messages with Siri, audio share, automatic switching, control customization, Ear Tip Fit Test, EQ, Find My support, “Hey Siri” voice activation, Live Listen, Personalized Spatial Audio, and Transparency mode.   

The AirPods Pro 2’s charging case sends out a tone through the speaker that indicates charging statuses, low battery, pairing or to help locate the case when misplaced, which is tracked through the Find My app. These buds operate on Bluetooth 5.3 for faster, high-bandwidth connectivity when paired to iOS/macOS devices and can achieve up to 45 feet of wireless range. Not to mention they operate on the new H2 chip. Overall? Control via iOS is flawless.

Winner: Tie

Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2: Call quality

Calls using the Nothing Ear (2) were strong, with both ends of the calls sounding clear and intelligible. Background noise was kept to a minimum and, once again, wind noise on calls made outside barely put in an appearance.  

The Bluetooth 5.3 connection was robust throughout, and I could wander to different parts of my home without suffering dropouts.

Most calls made on the AirPods Pro 2 sounded a little muffled compared to those taken on my iPhone speakerphone. The H2 chip does help eliminate some background noise through audio processing. Headtracking support for FaceTime calls makes conferencing chats feel more in-person when speaking in quiet settings.

Winner: Tie

Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2: Battery life

Nothing says it has extended battery life of Ear (2) by using a chip that optimizes overall power consumption. With ANC on, though, the battery life remains the same as the original earbuds at a mere 4 hours, which is lower than the AirPods Pro 2. The charging case pushes things closer to the industry average, with playback up to 22.5 hours with ANC or 36 hours without.

A 10-minute fast charge claims to give up to 8 hours of use with ANC off.

The AirPods Pro 2 upped their playtime to 6 hours with ANC on and 7 hours with ANC off, and when using spatial audio they last around 5.5 hours. A 5-minute quick charge gets you 1 hour of use, and the MagSafe charging case gives up to 34 hours.

Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2 

Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2: Verdict

The personalization features of the Nothing Ear (2) score big for this next-gen model, but the battery life still feels short compared to rivals at the price. While I was very impressed by the slick app, personal sound profile, and the overall sound balance of the Ear (2), the lack of refinement on some audio elements was disappointing. 

Despite giving Apple's AirPods Pro 2 a very good run for the money in some areas, it's the mediocre noise cancelation performance that ultimately scores against them here. There's no doubt, though, that the Nothing Ear (2) are a remarkable set of earbuds worthy of consideration if you can overlook that fact that you're not getting the ultimate performance in some areas.    

• Buy the Nothing Ear (2) for $149 at the Nothing Store

The AirPods Pro 2 are the better noise-canceling model overall and have a more balanced sound. The increases in playtime are greatly appreciated, and while the H2 processor makes the AirPods Pro 2 more futureproof, the Personalized Spatial Audio takes immersive listening to the next level. All these benefits place the AirPods Pro 2 at the top of Apple’s true wireless pyramid, and for that reason are the noise-canceling earbuds to beat.

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• AirPods Pro 2 vs. Beats Fit Pro, which Apple ANC earbuds are best?
• AirPods Pro 2 charging case could be next to ditch Lightning port
• 5 reasons why Apple's AirPods Pro are the ones to beat     

The Sonos Era 300 is now available for sale, and this speaker has a lot going for it. As you'll see in our Sonos Era 300 review, it has a unique hourglass-shaped design, two woofers and four tweeters, and is just the third of Sonos' products that can play Dolby Atmos spatial audio. It also works with Alexa, and can be plugged into your turntable. It also sounds incredible.

Overall, the Sonos Era 300 is one of the best smart speakers yet. But, before you go and spend $449 on one, we put together this list of reasons you would want to buy it, and reasons why you might want to skip it in favor of another speaker.

Reasons to buy Sonos Era 300

You want the best-sounding smart speaker

For its size, the Sonos Era 300 delivers the best audio we've heard from a smart speaker. Its two woofers and four tweeters pumped out incredibly precise and booming bass, and it really highlighted the separation between instruments and voices in the spatial audio tracks we played.

Coming in a close second is the Apple HomePod 2, which is a bit smaller, but also delivers excellent audio — and is also capable of playing spatial audio tracks. 

You have an Android smartphone, or just aren't a big Apple fan

As mentioned, the Apple HomePod 2 comes in a close second to the Era 300 in terms of sound, and it costs $150 less. That's a pretty good bargain. However, not everyone wants to be constrained to Apple's ecosystem — to use the HomePod 2, you'll probably want to use an iPhone as well as Apple Music. While you can use an Android phone and other music services with the HomePod 2, everything is far more seamless if you've got Apple gear.

The Sonos Era 300 is platform-agnostic, so you can use an iPhone or an Android device, and connect dozens of music services, too.

You have — or want — a turntable

One underrated feature of the Era 300 is its USB-C port. Sonos is selling a line-in adapter, so that you can plug a turntable directly into the Era 300 — there's no separate amplifier needed. It's a feature not available on very many smart speakers; the Sonos Era 100 and the much older Amazon Studio are two of the few exceptions. 

Reasons to skip Sonos Era 300

You only stream music from Spotify

The biggest reason to get the Sonos Era 300 is that it can play Dolby Atmos-enabled audio tracks. Also known as spatial audio, these music files are configured so that sound not only appears to be coming from the left and right, but above you, too. When done right, it's a pretty incredible effect. (It's also used in movies — think of a plane flying overhead.)

However, at the moment, the Era 300 can only stream Dolby Atmos tracks from Amazon Music Unlimited and Apple Music. And, unfortunately, Spotify doesn't support Dolby Atmos, so this feature would go unused. 

You're trying to save money for home entertainment

If you want to use the Sonos Era 300 as part of your TV system, you'll need to pair it with a Sonos soundbar if you want to take advantage of its ability to play spatial audio tracks. So, you'd need to add the Sonos Arc ($899) or the Sonos Ray ($279) to the $449 Era 300.

And, if you want full surround sound, you'll need a second Era 300. That money starts to pile up fast. Best to head on over to our best Dolby Atmos soundbars page, or — provided you're cool with Apple — pick up two HomePod 2's and an Apple TV 4K, which will run you a total of $779. 

You prefer Google Assistant or Siri to Alexa

Part of what makes the Sonos Era 300 a smart speaker is that it can be connected to a voice assistant. In this case, the Era 300 has Amazon's Alexa built in; with it, you can control your smart lights, smart thermostat, set timers, play games, and much more. (The Era 300 also has Sonos' own smart assistant, but it's limited to music requests only).

However, if you're not a fan of Amazon's assistant, you're better off with almost-as-equally capable Siri in the HomePod 2; when it comes to controlling smart home devices, Apple's HomeKit doesn't support as many products, but you can do a lot with those that it does. 

Google Assistant users are left out in the cold; while the older Sonos One works with either Alexa or Google Assistant, the newer Era 300 and Era 100 do not. 

More from Tom's Guide

• Sonos Era 100 vs. Apple HomePod 2
• Best smart speakers right now
• Sonos Era 300 vs. Sonos Era 100: What's the difference?

Thinking about buying a Sonos product? Our Sonos promo codes can help you save big. Jump into the world of top-quality sound with Sonos and enjoy incredible audio without breaking the bank.

How deep do you want to get into your music? Do you want it to wrap you like a warm blanket, enveloping your body in sound? Do you want it to sound like your favorite artist is playing right in front of you?

The Era 300 is only the second of Sonos’ products that supports Dolby Atmos, a technology that enables speakers to produce sound as if audio was coming at you from left, right, and above. It helps to create a more immersive environment when listening to music, and allows artists to record their music in such a way that it seems like you’re in the room with them. 

On top of that, the Era 300 has everything else that Sonos’ smart speakers are already known for: the ability to stream music from dozens of streaming services; the ability to connect to other Sonos speakers for whole-home audio; and built-in support for Alexa. Now, in addition to spatial audio, the Era 300 also boasts Bluetooth and the option to serve as a speaker for your turntable. 

For this Sonos Era 300 review, I played dozens of tracks to see how it would fare against some of the best smart speakers on the market today. Read on to see if the Era 300 is right for your home.

Sonos Era 300 review: Price and availability

The Sonos Era 300 will cost $449 / £449 / AU$749 goes on sale on March 28 through the Sonos website, and is available in black or white. 

The Era 300 sits between the new Sonos Era 100 smart speaker ($249) and the continuing flagship Sonos Five ($549) premium speaker.

Sonos is also offering discounts if you purchase more than one Era 300; a pair will cost you $853, a savings of $45. Two Era 300s and a Sonos Arc soundbar cost $1,717, which saves you $80 off the price of purchasing them separately. And, if you want to go nuts, two Era 300s, an Arc, and a Sonos Sub cost $2,471, which is $125 less than their individual price. Not a huge savings, but it’s something.

Sonos Era 300 review: Design

The Era 300’s hourglass shape certainly sets it apart from other speakers, but the design is more than just aesthetics. It allows its six speakers (two woofers and four tweeters) to deliver the most effective audio in a room. One tweeter is directed forward, one towards the ceiling for spatial audio, and the remaining two are angled left and right to support stereo playback. The two woofers are also angled to the left and right.

On the top of the Era 300 are several touch-sensitive controls: A play/pause button is flanked by buttons to advance and go back. Just above these is a small groove that lets you raise and lower the volume simply by sliding your finger; it’s wonderfully intuitive. I prefer this setup (and the similar controls on the Era 300) to the older Sonos One and the Apple HomePod 2, which require you to double- or triple tap to change tracks. It’s a lot easier to understand, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the speaker’s controls. Also on the top is a button that activates the Era 300’s voice assistant.

Around the back of the Era 300 is its plug for power, a button to activate Bluetooth pairing, and a switch to turn the Era 300’s microphones off — for those times you don’t want Alexa to listen to you. It’s something I wish Apple had added to its HomePod 2.

Also on the back is a USB-C port, to which you can connect an adapter for Ethernet or a 3.5mm line-in. A combo Adapter providing Ethernet and 3.5mm line-in connectivity costs $39.99, while a USB-C Line-In Adapter costs $19.99. 

Measuring 6.3 x 10.2 x 7.3 inches, and weighing 9.9 pounds, the Era 300 is relatively compact — it’s a little bit smaller than a standard bookshelf speaker. However, because of its design, the Era 300 has to be placed horizontally. Two small screw holes in the bottom of the speaker allow you to attach it to a stand. 

Sonos Era 300 review: Sound quality

I’ve used a Sonos One for years as my main speaker when playing music, and I was never disappointed in it until I heard the Sonos Era 300. While the Sonos One — and its successor, the Sonos Era 100 — are both excellent speakers, the Sonos Era 300 really elevates tracks above them. It should be no surprise, as the Era 300 has twice as many speakers as the Era 100. 

For the most part, I played Dolby Atmos tracks on the Era 300 to test its spatial audio capabilities. At launch, you’ll be able to play Dolby Atmos songs through Amazon Music Unlimited ($11.99/month) and Apple Music ($10.99/month); the latter is being added as of March 28. Hopefully, Sonos will soon add support for more music services such as Spotify. 

You can find spatial audio tracks in both the Apple Music and Amazon Music apps, but not without some doing. Within the Sonos app, you have to search for “Spatial Audio” and select “Playlists” to get curated lists of music by genre in Apple Music. Via Amazon Music, select Songs, Albums, or Artists to get the widest selection.

Luckily, if you're an Apple Music subscriber, there's now a way to automatically find out which of the tracks and albums in your music library are also available in spatial audio without having to carry out lengthy searches of your favorite artist's back catalog. It costs $3.99 / £3.99 via the iOS app store — but if you don't want to pay, you can follow the developer's Twitter account to keep track of new spatial audio releases.

The difference between a Dolby Atmos-enabled song and one that lacks spatial audio can be really staggering. For instance, Rihanna’s vocals in “Lift Me Up” were clear and present in the middle of the room, while it seemed like the instruments were off to one side or the other. Bass on this track was exceptionally clear, too, filling my living room without muddying anything. A non Dolby Atmos version of the same song still sounded great, but it felt a lot flatter. 

For kicks, I also played the same track on two Apple HomePod 2 speakers set up as a stereo pair, and found nearly similar results; it was even a bit more immersive, owing to the fact that I was using two separate speakers. However, it took the combined power of two HomePods to rival one Sonos Era 300.

When I played the Atmos-enabled “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John on the Era 300, the bass line was more driving, and had a new urgency to it that I hadn’t heard before. Elton’s voice was more forward on the HomePod 2, but there was less of the urgency in the bass.

I played a few spatial audio tracks recommended by Sonos, including a 2019 mix of “Come Together” by the Beatles. Ringo’s drums really stood out - I could feel the space between the separate pieces of his drum kit. I also played the same track on a pair of HomePod 2’s - there was similar separation between the drums, but John Lennon’s voice sounded like it was coming through a metal tube. 

M.I.A’s “Marigold” really takes advantage of spatial audio; the chorus and echos really seemed to float around my living room like an ethereal spirit. I hope more music is mixed like this in the future. 

In general, I found the Era 300 to produce a more precise sound than the HomePod 2, but the latter tended to be warmer. Etta James’ voice on her classic “At Last” was crisp and clear on the Sonos speaker, but there was a softness on the HomePod that lent it a bit more warmth. 

One neat trick with the Era 300 is that you can adjust the height level of the spatial audio to give a more immersive effect to the music. However, even with the height level set to 10, I didn’t notice much of a difference. 

Sonos Era 300 review: Features

If you want to skip Ethernet, the Sonos Era 300 comes equipped with Wi-Fi 6, Airplay 2, and finally, Bluetooth, which will make it easier for your guests to stream music from their phones to your speaker. I also like that the Era 300 has Wi-Fi 6, so that it’s future-proofed to some extent. The recently released Apple HomePod 2, for instance, still uses Wi-Fi 5.

The Era 300 can be configured to work as a smart speaker if you connect it to Alexa; the older Sonos One also works with Google Assistant, but that’s not available on Sonos’ newest generation of smart speakers, most likely due to the ongoing patent litigation between the two companies. You can also use Sonos’ own smart assistant, Sonos Voice Control, though this only allows you to control music playback. 

I like that you can plug the Era 300 directly into a turntable (albeit with an adapter). Because the Era 300 has Bluetooth, you can technically connect it to your TV and use it as the audio-out, but you won’t be able to take advantage of its spatial audio capabilities unless you first connect it to a Sonos soundbar for a truly impressive (and expensive) home theater. While Apple locks you into its ecosystem, I like that, with the HomePod 2, you can use it as the audio output for an Apple TV device. 

Sonos Era 300 review: Verdict

The main objective of any music artist is to have their song travel from their mouth into a microphone, into a recording device, on to some sort of storage medium, into some machine to play it back, and into a speaker so that what you hear is as close to possible as them playing it live in front of you. The Sonos Era 300 gets you a few steps closer to the real thing. Because of Sonos’ pedigree, it’s one of the most versatile smart speakers around, even if it doesn’t have the ability to work with Google Assistant. 

Most casual listeners who want a smart speaker will probably be satisfied with the Sonos Era 100; it also sounds great, and takes up less than half the size of the Era 300. However, the Era 300 is a good entry point for those who want spatial audio but want something more compact and less expensive than Sonos’ Arc soundbar. 

But, there’s my main quibble with the Era 300 — you can’t take advantage of its spatial audio capabilities when watching movies, as you can with the HomePod 2. But if your primary aim is listening to music, then the Era 300 will make your music sing.

More from Tom's Guide

• Sonos Era 100 vs. Sonos One
• Sonos Era 300 sounds great but the Sonos Five is better, here's why
• Sonos Era 300 vs. Sonos Era 100

Sonos has unveiled two new speakers as part of its next generation Era series. Two models make up the new series: the Era 100 and Era 300. They officially go on sale on March 28. 

The Sonos Era 100 is the direct replacement for the Sonos One smart speaker. The company is planning to phase out both the Sonos One and the Sonos One SL, but will continue to sell both models while supplies last. A company spokesperson confirmed that Sonos will continue to offer support for the Sonos One well into the future.

The Sonos Era 300 looks like no other speaker and is a brand new design to the Sonos range. It's the first Sonos speaker model to be purposefully designed for spatial audio music content, and can support Dolby Atmos soundtracks when used as the rear surround speakers in a Sonos home theater setup.

The feature-set for both models looks to rival some of the best smart speakers out there, including the new Apple HomePod 2, and both models are destined to become essential speaker components in many next-generation Sonos setups. 

In this Sonos Era 100 vs. Sonos Era 300 comparison, I'll take a look at both speakers side-by-side to hep you decide which is the best Sonos Era model you.

Sonos Era 100 vs. Sonos Era 300: Price and availability

The Sonos Era 100 will cost $249 / £249 / AU$399 when it goes on sale on March 28. By comparison, the Sonos One is $219, while the Sonos One SL (which doesn't have smart speaker capabilities) is $199.

The Sonos Era 300 is set to cost $449 / £449 / AU$749 when it also goes on sale on March 28. By comparison, the Era 300 sits directly below the continuing flagship Sonos Five ($549) premium speaker. 

Both Era speakers are available to preorder today (March 7) through the Sonos website in black or white color options.

Sonos Era 100 vs. Sonos Era 300: Design

The Era 100 doesn't look too dissimilar to the outgoing Sonos One, but has a slightly more rounded design and is a little larger. The Era 100 measures 7.2 x 4.7 x 5.1 inches, and weighs 4.4 pounds (around 2kg). 

The new models introduce new touch controls, and the small groove running through the middle lets you slide your finger to increase or decrease the volume. You can also tap on either side to achieve the same effect. Towards the front of the top of the Era 100 are buttons for play/pause, reverse, and forward.

The design of the Sonos Era 300 is the more interesting form factor of the new Era series. The hourglass shape is for acoustical purposes, and allows sounds from the multiple speakers to radiate freely; this results in a speaker cabinet that has an elegant waistline. The unusual cabinet shape has been developed to make the most of spatial audio music content as well as to unlock a 7.1.4 sound experience when partnered with a Sonos Arc soundbar playing Dolby Atmos content in a home theater setup.

Sonos Era 100 vs. Sonos Era 300: Audio capabilities

Internally, the Era 100 is equipped with two tweeters angled left and right, and it has a 25 percent larger woofer driver than what's fitted to the Sonos One. This new driver arrangement enables stereo sound from a single speaker unit said to achieve 270 degrees of dispersion — although you can pair two Era 100s together for an even greater stereo soundstage — while the larger woofer driver aims to improve bass performance.

Meanwhile, the Era 300 has six custom speakers to create a 5.1 sound experience from a single speaker unit. The four midrange/tweeters take care of the directional musical elements, while two woofers maximize low-end output and are angled left and right to support stereo playback. Bass output is aided by directional horn, and the upward-firing tweeter reflects sound off the ceiling when playing Dolby Atmos content.

Trueplay and adjustable EQ are available on both Era models and the functionality is now compatible with both iOS and Android devices. With an Android device, Trueplay uses microphones built into the Era 100 speaker. Users with an iOS device can also use this method (referred to as Quick Tuning in the Sonos app) or the traditional method (referred to as Advanced Tuning) which uses the microphones in your iPhone or iPad and requires you to move around the room.

Sonos Era 100 vs. Sonos Era 300: Connectivity and smart home features

Both Era speakers support Wi-Fi 6 and are Bluetooth compatible. They also work with AirPlay 2 on Apple devices using iOS 11.4 and higher. Instead of an Ethernet port, though, the Eras have a USB-C port on the back. Sonos will sell adapters that can provide an Ethernet connection and line-in to make it compatible with line-level turntables. A Combo Adapter providing Ethernet and 3.5mm line-in connectivity costs $39.99, while a USB-C Line-In Adapter costs $19.99. 

AI support runs to Alexa and Sonos Voice control. At the time of writing, there's no support for Google Assistant, but this may be added at a later date via a firmware update. Users can disconnect the microphone on both models via a switch on the back.

Sonos Era 100 vs. Sonos Era 300: Which model is right for you?

To find out more our reviews of the Sonos Era 100 and Sonos Era 300 are now live.

If you're already a Sonos One owner (one of the best smart speakers), there's probably no need to upgrade to the Era 100 just yet; although I'm sure it would make a great addition if you're looking to expand an existing Sonos ecosystem.

The Sonos Era 300 is in another league altogether, though, and majors on the potential for a more immersive audio experience through spatial audio music content and Dolby Atmos.

And don't forget that Sonos has an upgrade program, which as of Monday, March 27, was offering up to 30% off new models if you trade in.

More from Tom's Guide

• The best smart speakers to buy right now
• Discover how Sonos works
• 5 ways to make your Sonos speaker sound even better 

In this scenario, we’re comparing two of Apple's most popular ANC models: the Beats Studio Buds and Apple AirPods Pro 2. Although the Beats are the more affordable ANC model, they incorporate many of the great features of Apple’s cohesive ecosystem, and both are considered some of the best wireless earbuds available.

The Studio Buds are a stellar offering from the iconic headphone brand that welcomes active noise cancellation, refined sound, and multiplatform support to operate the buds seamlessly on iOS and Android devices. Meanwhile, the AirPods Pro 2 bring significant upgrades to the popular original to take performance to the next level.

Which come out the winner? Keep reading our Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro analysis to find out.

Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Specs compared

Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Price and availability

The Beats Studio Buds are listed at $149 but can often be found discounted for less. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 have a higher MSRP at $249, and can also be found discounted at online retailers. 

Given their neutral-platform performance and larger spec sheet, the Studio Buds offer more bang for the buck, though the AirPods Pro 2 are a solid pick for iOS users that want reliable buds. 

In terms of MSRP, this is a win for the Beats earbuds, although clearly the AirPods Pro 2 can regularly be found discounted for less, and so far we have seen them go as low as $199.

Bookmark our best AirPods deals and best headphones deals pages to stay up to date with the latest wireless earbuds sales.

Winner: Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Design

Beats went in a different creative direction when assembling the Studio Buds. Out goes the popular ear hook design associated with models like the four-star rated Powerbeats 4, and in comes a traditional in-ear design that allows the buds to rest more discretely on the ear. 

Build-wise, the buds are constructed from sturdy plastic and can sustain scratches and hard spills to the concrete. An IPX4 rating also gives these buds sweat and water resistance. Specific details like the slim, long-strip multifunctional button and signature "B" logo are nice touches. Beats sells the product in three colors: black, white, and Beats red. Our only complaint is that the magnetic system that keeps the lid shut could be stronger. 

As tiring as the AirPods design looks, Apple still finds ways to improve it, even if the changes are small. The AirPods Pro 2 resembles the previous version, donning the same plastic frame and details (e.g., aluminum accents, black vents). These buds also come with skin-detect sensors and are IPX4-rated for water resistance and sweat protection, which is now reflected on the MagSafe charging case. 

Another addition to the case is the built-in speaker that sends out a tone to inform users of charging statuses, low battery, pairing or to find the case when misplaced via the Precision Finding feature.

Winner: Tie 

Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Comfort and fit

Even without an ear hook design, the Studio Buds reward users with moderate comfort and fit. The new ergonomically tilted acoustic nozzle allows for simple insertion into the ear and the tips create a decent seal to keep the buds locked in. It’s also thoughtful that Beats added laser-cut micro-vents to relieve pressure build-up using ANC. Wearing the buds will become fatiguing after an hour of use because of the sound port applying unwanted pressure to the concha.

The AirPods pro 2 are more comfortable, and continue to use the soft silicon tips of its predecessor. The silicon tips gently conform to the ear canal rather than force it to open wider for the hard plastic casing. In practice that means you can wear the earbuds a lot longer without having to take them out — allowing for all-day wear without issues.

Comfort and fit go to the AirPods Pro 2. Apple’s Ear Tip Fit Test and new tips establish a secure fit to wear the buds for long stretches without any slippage.

Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2

Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Controls

We prefer the Studio Buds from a functional standpoint since they have more on-board controls that can be enabled through multi-tap and long-press gestures. They also have Google Assistant and Siri voice activation. The buttons' excellent haptics ensure commands are being met and the buds immediately fire up Apple or Google’s AI bot when speaking out their respective action phrases: “Hey Siri” or “Hey Google.” Verbal inquiries are registered quickly and responded to even quicker. On-ear detection is also spot-on to automatically pause music when removing the buds.

Apple builds on its phenomenal control scheme by integrating touch volume controls into the AirPods Pro 2’s force sensors. Slide gestures are used to increase/decrease volume effortlessly, while single/double/triple and long-hold presses execute functions on demand. The skin-detect sensors are highly responsive for enabling auto-pause when taking off the buds. “Hey Siri” voice activation steals the show, firing up instantly when saying the wake word phrase and responding accurately to voice commands. If only Apple allowed the digital assistant function to work on non-iOS/macOS devices.

Winner: Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Sound quality

The Beats Studio Buds sound great, but the AirPods Pro 2 sound better. Beats has engineered its sound profile differently than its predecessors, opting for a less boomy presence and refining the frequencies for a more balanced listening experience. And we’re digging it.   

Even though bass has been toned down, it is still impactful enough to get your head-nodding and toes-tapping when listening to bouncy tracks. However, it’s the pleasant mix of mids and detailed highs that showcase the buds’ superb reproduction. Instruments sound more intimate, especially on orchestral tracks, while vocals are crisp and striking on acoustic recordings. 

Spatial audio, at least in Apple Music, works well too. It’s also great that the Studio Buds allows for sound customization through the iOS equalizer or Spotify settings. Headphone Accommodations is available too, a feature that tailors sound to your hearing.

When it comes to sound quality, Apple upped its game with the AirPods Pro 2 and a new low-distortion driver and custom amplifier were developed for richer bass and clearer frequency response. And it pays off. It also introduced Personalized Spatial Audio, giving sound a more immersive feel when indulging in Dolby Atmos-supported content. The iPhone’s TrueDepth camera scans your head and ears, while iOS creates a 3D sound profile for you that places effects and vocals accurately on songs and movies, something it does very well. 

There are other cool audio features hidden in iOS like Headphone Accommodations to tune audio balance/range/brightness and Headphone Audio Customization for tailoring audio to your hearing.

Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2

Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Active noise cancellation

Active noise cancellation makes the Beats Studio Buds an attractive option at the price, and is a big win. Beats' ANC tech is serviceable for eliminating common distractions like loud televisions, rowdy commuters, and construction sites from about a block away. High-frequency sounds like baby cries and police sirens are unavoidable. There is a transparency mode to increase your situational awareness; it comes in handy for avoiding accidents and eavesdropping on conversations.   

Apple claims it engineered the AirPods Pro 2 to deliver twice as much ANC as the original. Although this is difficult to evaluate, it was highly effective and handles high frequencies better than its predecessor. Where these buds see a major improvement is in ambient listening. The new Adaptive Transparency feature keeps listeners aware of their surroundings and reduces harsh environmental noise at the same time. If you’re not fond of this, Apple has other modes you can try, such as Conversation Boost to emphasize vocals during chats and Live Listen, which transforms your iPhone into a live mic and picks up ambient noises that are sent to your AirPods.

Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2

Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Call quality

Issues with muffling and cutout don’t make the Beats Studio Buds ideal for calls. If you happen to be in a pinch and need to call someone while outside, the buds will suffice, and they do an OK job with diminishing

Call quality is an area where we were hoping to see some improvement on the Apple AirPods Pro 2, but we didn’t find much: calls sounded a bit muffled compared to a call on speakerphone. Unfortunately, that meant people still preferred us using the phone’s built-in speaker rather than the AirPods — and, after listening to a voicemail recorded with the AirPods — we don’t blame them.

Winner: Tie

Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Battery life

The Studio Buds only manage 5 hours of ANC playback. Quick charging is stronger at 1.5 hours on a 5-minute charge. The charging case holds up to 24 hours of battery life, but this equates to 15 hours when ANC is used. There's no wireless charging. 

A full charge gives the AirPods Pro 2 between 5.5 to 6 hours, depending how you use the buds, and the charging case can hold up to 30 hours when ANC is disabled — although we landed a little closer to 5 hours per charge and 26 hours with the case. Quick charge runs to 1 hour from a 5-minute charge, but they also support more MagSafe/Qi-enabled wireless charging and Apple Watch charging.

Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2

Beats Studio Buds vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2: Verdict

The winner: the AirPods Pro 2. Apple focused on improving its strengths such as ANC, controls, spatial audio and iOS integration. Adaptive Transparency is fantastic for amplifying ambient noise without ruining audio quality. Precision Finding makes finding a lost MagSafe charging case much simpler. The increase in battery life is appreciated. Personalized Spatial Audio completes the package for immersive 3D sound.

Beats created something special with the Studio Buds: a pair of wireless earbuds that operate equally well on Android and iOS devices. While not the bass-blasters you’re accustomed to hearing from Beats, this model is properly engineered to produce full-bodied sound. ANC won’t match that of the AirPods Pro, but it is fine for the price. 

More from Tom's Guide

• Find out how we test headphones and earbuds
• Best noise-cancelling earbuds
• Nothing Ear (2) vs. AirPods Pro 2 face-off, which ANC earbuds win? 

A great-sounding, low-cost 2.1 soundbar and subwoofer speaker package is all you need to bring a sonic boost to your TV setup, and Super Bowl 2023 is the perfect sporting event for showcasing your soundbar's full potential. 

The 5 models listed below are all budget soundbar and subwoofer packages with an MSRP under $349 — and right now several models are discounted further still. Each 2.1 speaker pack will make a big impression on your TV viewing; boosting movies and drama with plenty of powerful bass energy, and bringing sporting action to life better than your TV's built-in speakers. Everything you need is packaged in the box.  

All models have been thoroughly tested for their ability to deliver an engaging listening experience with medium-sized TV screens (between 40 and 55 inches), without bleeding your wallet dry. 

The bad news? Although they're packed with an impressive array of features and sound options, none of the models listed have Dolby Atmos support. Having said that, several of the models listed below have special sound virtualizer modes to create a pseudo surround effect, and are effective at creating an immersive atmosphere with live sports and stadium events — like, say, Super Bowl LVII.

So what are you waiting for? Read on for my pick of the best budget soundbar and subwoofer packages you can buy right now.  

What are the best cheap 2.1 soundbar and subwoofer packages for Super Bowl Sunday? 

1. Creative Stage V2

The Creative Stage V2 soundbar is incredible value for money, and ranks top in our best cheap soundbars. In addition to a sleek soundbar with a relative bounty of connectivity, including HDMI ARC and optical digital, the small outlay also gets you a dedicated subwoofer to help pump out impactful bass. OK, it may not be a wireless sub, but for this kind of money, you really can't grumble. 

Sound quality is very good overall, and can be tweaked to match what you're watching via the supplied remote. For instance, you can choose to boost the bass or treble at any time, and there are "Dialog" and "Surround" to try out as well. The latter doesn't provide digital surround sound per se, but does widen the soundstage for more exciting action scenes.

Read our full Creative Stage V2 review.

• Creative Stage 2: was $154 now $88 @ Walmart

2. Vizio V-Series 2.1 Home Theater Soundbar V21-H8

Vizio has a variety of soundbar and subwoofer bundles to choose from, but our continuing favorite is the V-Series 2.1 Home Theater Soundbar V21-H8. The speaker itself has a nondescript, minimalist design that blends nicely into any home theater setup. There are numerous inputs including HDMI input, optical digital audio, USB, and a standard 3.5mm auxiliary input. 

Bundled with the combo is a highly functional remote to enable playback, volume, and even DTS Virtual:X and DTS TruVolume, which help produce bigger and more encompassing sound. Staying in standard mode will also reward your ears with clear voices and rich mid frequencies.

Bass fanatics might enjoy the emphasized low end that comes out of the small subwoofer, but those with ultra-critical listening will notice the lack in precision and muddiness on certain songs and soundtracks.

Read our full Vizio V-Series 2.1 Home Theater Soundbar V21-H8 review.

• Vizio V-Series 2.1 Home Theater Soundbar V21-H8: now $119 @ Amazon  

3. TCL Alto 6 Plus

The Alto 6 Plus is cheaper than the Creative Stage V2 (top), and it also has its own dedicated subwoofer — only this one is wireless. It’s powerful, too, proving more than capable of filling out movie action scenes or music playback with deep, rumbling bass.

The downside is that this low-end isn’t as tightly controlled as it is on pricier soundbar/sub combos, and your options for adjusting the sound profile are relatively limited. But we were still impressed with how forceful the Alto 6 Plus sounded in our testing, and its simplicity means that home theater beginners might actually appreciate how easy it is to complete setup.

Read our full TCL Alto 6 Plus review.

• TCL Alto 6 Plus: was $129 now $112 @ Amazon

4. Yamaha YAS-209

Launched in 2019 and still going strong, the YAS-209 soundbars is aimed at delivering great features at an affordable price. This excellent package comes with a wireless subwoofer to boost low-end frequencies and Alexa integration onboard. The smart and versatile combo brings movie soundtracks to life with a rich and powerful sound, and has an impressively wide soundstage when 3D Surround mode is enabled. Movie dialog is easy to understand and has excellent depth and gravitas, and the Yamaha doubles as a great-sounding music system, too. 

We just wish there was more than one HDMI port on the back, but even so, the YAS-209 has a lot to like.

Read our full Yamaha YAS-209 review.

• Yamaha YAS-209 was $349 now $249 @ Amazon 

5. Polk MagniFi Mini

No soundbar packs huge audio into a tiny package quite like the Polk MagniFi Mini does. This unassuming speaker will fit seamlessly into any setup, and delivers crisp dialogue and deep bass with the help of its included wireless subwoofer. Plus, with Google Cast support, the MagniFi Mini doubles as a great home music speaker.

The MagniFi Mini gets loud enough to fill most bedrooms and small apartments, and we found it reliable for getting immersed in movies and TV shows. Factor in a handy remote and an easy setup process, and you've got the best soundbar out there for folks short on space. And at $300, it won't set you back much, either.

Read our full Polk MagniFi Mini review.

• Polk MagniFi Mini was $299 now $257 at Amazon

As you're probably buying one of these soundbars to boost your viewing experience with Super Bowl LVII, make sure to test and familiarize yourself with all the controls before the game starts. You really don't want to be messing with the settings mid-game. Once you're all dialed in, pour the drinks, grab some snacks, sit back and relax.   

Next: If money's no object, consider my favorite Dolby Atmos soundbar to make Super Bowl extra special.    

With Super Bowl 2023 just around the corner, it's time to start thinking about how to bring your living room to life so that you can experience all the atmosphere of the playoff as a new NFL champion is crowned. 

Making it feel like you're actually a part of the 73,000-strong mega event capacity crowd at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona while actually being sat in your favorite armchair at home, may sound like a costly endeavor, but it doesn't have to be. One of my favorite soundbars could be all you need to bring the event to life. 

Read on to discover how to make Super Bowl 2023 sound extra special.

First decide if your TV can handle the responsibility of Super Bowl Sunday

If you've already bought a new TV especially for the face-off, such as one of the discounted models in the best Super Bowl TV deals right now, or even if you're watching it on an older set, you'll probably already know that it's stacked with picture settings to make the onscreen images pop. That said, there are plenty of sound presets, too, and perhaps even some special sound virtualizer modes tailored for sports, and stadium events. 

These audio presets are always worth exploring to see if the set can produce the kind of expansive sound you're after from the TV's built-in speakers before shelling out on add-on speaker solutions. But as TV features differ considerably from model to model, you'll need to experiment with the settings to see if any are capable of achieving the immersive sound experience you're after.

As TV speakers have gotten smaller due to thinner and lighter screens, it can be tricky for the speaker drivers fitted inside to produce a balanced sound that'll carry all the impact of sporting events, or convey the power of half-time live music performance. In such a confined space, this restricts the size and amount of travel a speaker driver has available to push out the air to generate soundwaves with sufficient energy across the full range of frequencies.

As such, the market for add-on speaker systems has become something that we almost take for granted, and even the best TVs don't always match the sound quality produced by a decent soundbar. (There are, of course, some exceptions.)

If you decide that there's something to be gained by adding a soundbar speaker system to your setup, our best cheap soundbars roundup has plenty of low-cost speaker solutions to boost your TV sound for a small outlay. But if you want your sports games to sound as realistic as possible, then you're going to need to look for a speaker system a bit more powerful and immersive such as one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.

Sonos Beam soundbar: Perfect for Super Bowl LVII

There are plenty of great home theater speaker solutions at all kinds of price points in our best soundbars guide to consider. One that doesn't make me break out into a sweat when I see the price tag, though, is the Sonos Beam priced at $449 / $449 / AU$699. It's one of my favorites soundbars, and even better news is that this second generation model can currently be found discounted to $399 at Amazon, making the case for integrating it with a 55-inch (or smaller) Super Bowl TV screen even stronger. 

• The Sonos Beam soundbar is currently discounted to $399 at Amazon. 

As the multi-room speaker specialist's most affordable Dolby Atmos model, the second-gen Sonos Beam brings tweaked profiles, more audio formats, and HDMI eARC support into the mix. It features one central tweeter, three passive radiators and four elliptical mid-woofers, two of those forward-firing and the other two angled to either side to achieve a crisp central channel that emphasizes dialog clarity of the commentary throughout the game.  

Dolby Atmos and other home-theater sound formats grant you numerous ways to experience wide 3D sound in your living room, bringing an immersive scale of the stadium's crowd noise to life with an expansive soundstage that stretches right out in front of you. The second-gen Beam has an upgraded CPU to improve the soundbar's height and surround abilities, and in our Sonos Beam review it worked tremendously well.  

Trueplay tunes the sound to your space and optimal couch position, and brings even more value to this small speaker system. As with all other Sonos speakers, it's easily expandable with matching wireless surround speakers such as a pair of Sonos One speakers, and/or the Sonos Sub Mini subwoofer. 

Ultimately, whether you go for the TV's built-in speakers, decide to add on a Sonos Beam soundbar, or one of my alternative suggestions, it's a good idea to make sure you've got any speech or dialog clarity modes switched off. This will enable the speakers to deliver their most balanced and expansive sound without being overly focussed on dialog clarity. After all, it's the sound of the crowd from the stadium and immersive atmosphere of the game that you're most likely to be after, not hanging on to every word of the commentary.

Top tip: make sure to test everything out before the game starts and ahead of any guests arriving to watch the game with you. As someone who struggles not to jump in and make fine adjustments to the sound settings in the middle of family viewing, trust me when I say the last thing anyone wants while watching a major sporting event is you tweaking the settings to improve the immersive experience. Your fellow game watchers really won't appreciate it. Once you're all dialed in, pour the drinks, grab some snacks and sit back and relax.   

Next: Check out the 5 best TV sound upgrades I've tested. 

The Samsung HW-Q990B is the equivalent of the old home theater in a box packages. Buy one and right out of the box you have yourself an 11.1.4 surround sound system that is powerful and sleek while still being easy to set up and install. 

At $1,599 it’s one the most expensive soundbar that Samsung makes, however, it’s a few hundred dollars cheaper than the LG S95QR Dolby Atmos soundbar that also came out last year and can only deliver 9.1.5 channels of sound.

Despite being a fair bit better than the S95QR, there are some easy nitpicks with the Samsung HW-Q990B that prevent it from being perfect — there’s no on-board streaming apps which means you’ll need a source that’s capable of streaming Dolby Atmos audio if you want to hear it, and no graphical UI makes it difficult to tweak the settings.

While it was never something we experienced during our lengthy two-month-long testing period, other users have reported serious issues with the soundbar’s connectivity and claim that both the rear speakers and subwoofer periodically disconnect. We aren’t going to count those complaints about the soundbar without knowing how widespread the issue is, but we do feel like it’s worth mentioning here in case you’re worried about it happening to you.

Samsung HW-Q990B review: Price and release date

The Samsung HW-Q990B is Samsung’s flagship 2022 soundbar. It will be replaced in 2023 with a newer model (the Samsung HW-Q990C) but for now it’s the top ‘bar from Samsung you can buy. 

In terms of price, the Samsung HW-Q990B costs $1,599 / £1,299 / AU$1,999 depending on which region you live in. For a multi-channel soundbar like this, that’s par for the course, but it is significantly more expensive than, say, the Sonos Arc or Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 that each cost under $1,000. 

Samsung HW-Q990B review: Design

So what’s the reason the Samsung HW-Q990B is so pricey? Well, not only does it come with a solid central ‘bar that’s 48.5 inches across, but it comes with two beefy satellite speakers and a 25.8 pound subwoofer. Given their size and weight, the soundbar fits best under a 55- or 65-inch screen while the sub is best suited for the floor wherever you can find the space.

In terms of design, the HW-Q990B comes in all black with a plastic grille covering the front of the soundbar. The grille is designed in such a way that you can see the soundbar’s 22(!) drivers, which look pretty neat. It’s not just good-looking, however. Because the soundbar comes with wireless satellite speakers and a subwoofer, you’re able to be pretty flexible in your placement. Though, just be warned, place the satellite speakers too far away, and you might not get the best surround sound performance.

Flip it over and you’ll find all the inputs and outputs. What’s nice is that there are two HDMI inputs here that can pass 4K HDR signal to the TV and one eARC HDMI output that you’ll need to connect to the eARC port on your TV for Dolby Atmos support. If you don’t want Atmos, you can use the digital optical out port or you can skip the wires all together by connecting it to your Samsung TV wirelessly via Bluetooth. If you want to stream music, you can do so by AirPlay 2, but not via Chromecast.

To control the soundbar, you can of course use your regular TV remote if you’re connected via ARC/eARC or you can use the included Samsung remote. The remote itself is on the basic side, but it’s the fastest way to change between audio modes. Unfortunately, there’s no built-in user interface and no built-in streaming apps like you could find on some other high-end soundbars, so you’ll have to navigate the settings via the remote and small LED screen on the front of the soundbar.

Samsung HW-Q990B review: Performance

With 656W of total power, it’s hard not to be impressed by the output of this speaker. Setting it at volume level 10 made dialogue crystal clear. At volume level 15, you could start to hear some great background details you’d miss out on by using a TV’s built-in speakers. By volume level 20 or 25, the room would start to shake from the bass response. If you like your soundbars loud and don’t have neighbors to worry about, you’re going to love it.

In terms of clarity and depth of sound, there’s a lot to like here. Playing any sort of music on the speaker envelops you in a wide soundstage with nuanced mids and highs and hefty low-end. I chose to boost the bass slightly to get even more of the sub-bass to come out, but you don’t have to tweak much as the out-of-the-box sound is pretty good.

I do recommend changing out of the standard mode to the Adaptive Sound mode as quickly as you can. When activated, Adaptive Sound will use built-in microphones to adapt the sound to your living room and can help boost the height speakers. I do wish that it would help boost the surround sound speakers, as my living room layout forces me to put the satellite speakers further back than is optimal, and the extra boost would’ve been handy.

When viewing content with a Dolby Atmos audio track on Apple TV, we were impressed with the immersiveness of the sound. The height effects came through clearly and while I couldn’t quite get that pristine sound bubble that I can achieve with actual overhead speakers, what you’ll get is a great facsimile. Audio tracks mastered for 5.1 and 7.1 surround also sound good, but again the low-powered satellite speakers didn’t quite deliver what I was looking for.

Overall, I’d say if you have a tricky living room configuration or you don’t want to invest in the cabling necessary for an AV receiver and floorstanding speakers, the HW-Q990B delivers admirable sound with lots of detail in the dialogue and solid surround sound without wires.

Samsung HW-Q990B review: Verdict

I’m a sucker for multi-channel soundbars that are easy to set up thanks to wireless satellites and a sturdy wireless subwoofer. The Samsung HW-Q990B delivers a simple-to-setup solution that delivers detailed audio and impressive Dolby Atmos sound. It’s not quite as feature-complete as I’d like at this price point, but if you’re looking for a strong soundbar that can rattle the windows, the Samsung HW-Q990B is worth auditioning in your home theater.

Tidal may not be as popular as Apple Music or Spotify, but it is the go-to streaming platform for lossless and hi-res music. It has more than 110 million tracks that you can listen to in CD-quality sound, along with 650 thousand videos and plenty of exclusive content (e.g., livestreamed concerts, podcasts). No music app matches this level of curation, nor do they offer better artist remuneration than Tidal (up to $0.015 per stream). Then there’s the unrivaled audio quality.

Tidal has been known for its hi-res MQA format. At the time it launched, MQA enabled hi-res audio files containing large amounts of data to be 'packed' in such a way that they could easily be streamed from music servers over digital networks with limited bandwidth and 'unpacked' by compatible MQA playback devices in our homes.

As digital networks and infrastructure have improved though, Tidal began phasing out its MQA format support, and in June 2023 started making its hi-res library available in FLAC format. With support for immersive sound technologies such as Dolby Atmos and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio, and some of the best streaming features, Tidal is a fantastic service to hear songs the way artists and studio engineers intended. 

Read our full Tidal review to discover why this is one of the best music streaming services around right now.

Tidal review: Price

Tidal's price plan

To fall in line with its competitors, Tidal has streamlined its subscription plan by combining its lossless audio 'HiFi' and hi-res 'HiFi Plus' tiers into one new ad-free individual plan for just $10.99 / £10.99 / AU$12.99 per month. This will include access to its full hi-res audio library as well as Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio spatial audio content.  

The new plan is simply called Tidal and rolled out on April 10, 2024. Tidal's HiFi and HiFi Plus tiers cease to exist. 

Tidal's subscription plans are available on the music platform’s homepage and there are plenty of benefits that make Tidal even more worthwhile. The recent introduction of Tidal's new share anywhere feature is another great development by the streaming service, and one of several ways where it's ahead of the pack. 

The Family plans start at $16.99 per month and lets you add up to 6 additional accounts. Students get a significant discount and the service costs $4.99 per month.

Tidal does not currently offer an annual plan. Signing up automatically gifts you a 30-day free trial at no charge, which can be canceled any time before the trial period ends.

Tidal review: Availability

Tidal comes as both a mobile and web application. Apple users can download it to their iOS (iPhone, iPad) or OSX devices (MacBook, Mac desktops) via the App Store. Android users can do the same through Google Play. There’s even a PC version available for download in the Microsoft store to use on Windows-operated machines.

A plethora of devices support Tidal, including many of the best wireless speakers, best phones, best smart TVs, best streaming devices, and best smartwatches. Mercedes-Benz owners are also able to stream Tidal content at the highest quality through the Mercedes me Portal by way of Bluetooth or the Mercedes me Adapter (for models built after 2002 without connected functionality).

Tidal review: Features

Features are what make Tidal a sonic streaming juggernaut. Following a March 2024 update, users can share universal links to songs or albums, allowing them to open those tracks in whatever service they use for listening to music. This is a significant step and means Tidal users can share their favorite new song with Spotify or Apple Music users and recipients will be able to open that song on their favored streaming platform. Now that's neat.

Tidal's headline feature though is its lossless audio capabilities and hi-res tracks, which are currently only available to HiFi Plus subscribers but will soon be rolled into one new Tidal subscription. Two other features bundled with this package are 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos spatial audio integration.

Tidal has the largest hi-res catalog available. Not everything on the platform is a Master recording, but you can still get CD-quality sound at 1,411kbps when setting HiFi as the streaming option. CD-quality audio comes as standard with all Tidal pay-for subscriptions.

There are several features worth checking out on the platform — Tidal just hasn’t marketed them well. For instance, Exclusive Mode allows the music program to take control of your device’s DAC and automatically tweak frequencies based on song selection. There’s also Tidal Connect to instantly pull up the service on wireless speakers for hi-res playback over Bluetooth, AirPlay, or Wi-Fi. Those are just two of many ways to improve your Tidal listening experience.

Tidal tracks and videos can be downloaded to your phone for offline listening, in any streaming quality. More enticing is the amount of exclusive content available, which consists of concerts, curated mixes, discovery radio stations, podcasts, and shows. It would have been nice if Tidal let you transfer music libraries and playlists from other streaming services. Luckily, there are third-party apps for that (we recommend Soundiiz).

No platform does curation better than Tidal. The algorithm-generated recommendations are spot-on; most personalized music and video mixes favored my listening habits. The Explore tab simplifies searches, thanks to a beautiful interface and seamless navigation. Categories and menus are assigned properly and not cluttered together. My Daily Discovery is another solid tool for finding new artists and songs. 

Other standard features worth mentioning are playlist creations and social media sharing.

Tidal review: Sound quality

The Tidal music app delivers excellent sound on all platforms. Mobile users can stream content over their cellular plan or Wi-Fi at different streaming speeds. Normal (96kbps) and High (320kbps) stream over AAC, which most devices support. HiFi (1,411kbps) achieves CD quality.

However, Master (2,304 – 9,216kbps) is the ultimate way to experience Tidal, pulling every bit of information and detail from a recording and packed into FLAC tracks. I felt the vibration on drums and percussive instruments. Strings demonstrated exceptional reverberation that extended and faded smoothly. Most importantly, Masters tracks brought out the subtle nuances in complex recordings; the cowbell on Blue Oyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” and heavy breathing on the intro to Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” were very transparent.

Tidal will automatically switch to HiFi when playing non-hi-res recordings, maintaining the highest streaming quality possible.  

Of course, you'll need high-quality headphones to fully appreciate from the lossless of hires audio files that Tidal can deliver, and we recommend looing to our best headphones for audiophiles for our pick of the finest models for superior sonics. 

Chances are, though, that you’ll be listening wirelessly via Bluetooth. So investing in the best wireless earbuds or the best wireless headphones will ensure the highest audio quality starting point before it's compressed into an audio codec that can be handled by Bluetooth wireless to the earbuds. Remember to make sure that your playback device is set to output the highest output resolution.

My iPhone 14 and MacBook Pro provided hi-res goodness, though music sounded better on Android devices. LDAC codec support likely played a significant role, but I noticed cleaner music presentation when listening on my Google Pixel 6 Pro with the Sony WH-1000XM5.

You can still get satisfying audio from some of the best cheap wireless earbuds, depending on the model. In fact, our audio editor, Lee Dunkley, recently tried the $50 EarFun Air 2 with LDAC support and found them a great budget option for high-quality listening.

Immersive sound formats like Dolby Atmos and spatial audio are nothing new to music streaming services. Apple Music does both incredibly well. I would place Tidal below it.

Dolby Atmos tracks dished out emphatic sound. Lows, mids, and highs were clearer and more impactful on orchestral-heavy tracks. A Dolby Atmos-compatible device is required to hear this content. Switching to my Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G granted better results, especially after enabling these Samsung Galaxy phone sound improvement tips.

360 Reality Audio gave instruments and vocals more authenticity. Apple Music has the upper hand with spatial audio since the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro 2 support dynamic headtracking for fuller 3D sound. Sony headphones and earbuds do not. 

HiFi and Master tracks carry lots of info, and streaming over your cellular plan will devour data. Streaming over Wi-Fi will limit buffering and squeeze as much detail out of tracks.

Tidal review: Verdict

Ingenious features, stellar audio format support, terrific artist remuneration, and the largest collection of hi-fi tracks available place Tidal atop the music streaming app throne. Both audiophiles and casual listeners receive a lot for the subscription price, which although high, is better overall value when compared to most other rival plans.

More from Tom's Guide

• 10 hidden Tidal features to make your streaming experience sound even better 
• I've been overpaying for Tidal, here's how to avoid making the same mistake
• Which music streaming service pays artists more? 

Tidal's music streaming service rightfully has one of the top spots in the best music streaming services we've tested. Skip the free offering, though, as the main reason to use Tidal is for its lossless and hi-res audio playback, along with numerous features that enhance the service and user experience that you probably didn't know about. 

For $9.99 per month, the HiFi tier offers CD-quality streaming at 1,411kbps similar to Apple Music. While the $19.99 per month HiFi Plus tier may feel a bit steep, it gives access to millions of hi-res audio tracks streamed at up to 9,216kbps using the MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) audio format. It also gives access to spatial audio content in Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio formats, too. 

There's plenty more to explore buried in the interface, including adaptive sound, custom wireless settings, and a special DAC (digital-to-analog converter) mode. I even found a great third-party app that makes transferring playlists to Tidal a breeze.

Read on to find out what I've discovered and follow my tips below to help you get the most from your Tidal subscription.

If you’re not already a subscriber but want to try out some of the features I've mentioned, sign up for a 30-day free trial and experience them for yourself.

1. Select the Master setting in the mobile app

Users can choose whether they want to stream music over mobile data or Wi-Fi. Always select the latter because it provides faster bitrates and a stabler connection. More importantly, you must change the streaming setting to Master for studio quality performance. Go to the Settings menu to access the Streaming option and select Master.    

To hear MQA content in all its glory, you'll need a set of headphones or home music system that can fully handle the higher resolution of up to 24-bit/192kHz music, so you may need to consider upgrading your hardware. Check out these excellent choices from our best audiophiles headphones. 

• Settings > Streaming > Master

2. Use Exclusive Mode on your desktop

Also referred to as Hog Mode, Tidal's Use Exclusive Mode locks out your desktop's audio handling and lets Tidal take control for the highest quality playback. How so? It bypasses the audio mixer in the operating system, giving Tidal permission to assign the specific bitrate and sample rate relating to the audio files of the music your play form the streaming service.

Make sure to download the Tidal desktop app. Once done, follow the steps below to give it a try.

• Sound Output (speaker icon bottom right on music player) > More Settings > enable Use Exclusive Mode

3. Transfer your playlists from another service

If you've created a playlist of tracks in one service but want to play the same tracks on another, it can feel like a lot unnecessary work to have to recreate a playlist of all the same tracks again. And you'd be right. But thankfully the Soundiiz has a way around this. This free browser and Android app can connect to your Apple Music, Spotify, and other music streaming services subscriptions, to transfer selected playlists to Tidal. Once properly set up and connected to your streaming service accounts, the process runs quickly and is very effective.

It's worth pointing out that occasional tracks may not be found on Tidal, possibly due to the music file in the playlist originating from a title not in Tidal's library, so there may sometimes be a need to add this manually once the transfer has completed.

There a re plenty of tutorials on Soundiiz to guide your through the steps to set up the transfer from your particular streaming service, or follow the quick steps below.

• Download the Soundiiz app > Log in > Menu > Select playlists > Convert > Confirm track lists > Select Tidal as the destination

4. Listen to Tidal tracks on an Apple Watch

If you own one of the best Apple Watches, then you'll probably already know that it supports the Tidal app. That means you can enjoy the streaming service’s massive music library without being tethered to an iPhone. You can control playback and download playlists on your wrist, as well as listen offline without a wireless connection.

According to our sister title What Hi-Fi, the Tidal music app for Apple Watch limits music streams to 96kbps, but there are apparently workarounds to boost streaming quality. Third-party apps like AudFree allow you to hear and save MQA Tidal tracks with all metadata preserved. The software downloads Tidal songs to a computer, transfers offline downloads to an iPhone, and syncs music to your Apple Watch.

Note: AudFree is not a partnership service of Tidal.

• Download Tidal app from App Store > Go to link.tidal.com > Use  code shown on Apple Watch > Select 'Done'

5. Enjoy Sony’s 360 Reality Audio content through the Tidal app

Tidal is optimized for Sony’s 360 Reality Audio platform. This feature takes individual sounds like instruments, special effects, and vocals and places them in a 360-degree spherical sound field for immersive listening. Tidal HiFi Plus members with compatible models such as the best Sony headphones can enable the object-based spatial audio technology in the Tidal app. The search area has a dedicated Sony 360 Reality Audio section that lists all supported content. 

The Sony Headphones Connect app also lets you personalize sound and has many customization tools to enhance audio across all media platforms.

• My Collection > Settings > Quality > 360 Reality Audio

6. Use Tidal Connect

Tidal Connect is free feature similar to Spotify Connect in that the playback device, such as a compatible wireless music system like the Sonus faber Omnia, is connected over Wi-Fi (or wired via Ethernet). The Tidal app on your smartphone or tablet then effectively becomes a navigation device to find your way around Tidal's entire music library including Dolby Atmos and Masters content. 

Tidal Connect compatibility can be found on an increasing number of music streaming components and integrated music systems, and is the most reliable and high-quality connectivity option for hi-res music streams.

•  Play song > tap 'Now Playing' bar > Select Sound Output (speaker icon bottom right on music player) > Choose output device on the selector menu

7. Save Tidal tracks on an SD card

Tidal HiFi and HiFi Plus subscribers can download lossless and hi-res albums, songs, and playlists for offline listening. However, these audio files can be very large in size, and tracks take will eat up storage on mobile devices, leaving little room for storing other media such as movies, photos.

If your smartphone or tablet has a digital memory card slot, pick up an SD card and save all that content on it. Just remember to select the memory card option instead of your smartphone's internal memory when looking for tracks to playback.

• Settings > My Content > Download Destination 

8. Immerse yourself in Dolby Atmos content

Tidal hasn’t done the greatest job of showcasing the Dolby Atmos content it has in its library, but you'll need a HiFi Plus subscription and an Atmos-compatible device. The easiest way to find the immersive content is by performing a search for “Dolby.” You’ll see a genre tab that hosts several playlists, new releases, and thousands of tracks.

• Hit the Search icon > type "Dolby Atmos > Pick a playlist

9. Hear songs with Loudness normalization

Some music tracks are engineered to sound louder than others. On top of that, listening to music at high volumes can potentially damage your hearing. But what if there was a feature to set the same volume level for all tracks? Tidal has one: Loudness normalization. This automatically normalizes tracks that may have been mastered at different levels, so that they are better matched. 

An older version of this feature supported a pre-amp slider control to adjust loudness. We’re hoping Tidal brings it back at some point.

• My Collection > Settings > Playback > Loudness normalization

10. Passthrough MQA gives older DACs Master sound

Many newer DACs support MQA, but for audiophiles with an older DAC, there is Passthrough MQA. This setting disables the software MQA unfolding in Tidal, allowing your DAC to process Tidal Master recordings. 

Like Exclusive Mode, this can only be enabled on the Tidal desktop app. Set the Streaming setting to Master and choose your device on the sound output list. Then press the speaker icon on the music player to access more settings. Turn on Passthrough MQA and your DAC will perform the full decoding of the MQA audio.

• Settings > Streaming > Master
• Settings > Sound Output > Select DAC
• Sound Output (speaker icon on music player) > More Settings > enable Exclusive Mode > enable Passthrough MQA

More: To find out whether a subscription to one Tidal's HiFi subscription tiers is worth your money, read our full Tidal review.

French high-end audio specialist Devialet has unveiled an Opéra de Paris version of its powerful Dione soundbar. Finished in white with a 22-carat moon gold central plate, the new edition is said to be inspired by the gilded interiors and iconic style of the Paris Opéra Garnier. 

The luxury finish is available now priced at $2,900 / £2,400 through the Devialet website and specialist audio retailers. 

Even finished in standard black, we already thought that the Devialet Dione was one of the most eye-catching designs we'd seen, but the new collectors' edition finish makes it even more a beauty while packing in the same powerful 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos audio support and amazing movie and music sound. 

The Devialet Dione continues to be the top-ranking model in our best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and it's fair to say that even at the $2,399 / £1,990 / AU$3,999 starting price, this is the ultimate soundbar aimed squarely at the luxury TV speaker market — it features as one of the high-end recommendations in our best gifts for music lovers. 

In our Devialet Dione review we loved the fact that this soundbar managed to bring a little of the high-end company's customary design drama to the world of do-it-all, add-on TV speakers. 

Give the Dione a full-on, action-packed Dolby Atmos soundtrack to deal with, the Dione is a dynamic, expansive and quite nuanced listen. For a soundbar that goes without the low-frequency reinforcement of a partnering subwoofer, the straightforward amount of bass it’s able to produce really is quite remarkable. 

‘Punch’ and ‘rumble’ are both available, and are of an order of magnitude that eludes all but the most accomplished of the Devialet’s rivals. Width and height soundstage elements are deeply effective, which all adds up to a must-hear soundbar if you happen to have deep pockets and are looking for one of the best-sounding and most elegant Dolby Atmos soundbar solutions on the market right now.

The Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris is available worldwide.

Next: Devialet enters the Bluetooth speaker market with $790 Devialet Mania.  

The Sony HT-A3000 is riding the wave of Dolby Atmos-capable single soundbar audio solutions that have come our way this year from Sonos, Bowers & Wilkins and Devialet. While the latter bars deliver powerful and clear audio for a steep price, the Sony HT-A3000 tries to undercut the competition at $699 — roughly $250 more than the Sonos Beam and around the same price as full 5.1 systems from the likes of Vizio, Samsung and LG. 

Its position in the pantheon of 2022 soundbars works to its detriment unfortunately because you’re not getting quite the full range of sound with just the soundbar alone. You can, of course, add on a separate subwoofer and pair of rear speakers to the tune of $349 and $599 respectively, but that’s going to put you much closer to the more expensive soundbars like the Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 that Sony’s trying to undercut. 

For owners of a Sony Bravia TV who can take advantage of the soundbar’s most advanced features, the HT-A3000 is a solid choice, but if you’re on the fence about spending this much for a soundbar, you might want to consider some other options before making the plunge.

Sony HT-A3000 review: Price and availability

The Sony HT-A3000 will be released in September of 2022 for a retail price of $699 (£599, AU$999). That price puts it below other premium options from the likes of Bowers & Wilkins and Devialet, but higher than some of the more affordable options from Samsung, LG and Sonos. 

Additionally, you can buy the Sony SA-RS5 wireless rear surround speakers from Sony that will enable 360 Reality Audio support for $599 (‎£449, AU$746) or a Sony SA-SW5 wireless subwoofer for better bass response for $698 ‎(£699, AU$899).

Sony HT-A3000 review: Design

The Sony HT-A3000 borrows a lot of design elements from the more premium Sony HT-A5000 and Sony HT-A7000 soundbars that were released earlier in 2022. To wit, there’s a solid black grille on the front with a glossy top. The top is where you’ll find the controls should you lose the remote control and the sides are where the built-in woofers reside.

On the front there’s a small LED display that will tell you what mode the soundbar is currently in and what the volume is set at when you raise or lower it. It’s handy having that information visually, though, we would’ve preferred a larger screen that’s visible from further away.

In terms of its physical footprint, the Sony HT-A3000 measures in at just 2.6 inches tall and 37.5 inches wide, allowing it to slide easily under most 55-inch TVs or larger without blocking the IR sensor. It’s also extremely light at just 9.9 pounds. 

In terms of design, it’s a sleek-looking ‘bar that doesn’t stand out much from the rest of your AV setup.

Sony HT-A3000 review: Connectivity

Connectivity is another mixed bag. While the ability to connect to the soundbar from your phone via AirPlay and Chromecast is phenomenally easy, there’s no HDMI throughput which means you’ll need to sacrifice the eARC port on your TV for the soundbar.

While there aren’t many apps installed on the soundbar, it does support Spotify Connect, which is a handy feature if you want to use this to stream music in between movies.

Sony HT-A3000 review: Configuration

Sony is marketing the HT-A3000 as a 3.1-channel solution with virtual Dolby Atmos. That said, it’s really a single soundbar with built-in woofers. A single ‘bar solution is nice in small apartments when space is at a premium and there’s nowhere to put a massive subwoofer, however if you live in a house and have more space, the A3000 might not be enough.

If you want to add some extra oomph, you can add on a subwoofer and wireless satellite speakers, but those are going to cost extra.

Sony HT-A3000 review: Controls

The Sony HT-A3000 uses the same remote as the more expensive Sony HT-A5000 speaker we’ve reviewed previously. The remote should have every feature you need in a pinch, but you might want to go into the soundbar’s UI if you really want to see what you’re doing with the EQ. 

That said, while the LED screen is better than nothing — it’s not as helpful as a full graphical interface. You’ll have a hard time seeing it from far away, and it’s hard to tell when a Dolby Atmos audio signal is being received by the soundbar.

Should you misplace the remote, the soundbar has touch-capacitive buttons along the top of the main unit or you can use the Sony Music Connect app on your phone. Having plenty of control options is great, though you’ll likely just want to stick to the remote when possible.

Sony HT-A3000 review: Sound quality

While some soundbars bring booming bass and sparkling trebles, the Sony HT-A3000 really focuses on enhancing the mid-range for clearer dialogue. Even shows that have particularly tough-to-hear audio (*cough* House of the Dragon) see an improvement when played through the soundbar, and it’s a huge step up from a TV’s built-in speakers.

If you own a Bravia TV, like the Sony X95K or Sony A80J OLED, you can take advantage of a few other features like Acoustic Center Sync that gets the TV’s speakers to play at the same time as the soundbar to offer an expanded sound range.

Without a Bravia TV to test it with, however, we were stuck using the HT-A3000 as a basic soundbar — and we can’t say that the dynamic response of the soundbar really blew us away. Because it has built-in woofers rather than a discreet sub, the bass response was almost anaemic and the upper trebles that should have sparkled, blended into the mix.

As for spatial audio, we couldn’t hear much verticality in the mix — that’s because audio has to be played on a 3.1 system rather than a full 5.1.2-channel setup. The soundbar fails to reach the heights of its older siblings, the HT-A5000 and HT-A7000, when it comes to Dolby Atmos audio, so we’d recommend checking those out if you’re keen for a full Atmos experience.

To end on a positive note, though, we were impressed with the soundstage on the soundbar. It filled our medium-size den with precise sound…even if that sound was lacking in the low-end. The HT-A3000 uses Sony’s Virtual Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround technologies to make this happen, and they’re definitely carrying their weight.

Sony HT-A3000 review: Verdict

If its price tag was a couple hundred dollars less, the Sony HT-A3000 would be an easy recommendation — but at close to $700, it doesn’t make a good case for itself. It offers easy connectivity options, a wide soundstage and enhanced dialogue, but so do dozens of other soundbars that cost half of what the HT-A3000 does. Admittedly, you can always add onto this system with a separate subwoofer and satellite speakers … but at that point you’re dropping over a grand for a basic 5.1.2 system. It’s simply not worth it. 

Folks who own a Sony TV and don’t need a passthrough HDMI port or proper spatial audio may find that the Sony HT-A3000 delivers exactly what they’re looking for. If that’s not you, however, it’s fine to skip over this entry-level ‘bar for one of Sony’s higher-end models, or look at brands like Vizio and JBL for cheaper all-in-one solutions.

The Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) has always stood out in a lineup of much-more affordable Fire TV streaming devices. Originally sold as "the Fire TV that can control your cable box," the Fire TV Cube has gotten smarter while cable's become less relevant. And, now at $139, Amazon's streaming box is $10 more expensive — and arrives with a big new upscaling feature to make that price bump more acceptable.

Amazon's also made this new Fire TV Cube simply better all around. A new processor means it's not just one of the best streaming devices, but one of the fastest at that. A new design means you don't need an adapter dongle for hard-wired Ethernet connections, and plugging in  media drives and webcams is easier than ever. Oh, and it has an HDMI-IN port, so those of us with a ton of HDMI devices have one less cable to juggle.

But in a world of Fire TV-equipped Smart TVs, and other TVs that have all of the streaming apps, does the Fire TV Cube make a strong case for buying one more thing? We think so, but there's still room to improve, not only in Super Resolution Upscaling, but in the Fire TV's ad-heavy interface.

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) review: Specs

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) Price and release date

The Fire TV Cube 2022 is available now (its scheduled release date is Oct. 25, 2022). It's available for order on Amazon for $139, which makes it $10 more expensive the 2019 model and than the new Apple TV 4K 2022 ($129 for Wi-Fi only, $149 for Wi-Fi + Ethernet), though we haven't reviewed that model yet — and will therefore be testing it against the Apple TV 4K 2021 (originally $179, now on sale at $109). The $99 Roku Ultra (2020) is the cheapest of the bunch.

Your $139 gets you the Fire TV Cube itself, a remote, batteries for said remote and a power adapter. Notable by its omission is the HDMI cable needed to use the Fire TV Cube. Amazon's betting you already own one (and it can sell you one if you need it). The Roku Ultra includes that cable (as well as headphones for private listening), the Apple TV 4K does not.

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) review: Design and ports

The Fire TV Cube's upper-side shows off the primary reason some will buy it: this Fire TV device is a full-on Alexa speaker, as evidenced by its blue light bar and four Alexa buttons  (trigger, mute, volume up and volume down). 

Still not technically a cube, the new Fire TV Cube 2022 (3.4 x 3.4 x 3.0 inches) is the same size as the 2019 model. The Roku Ultra 2020 (4.9 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches) and Apple TV 4K (3.7 x 3.7 x 1.2 inches for 2022, 3.9 x 3.9 x 1.4 inches for 2021) are wider and shorter.

The sides of the Fire TV Cube 3rd Gen, however, are wrapped in mesh fabric instead of glossy plastic. This doesn't just allow it to actually look more like an Alexa speaker, but it enables front and side-facing Alexa speakers (the 2019 model's speakers were downward-firing). 

The best changes are in the back. Amazon's added an internal Ethernet port so you won't need to use an external Ethernet adapter with its microUSB port. That tiny adapter's departure is a "good riddance" moment if ever there were. A full USB-A port replaces that tiny USB port, and you can use that for either external media storage or a webcam. 

As for that new HDMI IN port? It's a welcome addition for me, as I already have three gaming consoles and a DVD player, constantly meaning one device is needing a port to plug into. Amazon could have done a better job of integrating it, as that port isn't included in the Equipment Control menu.

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) review: Remote

Amazon's new Fire TV Cube comes with a remote that's best described as "Oops! All Buttons." For this remote, Amazon's added a multitasker button that lets you see recent apps, as well as a system settings button. 

The Fire TV Cube 2022 remote gets menu and content navigation right, with both a directional pad, all the standard buttons to let you play/pause, fast forward, rewind, go home and go back by one screen. Then, you've got volume and channel controls, along with the Live TV menu button. Those channel controls might not make sense to cord-cutters, but they work with connected cable boxes.

One neat little touch is that the mute button is the only concave button, so it's easy to find without looking. I wish Amazon would have also added an input switch button, which the Chromecast with Google TV has.

The Apple TV 4K remote is smaller and has far fewer buttons, but at least it doesn't have the Fire TV Cube's hard-encoded app buttons (Prime Video, Netflix, Disney Plus and Hulu). The Roku Ultra has the best remote of the group, the Roku Voice Remote Pro, which has a headphone jack for private listening (and comes with free headphones for that), programmable buttons and a rechargeable battery.

Amazon now offers an even better remote, so check out our Alexa Voice Remote Pro review for the full scoop.

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) review: Performance

Thanks to a new octa-core processor, the Fire TV Cube is one of the fastest streaming devices there is.

Navigating menus, opening apps and streaming on the Fire TV Cube (2022), my first reaction was "this is fast." But while the Fire TV Cube 2022 has speedy performance, its speed isn't outperforming its $139 price tag — especially when we already thought the $129 Fire TV Cube (2019, 2nd Gen) was also fast.

If you're paying $40 more than you would for the Roku Ultra, you should have YouTube open in 4 seconds, nearly a third of the 11 second time the $99 Roku posted. The Apple TV 4K 2021 took 3 seconds, which is what I'd call within the margin of error when I'm using my phone's stopwatch. Disney Plus opened in 5 seconds (1 shy of Apple TV's 6 seconds and 4 shy of the Roku's 9 seconds), while Peacock opened in six seconds (Apple TV: 6 seconds, Roku Ultra: 9 seconds). 

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) review: Audio and video

The Fire TV Cube (2022) produces crisp and beautiful video, or at least it will enable your TV to reach its potential. The Cube supports all of the top audio (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos) and video (Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG) standards. Testing the Fire TV Cube on my 4K LG TV (model number OLED55C7P), I saw nothing at all wrong, though TV shows have that little moment of all-black with a simple logo that helps them preload the next scene. 

But picture quality stayed super-crisp as I fast-forwarded around the first episode of Bad Sisters on Apple TV Plus. From the fuzz of Becka (Eve Hewson)'s pink sweater to the texture of the gravel that a reckless biker took a spill on, and when I fast-forwarded to the insurance office scene, I could clearly see a lotto ticket barcode behind Tom Claffin (Brian Gleeson). And that's all without the Ethernet cable plugged in. The only slowness-to-4K I saw came when loading up the start of a House of the Dragon episode, and the granite in the opening credits looked quite soft for a second or two. 

The Dolby Vision support complemented For All Mankind's scenes on the moon well, with the black skies looking especially inky. Dolby Atmos ensures that the sound surrounds you, but since I don't have a soundbar, I can only speak to the fact that the Game of Thrones House of the Dragon theme song had all the bravura and power that you'd normally expect. 

Since Amazon told me its Super Resolution Upscaling works on anything played through the Fire TV Cube, I plugged my Blu-ray/DVD player into its HDMI-in port and pulled out two movies I own on SD DVD and higher-resolution optical media. 

For example, the 720p DVD of The Big Lebowski, skipped ahead to the "over the line" scene where John Goodman's Walter Sobcheck pulls a gun on Smokey the hippie looked as grainy as the day I bought it, and I didn't see much improvement when Super Resolution Upscaling was turned on, maybe a little smoothing of skin tones. Testing that same scene out on the Blu-ray of the same movie, it seemed like some smaller details like Smokey's salt and pepper hair, The Dude's mop of hair, and floral print pants, looked slightly crisper — but not by a huge margin. 

Similarly, my 720p copy of The Shining had an overall grain and pixelation, with distortion around the lights on the walls. After turning on Super Resolution Upscaling, these problems remained. Testing out the 1080p Blu-ray version of that same scene, I saw much less grain and distortion, but (again) only minor upgrades with Super Resolution Upscaling enabled. I could see slight differences throughout, and that doesn't match the "better detail, contrast, and clarity" that's mentioned on the Fire TV Cube's product page on Amazon.

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) review: Interface

The Fire TV interface may not be our favorite at Tom's Guide, but it's getting better. Our primary reason for not preferring the Amazon way is that it's full of ads.

Throughout my testing, the carousel banner that takes up the top half of the home screen rotated between a car ad and promotion for House of the Dragon, The Peripheral (a Prime Video Original), the true Crime channel Topic, a Stephen Merchant-led show on Britbox (available via Prime Channels), an ad for Amazon's hub for all things Halloween and Sharon Osbourne's Fox Nation special.  

Below that, you have a thin row that users can control over half of, the portion where you see six of your apps. Six is a small amount, as Apple TV has upwards of 20 and Roku shows you nine (and half of three more below). You may only have six apps, but even if that's the case, Fire TV shouldn't be hiding them in that thin sliver of the home screen.

Below that, a neat slightly-smart row (or two) of content related to whatever your cursor has selected appears. That row often includes content directly from your live TV service of choice, and that's a great move. I wish Roku and Apple had this level of integration with paid live TV services.

But if you scroll down on the home screen, you get a grab bag including rows of ads, recently opened apps, suggested content, content from Amazon, sponsored content, live TV, Prime Video channels, a sponsored row of free movies from Tubi and more. 

Oh, and any time you're using the Fire TV or the device connected via HDMI, you can still see Alexa overlays, such as the local weather forecast. And you don't even see any interface if your TV is off when you simply ask Alexa a question it can answer verbally, such as "Alexa, what's today's date?"

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) review: Search and Alexa

When I got tired of rewatching a House of the Dragon episode, I decided to use Alexa to search for Jordan Peele's movies. I simply said "Hey Alexa, Jordan Peele." And then the device searched that query in HBO Max. That wasn't what I expected — the Key & Peele show, and Space Jam (because Michael Jordan) showed up — but it was a neat trick.

So, I navigated to the home screen, and said "Hey Alexa, Jordan Peele." Up came a grid starting with the most relevant answers: Nope, Us and Get Out (the movies he's directed), then — questionably — Antebellum, which he does not have any role in, but is often compared to his work, followed by his Twilight Zone, then Key & Peele, Candyman (2021), which he produced, and then movies and shows that are similar-ish (American Horror Stories, Ma and Bodies Bodies Bodies), with his under-seen Keanu mixed in. The Apple TV 4K's Siri produces a similar set of results for the actor/director's name. Roku's voice search for Jordan Peele also pulls up YouTube results for the actor, but doesn't surface similar movies nor does it bring up Key & Peele. 

When I selected Us on the Fire TV Cube, it offered buy and rental options with the FXNOW app as a secondary option — though I didn't have the app installed (nor do I have a subscription that supports FXM. Roku only recommended Spectrum (an app Fire TV doesn't have). Using Alexa to search for the movie "It" (which I knew is on Netflix, which I had installed), the Fire TV had the 2017 movie as the first result, and showed "Watch Now with Netflix" as the first option after opening the movie. Clicking said button brought me to the Netflix app, where one more click started the film.

Searching for the same movie on Roku showed me I could watch the modern horror adaptation on either Netflix or HBO Max (an option hidden in menus on Fire TV), and searching "It" with Siri on the Apple TV 4K got the right result, but only showed HBO Max — because Apple doesn't tie into Netflix. Overall, using Alexa for Search works well, but I wish the results screen was a little more like Roku's. At least Fire TV can work with Netflix, which Apple can't say. 

Using Alexa to open specific apps is really easy, I just say "Alexa, open YouTube, and it's there. Even if the TV was off — the Fire TV turns on the TV and boots up the app you want. 

Using Alexa to control a cable box, one of the Fire TV Cube's original use-cases, works really well. With everything plugged in and connected, I said "Alexa, tune to the Travel Channel on Cable," switched the input and the channel, and I was watching some version of Ghost Hunters that I immediately turned off once I realized that the Travel Channel isn't about travel anymore.

Thankfully, Alexa's also ready for the post-cable life, working with some of the best cable TV alternatives including Sling TV. So, when I say "Alexa, tune to TBS on Sling," that works too. 

At some points throughout this, these commands didn't work exactly right, but after I reset some settings, it all worked itself out. I'm not especially fond of using voice assistants, but I have to admit that I warmed up when it worked right. To enter my living room, speak "Alexa, open Peacock," and to have the TV turn on and open the Peacock app on the Fire TV? It's neat.

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) review: Content and apps

All the best streaming services are available with the Fire TV Cube (2022), but that's to be expected: Amazon's Fire TV platform is in the top 2 in terms of reach, next to Roku. That means everyone has to have a presence, which gives you the Netflixes, the HBO Maxes and more. 

All the additive streaming services are here, so you can get Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, Paramount Plus, AMC Plus and BET Plus. You can also download Shudder for horror and Crunchyroll for anime.  Oddly, some apps aren't available solo. Cineaste streamer Mubi and UK-content hub BritBox are only available as Prime Video Channels — which is a bit annoying as it requires a Prime subscription. It's unclear whose fault this is, but I guess Amazon can assume anyone buying a $139 Fire TV streaming device is all-in on the Prime ecosystem. The Roku and Apple TV app stores aren't missing any services that Fire TV has. 

Then, there's Luna: Amazon's cloud gaming offering. Cloud gaming enables you to play decent video games without a competent or strong device, as you use server farms to host your games. This category of gaming has not really caught fire yet, unless you count the charred corpse of Google Stadia that's being sent up the river to its grave.

Testing Luna Plus (for an extra $9.99 per month you get more games than with Prime membership) out, I found that it's better for some games than others. Tetris Effect Connected, a joyous music-infused take on the brick-shifting classic, played smoothly. Spooky third-person shooter Control, however, had a weird audio sync issue when you fired your weapon, a common limit of cloud gaming. Annoyingly, Luna's menus didn't always work right, as it took multiple attempts to merely exit a game page.

That said, I commend Amazon for offering at least these interesting games. Apple Arcade offers some TV-formatted versions of its mobile games, and the hyped-Fantasian (from Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy), but I've never really clicked with that title or any others, despite using the Apple TV 4K as my primary streaming device.

Anyone with a USB-A webcam can plug that into the Fire TV for Amazon's "drop in" calls, where you can video conference with other Fire TV devices. If you don't know anyone else who does that, the good news is that Zoom is coming to the new Cube soon.

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2022) review: Verdict

The 3rd Generation Fire TV Cube is the best Fire TV yet, combining best-in-class speed with a new remote and an extra HDMI port for all of us device-jugglers. And now that the Fire TV Cube's Ethernet port is built right in, steady streaming is even easier than before.

That said, it's still pricey, and I am not seeing the value in Super Resolution Upscaling. Hopefully that gets fixed soon. But for anyone who wants to upgrade their Smart TV and cable (or cord-cutter app) life with a streaming device that's also a full-fledged Alexa speaker? The Fire TV Cube may be $10 more than before, but it's also better than ever.

TCL may not have the vaunted history here in the US that companies like Sony and Samsung have, but the Chinese TV maker has made its presence known these last few years by offering some of the best mid-range TVs: the TCL 6-Series and the TCL 5-Series.

While these two TVs are only one number apart from one another, there’s a significant difference in price, performance and feature set between them. And while it’s tempting to just pick the less expensive of the two (the 5-Series) you could be missing out on key features that would’ve made movie night that much better. 

Whether you’re a gamer looking for the best gaming TV, or a binge-watcher looking for a TV with Dolby Vision and Atmos support, the 5-Series and 6-Series have what you’re looking for…just to varying degrees. 

Need help sorting out the differences? We’ve got you covered.

TCL 6-Series vs 5-Series: Panel technology 

For years, the TCL 6-Series and 5-Series had the same panel type: both were LED-LCD TVs. Then, things began to change three years ago when the 6-Series started to move ahead in technology, leaving the 5-Series in the dust. 

For this year’s models — the 6-Series R655 and the 5-Series S546 — the former uses MiniLED while the latter uses LED-LCD with a quantum dot filter, more commonly known as QLED. QLED is still a great technology as it offers enhanced color saturation and contrast over basic LED-LCD screens, MiniLED is a far more powerful technology.

To wit, MiniLED offers immaculate contrast — as smaller LEDs allow the TV to have more control over which parts of the screen are dark and which are bright. MiniLED clusters also produce a higher peak brightness (great if you have a lot of ambient light in your living room), too. 

In short, the 5-Series with QLED is a step above other basic LED-LCD TVs you might be looking at, but the MiniLED panel makes the 6-Series a stronger performer in specs like overall brightness and contrast, and can also prevent haloing. 

TCL 6-Series vs 5-Series: Contrast control zones 

Speaking of contrast, the 6-Series has six times more contrast control zones than the 5-Series — up to 360 on the 6-Series vs 60 on the TCL 5-Series. 

Contrast control zones, as the name suggests, allows a TV to have even finer control of which parts of the TV are turned on and off. Say, for example, you have a night sky in the background with something bright — like the Moon — in one small section. Instead of a TV turning on 10% of the LEDs to illuminate that one section of sky where the moon is, the additional contrast control zones would allow you to use the exact area where the moon is. 

Having more zones on is a bad thing, as that’s what creates a greyish look to night skies and space scenes rather than true black. 

TCL 6-Series vs 5-Series: Refresh rate 

If you’re a gamer or sports lover, you definitely want to read this section. The headline here is that the TCL 6-Series not only has a native refresh rate of 120Hz, but it can go up to 144Hz when connected to a PC. For comparison, the 5-Series is limited to 60Hz. 

While there’s a lot happening under the hood, a panel’s native refresh rate is the number of time all the pixels on the screen can refresh in one second. A 60Hz screen can therefore refresh the image on-screen 60 times in one second while a 120Hz or 144Hz display can refresh the image 120 times or 144 times in one second, respectively.

So why is this important for gamers? Well, if you have a new console like the Xbox Series X or PS5 and want to take advantage of their native 120 frames-per-second output, you’ll need a 120Hz TV. The 6-Series also supports VRR and AMD FreeSync, which is great for PC gamers. 

TCL 6-Series vs 5-Series: Screen sizes 

What we really like about TCL is that it tries to accommodate a lot of buyers — there’s people who want a second screen for a guest bedroom or basement, college students who need something for their dorm rooms or apartments, and people who want a new TV for the center of their living room. Between the 6-Series and the 5-Series, there should be a screen size that works for you. 

That being said, the 5-Series is available in the smallest size between the two and starts at a 50-inch screen size. Besides a 50-inch model, there’s a 55-, 65- and 75-inch model, too.

The 6-Series is only available in a few sizes — 55-, 65- and 75-inches — but there’s also a newly announced 85-inch model that will be available in late 2022. 

Basically, if you want a bigger screen, the 6-Series’ 85-inch is a good option but if you want something smaller than the standard 55- and 65-inch sizes, you’ll need to go for the 5-Series’ 50-inch model.

TCL 6-Series vs 5-Series: Price 

While sussing out the difference between the specs can be tricky, take one look at the price and you’ll clearly see that the TCL 5-Series is the cheaper option: starting at just $399 for the 50-inch 50S546, the 5-Series is an absolute steal for the price. 

At every size throughout the ranges, the 5-Series is cheaper than the 6-Series. The 55-inch 5-Series is $419 compared to the $699 55-inch 6-Series. The 65-inch 5-Series is $549 compared to the $999 TCL 6-Series. You can see the pattern here.

The only screen size not available for the 5-Series is the new 85-inch 6-Series model that will come in at $1,999. That's a fairly good price for an 85-inch screen, but again, it's significantly more than the $899 you'd spend on the 75-inch 5-Series.

Those prices will typically come down during peak shopping season — on or around Black Friday and Cyber Monday — so be sure to keep checking if you have your heart set on the 6-Series.

TCL 6-Series vs 5-Series: Verdict

If you don’t mind a lower peak brightness because there’s not a lot of ambient light in your room and you don’t have a next-gen console like the Xbox Series X or PS5, then you can save a lot of money by buying the TCL 5-Series. That’s especially true if you only want a 50-inch screen — something that the 5-Series has that the 6-Series does not.

However, if you’re looking for the experience of a flagship TV — like a Samsung S95B OLED or an LG C2 OLED — at a more reasonable price without skimping on features, the TCL 6-Series is the TV you want to go for. It’s the pricier of the two TVs, sure, but for serious cinephiles and avid gamers, it’s the TV we’d recommend.

The LG S95QR Dolby Atmos soundbar is a complete surround solution packaged with a soundbar, wireless subwoofer and surround speakers in a single (and some would say rather large) box. As the company's flagship soundbar solution, it is packed with immersive tech to handle the latest surround audio formats, and claims plenty of power to give movie soundtracks a boost. It is a significant upgrade over pervious models and unsurprisingly comes at a higher price of around $1,800. 

It's a significant departure from the budget soundbars that are grabbing the headlines right now, as models like the Sonos Ray (possibly partnered with a Sonos Sub Mini) are offering a significant boost to TV sound for a very reasonable outlay. 

The LG S95QR Dolby Atmos soundbar, therefore, has a lot to prove: it needs to offer big sound — especially in the height channels — to warrant the extra cost, and not skimp on the features that other soundbars like the Sony HT-A7000 and Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 (which made our best Dolby Atmos soundbars list) provide.

Can the LG S95QR live up to the task? Read on to find out if the LG S95QR does enough to justify the price tag.

LG S95QR review: Price and availability

The LG S95QR is available finished in gray and priced at $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$2,049, and we have seen it discounted to $1,499 on LG’s website and via several online retailers but at the time of publishing these offers were no longer available. Make sure you keep up to date with our best Amazon deals page for the best prices.   

At the MSRP of $1,799, the LG S95QR looks like a costly flagship soundbar. But when you consider that the is a complete surround speaker package incorporating four active wireless components, it begins to look a bit more competitive — and even more so if the $299 discount previously being offered by some retailers returns. 

By way of comparison, the Sonos Arc (one of our best soundbars) will set you back around $1,946 with a Sonos Sub and 2x One SL speakers, while a Sonos Beam with Sub Mini and 2x One SL speakers is around $1,211. Typically, Sonos components are priced individually, but these 'packages' are available from the Sonos website and at the time of writing are offered at discounted prices.

LG S95QR review: Design and build

• Low-profile design and wall mountable
• Ideal for 55- to 65-inch TVs
• Looks and feels cheap compared to rivals

The low-profile design of the main soundbar speaker is slim and elegant, measuring 47.2 x 2.5 x 5.3 inches (L x H x D). Its height is unlikely to foul the bottom of a TV screen, and LG says that it is ideally suited to match with TV sizes of between 55 and 65 inches. The powered subwoofer measures 7.9 x 15.9 x 15.9 inches, while each of the surround speakers measure 6.3 x 8.8 x 5.6 inches. 

All the components are finished in a gray; there is no alternative finish option. Build quality feels satisfactory enough, but isn't anything special, and the S95QR package doesn't quite have the kind of luxe finish or styling that typically befits a model sat at the top of the company's soundbar line-up.

LG S95QR review: Connectivity

• Recessed connectivity panel
• 2x HDMI ports compatible with 4K60
• HDMI out with eARC/ARC

On the soundbar underside there's a recess for hardwired connectivity and includes two HDMI 2.1 input ports, and one eARC/HDMI output, capable of handling 4K @60Hz with Dolby Vision, and HDR10 signals. There's also a digital optical port and a USB port.

In terms of wireless connectivity, you can connect via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and there's AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, as well as Spotify Connect. Hi-res streaming is supported via over Wi-Fi using Tidal or even direct from a networked HDD music library or connected to the USB port. 

Despite its hi-res handling capabilities, Bluetooth codec support runs to bog standard SBC and AAC, and there's no aptX Adaptive or LDAC support to achieve better quality audio streams — although this may be addressed in future firmware updates.

LG S95QR review: Configuration

• 17 speaker drivers
• Dedicated subwoofer
• 2x surrounds with built-in height speakers for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats

A 9.1.5-channel configuration, the flagship LG claims to use 17 speakers throughout the speaker package (although I can only count 15), including dedicated wireless rear surrounds and a wireless subwoofer. 

The main soundbar itself employs three up-firing height speakers (which includes a brand new up-firing center driver), plus there are two further up-firing drivers on the top surface of the wireless rears. All woofers in the S95QR have been upgraded over previous flagship designs to larger models said to deliver deeper bass notes for a movie theater experience in the home. 

The wireless rear surrounds carry two full range speaker drivers firing rear effects out at approximately 30 degree angles, while a single up-firing speaker handles the height elements in appropriate soundtracks. It's an enhanced configuration over previous designs that is said to distribute sound evenly across a wider area (approx 135 degrees), and facilitates flexible speaker placement for a more immersive sound experience no matter what size room they're placed in. 

The wireless subwoofer is fairly large front ported design measuring 7.9 x 15.9 x 15.9-inches and rated at 220W power output. 

The main soundbar and rear surround speakers can each be wall mounted. As a wireless setup there are no speaker cables linking the rear speaker and subwoofer to the main unit, but as powered speakers each needs to be connected to power outlet and comes with its own power cable.

LG S95QR review: Extra features

The LG is packaged with plenty of setup smarts, including AI to automatically optimize sound output levels to your particular room and surroundings accessed via the LG SoundBar control app.  

As with several of its most recent soundbars, the audio output of LG's 2022 soundbar lineup has been tuned by Meridian Audio. The British audio specialist has also contributed its Meridian Horizon tech, which converts two-channel stereo sound into a multi-channel audio experience for surround sound speaker setups. 

There's also auto low latency mode (ALLM) for gamers who value in-sync onscreen action and audio, and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voices assistants are also supported.

Additionally, a new LG add-on called Wowcast ($99) enables wireless lossless multi-channel audio connectivity from any TV with an HDMI ARC/eARC port to the Wi-Fi-enabled S95QR soundbar.

LG S95QR review: Controls

The LG SoundBar control app is most likely be the go-to for adjusting speaker levels and selecting sound presets to fit whatever content is playing. It's fairly straightforward to use once I managed to get the app to see my home network and connect to the wireless soundbar, but it took some time and the lack of clear instructions didn't help.     

Additionally, you'll find touch-capacitive control buttons at the centre of the soundbar itself. There's a small display on the front to provide visual feedback to show that the soundbar is decoding an audio signal, but it is rather limited as it only shows a few characters at a time, and you have to wait for three or four letters to scroll by at a time to know what format is being decoded or what sound preset is selected. 

A traditional handheld remote control is included (batteries are supplied), and can also control Apple Music playback app for Play and Skip controls, which I found rather neat. I also found that my Samsung TV remote worked for quick overall volume level adjustments.

LG S95QR review: Sound quality

• Immersive and impactful surround with 5.1 soundtracks  
• Poor dialog clarity with standard TV broadcasts
• Surround speakers can sound thin and lacking LF

LG claims 810W total power output for S95QR, which should easily be enough power to drive most mid- to large-sized rooms. On the face of it, the power output claim seems reasonable given that it is split between soundbar, subwoofer and surround speaker channels. It is important not to equate power claims with sound quality, though, as in terms of overall sonic performance, the S95QR isn’t the all round powerhouse entertainment system I hoped for. 

As a multiple speaker home theater system, though, it is reassuring to know that the LG's strengths lie in delivering 5.1 movie soundtracks either streamed from services such as Netflix and Amazon (or hooked up to a Blu-Ray disc player), where it delivers its best performance. 

Top Gun: Maverick turned out to be the perfect showcase for displaying the LG's talents, with high-octane effects, bags of roaring bass from the the fighter jets and the roaring Kawasaki Ninja H2 motorcycle engine, and that great soundtrack that opens with the original Top Gun anthem by Harold Faltermeyer. It's an atmospheric and immersive opening sequence as the bell chimes ring out and slowly decay, filling the room with sound. But the system begins to show its weakness as the Kenny Loggins "Danger Zone" track kicks in and the vocal spits and fights for attention among the rest of the soundtrack.

As the movie powers on, I realized the frequency handling of the LG soundbar and partnering subwoofer aren't very well integrated. Some lower-mid frequencies appear to be missing entirely, resulting in a less than smooth transition as the subwoofer kicks in with the bass frequencies. There's no way to adjust the crossover or compensate for the frequency handover deficiencies.

The bad news continues with the surround speakers, which sound 'thin' thanks to a lack of bass support integration from the sub. As onscreen objects transition out of frame and the sound pans from the soundbar beneath the TV screen to the speakers behind my seating position on the sofa, I can clearly hear the sonic character of the moving object shift as it moves to the thin-sounding speakers at the back of the room. Bass support is nowhere to be heard, making the impact of action movie surround effects sound weak and weedy.

As observed with the Kenny Logins' vocal, dialog clarity is generally poor, too. Female voices in TV drama or low-quality outside broadcasts on news programs, say, typically sound thin and lack the kind of fullness and gravitas to make them sound natural and convincing. While male voices are too bass heavy and over boomy during studio broadcasts.

The issue appears to be the subwoofer tuning, where the frequency handling should ideally integrate seamlessly with the lower frequencies produced by the soundbar. Also, despite being a sizeable subwoofer model it doesn’t actually dig that deep, and lacks the impact I’ve heard from other system subs. 

Lastly, it is very easy to hear the frequency deficiencies from the LG soundbar as the subwoofer takes so long to kick in. It only seems to recognize that there's an audio signal present some ten seconds or more after the soundbar is playing. 

Despite partnering with British audio specialist Meridian and claiming 24-bit hi-res support, the LG isn't a speaker system to make the most of your music collection. Music mode is apparently the preset option that’s benefitted from Meridian’s tuning expertise, but it does little to bring music tracks to life. There’s plenty of bass boom but no real sense of rhythmic energy or pace other than the same one-note thump that's applied to the beat of most of the tracks I played. 

Stereo soundstage was pretty narrow and didn't stretch beyond the physical confines of the soundbar itself. The good news is that vocal clarity is in some ways better than movie dialog, which may seem strange but I imagine has been aided by Meridian's music tuning expertise.  

Sound presets run to AI Sound Pro, Standard, Music, Cinema, Clear Voice, Sport, Game, and Bass Blast. With the exception of the Standard for movies and Music for listening to stereo music, all other presets are best avoided. If you must play a music track in Cinema mode, you’ll hear what I mean about the surround speakers having a very different sonic character to the soundbar.

LG S95QR review: Verdict

On the one hand the LG S95QR looks like a value Dolby Atmos soundbar package. It is full to the brim with the latest surround sound format handling capabilities for what looks like an attractive price when you consider the WiFi connectivity tech between active speakers and the considerable power output claims. It nearly works, too, especially if you stick to high-octane 5.1 movies. 

Ultimately, the lack of sonic integration between the main soundbar, subwoofer and surround speakers results in an uncomfortable sound balance that does little to enhance a regular viewing experience beyond a TV's built-in speakers. With a little more sonic synergy this soundbar package could be a great one-box solution for all your entertainment needs. As it stands, though, the LG S95QR soundbar flagship package needs further work to be a top contender at the price.

Chromecast with Google TV 4K is much more than just a streaming stick with a remote. One of the best streaming devices there is, Google’s latest home entertainment device boasts a sensible interface, nearly every streaming service you can think of and Google Assistant at your beck and call. 

A bunch of new Android TV upgrades should prove to be strong competition against Roku and Apple TV. And another great new feature on Android TV is the ability to use your phone as a remote control. For those wondering about why this model now has "4K" in its name, Google recently tacked that on because (as our Chromecast with Google TV HD review shows), its latest model creates some need for rebranding.

The Chromecast with Google TV 4K is around the same price as the Roku and Amazon Fire TV Sticks on the market, but as this Chromecast with Google TV review outlines, it’s the things only Google can bring that make this one of the best smart streaming devices. Check out our Chromecast vs Fire Stick face off to see how those devices compare.

(Sept. 2024): The Chromecast with Google TV will only be for sale as long as inventory remains; it's being discontinued in favor of the Google TV Streamer, which has a new, larger design with an Ethernet port, a bigger remote, a new smart home interface, and Gemini AI to generate show summaries and help you create screensavers. Check out our Google TV Streamer review for more information.

Chromecast with Google TV 4K: Price and availability

Chromecast with Google TV 4K costs $49.99, and that's $20 more than the Chromecast with Google TV HD. 

If you don't want to get a separate Chromecast dongle to plug into your TV?  We've ranked the best TVs with Chromecast built-in so you can cast to your TV without one. 

If you do get one, then here’s the first thing every Chromecast with Google TV owner should do. 

Chromecast with Google TV 4K: Design

As with most streaming devices, the Chromecast with Google TV 4K is a dongle that plugs into an HDMI port on your TV, and it's accompanied by a small remote control. Wondering how it compares to the remote-free Chromecast? Check out our Chromecast with Google TV vs Chromecast face-off. 

The dongle, which will fit comfortably in your palm has an oval shape that makes it look like it would be perfect for skipping across a lake.

The Chromecast is pretty simple and established device, but if you want to learn more we've got a full "what is Google Chromecast?" guide which should answer any questions you may have.

On one end is an HDMI output, while the other end has a USB-C port; included is a USB cable and plug, as the Chromecast with Google TV 4K needs more power than your TV’s HDMI  port can provide.

The remote that comes with the device is somewhere between the Apple TV and the Roku remote. Like the Roku, the Google TV remote is curved at the top and bottom and has a rounded rear, but isn’t as pronounced a curve. While not as minimalist as the Apple TV remote, the Google TV remote is a single color, with the exception of the Google Assistant button.

To see how the Chromecast compares to the latest and greatest Roku, check out our Roku Streaming Stick 4K vs. Chromecast with Google TV face-off.

At the top is a circular d-pad; beneath are eight buttons: Back, Google Assistant, Home, Mute, YouTube, Netflix, Power, and Input. On the right side are two small volume control buttons.

Google sent me the Sky color: the dongle is a grayish blue, while the remote is gray, with a light green Google Assistant button. The Snow model has both a white dongle and remote (with a black Assistant button), while Sunrise has a pink dongle and remote. It really comes down to the remote color you want, as the dongle will most likely be hidden out of sight.

Similar to the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, you’ll be able to connect the Chromecast to Ethernet; Google will have a power/Ethernet adapter available soon after launch. Check out our Chromecast with Google TV vs Fire TV Stick 4K face-off to see more about how they compare.

Chromecast with Google TV 4K: Interface

There’s nothing particularly radical about the Google TV interface, but it works. Plus, Google just cleaned up the Google TV user interface to make it even better. At the top are tabs for For you, Apps, and Library; beneath are thumbnails of content that’s relevant to that menu. 

As part of this refresh, the Movies and Shows tabs have become shortcuts that appear on the For you tab underneath your Continue watching row. They are joined by Family and Español and are aimed at better curating your content.

If you subscribe to YouTube TV, a Live tab will also appear in the top menu, which will display shows currently airing through that service. And the Library tab will display the content you’ve purchased or rented from Google, as well as DVR content from YouTube TV.

Sub-categories on the home page include Top Picks for You based on your viewing history from the streaming services you’ve linked, Trending on Google, and Recommended Videos based on what you’ve watched on YouTube. 

If you long-press on a thumbnail, you can see the services on which it’s streaming, watch a trailer (if applicable), save to a Watchlist, rate it, and view additional details.

Considering my viewing tastes are vastly different than my wife’s, I like that you can add multiple Google accounts to the device. I won’t get recommendations for Gilmore Girls, and she won’t get the "Fast & Furious" franchise popping up on her screen.

That said, individual user profiles won't be coming to the device until sometime next year.

Unfortunately, there's a current Chromecast with Google TV flaw that's annoying one of our editors: the Currently Watching list has a bit of bugginess to fix.

Chromecast with Google TV 4K: Streaming services

You won’t be wanting for streaming services: The Chromecast with Google TV 4K includes YouTube, YouTube TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Spotify, Disney Plus, Hulu, ESPN, Sling, HBO Max, CBS All Access, Starz, Peacock, Peloton, Tubi, PBS, and more. 

And some more to the list: Chromecast with Google TV is adding the Apple TV app. In April 2023, Google partnered with Tubi, Plex and Haystack News to bring over 800 free channels to its revamped Google TV Live tab. Click the Live tab in the top menu bar to find them along with the rest of your live channel services. Google also added a TV guide feature on the left rail that lets you browse by genre, see what's trending and quickly access any channels you've added to your favorites. 

Apps and services can be installed directly from the device, or you can head to Google Play on your phone and remotely send new software to Google TV.

The device can stream content at resolutions up to 4K/60 fps, and supports HDR, including HDR10, HDR10+ and recently gained support for Dolby Vision as well. Audio-wise, it supports Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos. 

Chromecast with Google TV 4K: Performance

During my time testing the Chromecast with Google TV 4K, I found it to be fast and responsive, and delivered excellent video quality. It was connected via Wi-Fi to a Netgear Orbi satellite, which was about five feet away, and plugged into a Vizio M60-C3 4K HDTV.

I was impressed with the details and colors when streaming Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker from Disney Plus, videos from YouTube, and more. In almost every case the stream started up in high definition; in the rare instances where it didn’t, it resolved itself usually within a minute.

It did crash once, though, as I was exiting Disney Plus to return to the Google home screen.

Chromecast with Google TV 4K: Search

What Google device would be complete without search? A Google Assistant button on the remote not only lets you search for movies and TV shows by name, genre, actor and more, but can also leverage Google search engine for more general inquiries. Check out our TiVo Stream 4K review to check out the other big Android TV streamer.

For example, I asked Google Assistant to show pizza places near me, and it returned a list of all the slice joints near me. Selecting one of the options opens the same Google card as you’d find if searching on Google Maps. However, you can’t view the menu, look up directions, or select the phone number to call the establishment. If you ask Assistant to get you directions, it will give you an overview on the TV, and send directions to your phone.

As imperfect as it is, Google’s search proved better than Alexa on the Amazon Fire TV Cube; while that device also pulled up a list of pizzerias, its directions were just an overview, and could not send them to my iPhone.

Chromecast with Google TV 4K: Smart home features

If you have a Nest Hello video doorbell, a Nest Cam, or some other compatible home security camera, you can ask Google Assistant to show you a feed from that device on your TV. Here is a list of cameras that work with Chromecast; not all may work with Chromecast with Google TV 4K right away. I was able to stream a feed from the Wyze Cam to my TV. 

This is the same feature as what Amazon offers with its Fire TV devices. Not surprisingly, Ring and Blink (which are owned by Amazon) don’t work with Chromecast with Google TV 4K. 

You can also use Google Assistant on the Chromecast with Google TV 4K to control other smart home devices, such as smart lights and smart thermostats. While it’s useful for turning things on and off on command, I’ve found that Alexa’s Routines make for a far better smart home assistant.

Chromecast with Google TV 4K: Verdict

While there’s a certain minimalist appeal to simply using your phone to beam content to your TV, I can see scores of people ditching their old Chromecast devices just so they can use the remote that comes with the Chromecast with Google TV 4K. 

And do bear in mind that the Google TV platform is set to get more features as it matures. 

As this Chromecast with Google TV 4K review has shown, this device has a few advantages over other streaming sticks. It has Google Assistant built in, which leverages the power of Google’s search engine; and, it’s also a Chromecast device, which makes it easy to beam pretty much anything you want to your TV. 

It’s a wonder why it took Google so long to come out with a device like this. Hopefully, though, the Continue Watching row will be fixed soon.

Knowing how to turn on spatial audio on iPhone is useful if you want to listen to music and video content using Apple's 360-degree sound format. 

Spatial audio creates an immersive surround effect when listening on compatible earbuds and headphones, including the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max. It's primarily available via the AirPods range of headphones, although Apple says spatial audio can also be used with any headphones that have support for Dolby Atmos by selecting Settings, Music, then Always On. For iOS 16 iPhone users, Dolby Atmos spatial audio detection is automatic.  

The format was introduced to enhance video playback, but there's now plenty of music content specially created or remixed for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio.

Learning how to turn on spatial audio on iPhone is really straightforward, and the steps in the guide below will show you.

How to turn on spatial audio on iPhone

1. Open Control Centre on your iPhone
2. Touch and hold the volume control
3. Select Spatial Audio
4. Toggle between Off, Fixed and Head Tracked

Read on to see detailed instructions for each step.

1. To open control center, swipe downwards from the top right of your iPhone's screen.

2. Tap and hold volume control.

3. With a music or video track playing, tap Spatial Audio.

4. Toggle between Off, Fixed and Head Tracked.

And that's all there is to it ― learning how to turn on spatial audio on iPhone really is that simple.

More: If you want to know about the difference between Fixed and Head Tracked spatial audio options, check out our useful guide to spatial audio and find out where you can get to listen to specially recorded or remixed content. For more audio-themed tutorials, why not read how to connect AirPods to a Windows PC, how to activate noise cancellation on the AirPods Pro, how to get Spotify Premium and how to use Spotify Karaoke. For more iPhone-related guides, why not start with how to delete contacts quickly on iPhone, how to quickly undo edits in iOS Photos or how to save battery life on iPhone.

Google is working on a replacement for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos called Project Caviar, and it aims to enhance the playback experience of YouTube.

Development still seems like it’s in the early stages, but it sounds like Google wants to avoid the licensing fees that Dolby charges for its premium HDR and spatial audio formats with an open-source alternative.

The details of Google’s plans were obtained by Protocol, who report that the formats would be made available for free and could one day “be more attractive to device manufacturers and consumers alike by adding functionality beyond what Dolby Atmos and Vision offer”.

Should Google succeed in the creation of the formats, we could see a reduced cost on devices that use the format, as those device manufacturers wouldn’t have to pay Dolby any fees for its formats.

The confusing world of AV formats and specifications 

If your eyes are glazing over at this point, you’re not alone. Keeping formats straight has long been a challenge in the AV community — their feature set changes frequently, device manufacturers sometimes aren’t forthcoming about which formats their devices support and some specifications, like HDMI 2.1, aren’t properly followed. 

All that said, the idea of an open-source format that would universally work on YouTube across all devices (especially new Android phones) is a win for everyone. You could buy a new TV, smartphone or laptop knowing that it would play videos in the highest possible quality and with spatial audio support. 

In a perfect world, all device makers would jump on board with this proposal and there would never be a format war ever again. Sadly, that’s not the world we live in.

What’s more likely to happen is that some device makers will continue to support Dolby while others will sign on with Google. That’s what we’ve already seen happen with HDR10+ — an HDR format that’s supported by Samsung on its QLED TVs — and Dolby Vision supported by Sony, LG, TCL and others.

Still, we can’t blame Google for trying to do something positive — even if it will likely lead to more confusion down the road.

The Sonos Arc, one of the best soundbars released in the last few years, will soon have two new rivals from audio designer Polk that deliver Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound from 11 built-in drivers and a wireless subwoofer.

Dubbed the Polk MagniFi Max AX and MagniFi Max AX SR, both support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming via Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast and Spotify Connect, plus there’s three 4K HDMI-in ports on the soundbars if you need to connect multiple devices. The less expensive MagniFi Max AX comes with a wireless subwoofer while the MagniFi Max AX SR comes with both a wireless sub and wireless rear speakers. 

In terms of pricing, the Polk MagniFi Max AX will come in at $799 while the Polk MagniFi Max AX SR will come in at $899 — the same price as the Sonos Arc. Both the new Polk soundbars will be out in October, with availability in stores and online.

Analysis: How effective is spatial audio from a soundbar?

Having tested an equal number of both soundbars and proper speakers in my time, I can say without a doubt that spatial audio from a soundbar typically pales in comparison to a dedicated wireless speaker with upfiring drivers. 

That's something soundbar makers like Sonos and Polk are working on, however.

In Polk's case, the new 'bars have the company's Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) technology that widens the sound stage using digital signal processing. The hope is that, with enough audio wizardry, the sound will feel just as immersive as if you had several separate speakers set up all around the room. 

Whatever SDA manages to add to the depth of the sound, having two wireless rear speakers with the MagniFi Max AX SR will help add some oomph to the rear channels  — something that Sonos can't claim with its standalone Arc soundbar.

Of course, like all products, we'll need to test the new Polk 'bars for ourselves before we can draw any conclusions. But, on paper at least, the Polk MagniFi Max AX and MagniFi Max AX SR are shaping up to be some real rivals to Sonos' living room audio supremacy.

On the hunt for a new soundbar that's not from Sonos or Polk? Check out the Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 and/or the Sony HT-A7000.

It’s a good day to be both an audio lover and a Disney fan. Apple and Disney have announced that the Disney Plus app on Apple TV streaming devices will now support spatial audio via Dolby Atmos. 

Dolby Atmos, for those who haven’t heard of it before, enables a more immersive experience than standard surround sound by adding virtual — and sometimes physical — height speakers to create a 3D soundscape. 

The feature was discovered by FlatPanelsHD and comes as part of update version 2.9.5 to the Disney Plus app on tvOS 15. When enabled, it will allow you to watch a number of movies — including some of the Marvel movies — in Apple spatial audio with any of the new AirPods, including the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max as well as the Apple HomePod speaker.

Before now, the Disney Plus app has been limited to 5.1 sound on the Apple TV 4K using Apple’s audio products, despite Dolby Atmos being inside the app.

The result of this update? Better sound going straight to your ears without disturbing anyone in the house — or, if you have kids, allowing them to watch their favorite films in spatial audio without having to listen to the soundtrack to Frozen for the umpteenth time.

Good day for Apple TV owners, bad day for Android TV owners 

The other interesting insight from FlatPanelsHD’s post is that some users are now experiencing difficulties with the Android TV and Google TV devices’ version of the Disney Plus app, claiming that their Dolby Atmos support is now broken.

That report was corroborated by Reddit users and 9to5Google, though FlatPanelsHD says that some users have now said that Dolby Atmos has returned to the platform after a server-side patch.

The good news is that, if it hasn’t already happened, soon both Android TV and Apple TV owners will be able to watch Disney Plus in Dolby Atmos without any issues.

Not an Apple TV 4K owner yet? Here are today’s best deals on one of the best streaming devices of 2022.

Netflix has begun to roll out a massive upgrade to the audio of some of its most popular shows including Stranger Things, The Witcher, The Adam Project, the Fear Street trilogy and Castlevania that will enable you to hear them in spatial audio without a Dolby Atmos speaker.

Thanks to some help from Sennheiser, Netflix is enabling standard two-channel speaker systems — like, say, your basic soundbar, headphones or even your TV’s built-in speakers — to produce spatial audio sound without the need for a surround system. Spatial audio adds extra immersion by creating a 3D sound space, making noises sound like they're coming from above you as well as on the left and right.

"Netflix spatial audio helps to translate the cinematic experience of immersive audio to any stereo, so the work creators do to bring you into the story happens no matter what device you use to watch Netflix," the company said in a post. 

To find spatial audio-enabled content, all you have to do is search for “spatial audio” in the Netflix search box and you should be able to see a list of all the titles available.

You can also read about how I tried the free Netflix spatial audio upgrade — and it blew me away.

Is this the death of Dolby Atmos? 

Not at all. While the roll out of spatial audio support on two-channel audio devices might seem like it could be a death sentence for higher-end systems and formats, you’re still going to be limited by the power output, speaker direction and clarity of your audio system. 

Although clever audio algorithms might allow you to play spatial audio from two 10W TV speakers, it won’t hold a candle to full 5.1.2 systems with upfiring speakers. To that end, you’ll still probably want to invest in one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars at some point to get the most clarity out of the spatial audio content.

What it does do, however, is introduce people to the idea of spatial audio who might not have tried it before. It’s a similar tactic to what Apple has done in the past by making spatial audio available via Apple Music and it opens the door to future innovation in the audio space.

Looking to buy a better sound system? Check out the Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 or the Sonos Arc, two of the top pick in our guide to the best soundbar.

Next: Thinking of cutting the cord? I just canceled cable TV and replaced it with this. And see why the MCU is floundering with Thor: Love and Thunder, and how one Netflix show is proving popular despite being torn apart by critics

The best Dolby Atmos soundbars are designed to deliver the immersive sound experience of a movie theater at home. All the models tested here have powerful Class D amplifiers, HDMI ports, and are compatible with the latest 3D sound formats to deliver high-quality immersive audio to match the 4K images (or higher) on screen.

Before you buy though, you will need to consider your room size and seating position. Choose one that's right for your screen size — you don't want it fouling the bottom of the picture or the remote control sensor — and has sufficient power to project sound in different directions around the room. Some — like the Samsung HW-Q990B soundbar that ranks the best 5.1 package — come with extra speakers for dedicated surround channels as well as a wireless subwoofer for high-octane bass. But most are standalone soundbars that make an ideal starting point to a Dolby Atmos home theater setup, but can be expanded with add-on surround speakers and/or a subwoofer at additional cost.

Our audio experts like to think of Dolby Atmos as 4K for your ears. Done properly it can take surround sound to the next level with even more immersive 3D audio via height channels that add another dimension. All these soundbars can be configured to your room and viewing position via easy setup modes to achieve an immersive movie theater experience.

We’ve reviewed the best Dolby Atmos soundbars in real-world domestic situations just as they would be used at home, and ranked each based on their sound performance with all kinds of movies and music, features, and value. To make sure you’re choosing the right soundbar for your TV, read on to find the perfect model for your room and pocket.

Best Dolby Atmos soundbar overall

When Sonos launched the Arc UItra, it had a tough job on its hands. The Arc was one of the most well regarded soundbars of all time, with top-notch Dolby Atmos, and smart home connectivity. The Arc Ultra swiftly dethroned the Arc, however, with even better surround performance, similar smart features, and some of the best sound quality for movies and TV that you can buy today.

The Dolby Atmos performance is better than just about any other single unit out there, with directional audio that works incredinly well. Bass response is solid without a sub, although some may want to add in the Sub 4 or Sub mini to really get the kind of low end hit that movies demand.

That's one of the biggest strengths of the bar; it's flexibility. A bar and sub combo are going to be more than enough for some people, while others might demand more. No worries — add in a couple of Era speakers for true surround duty, or even more for extra Atmos impact.

That does mean it can get pretty expensive, but the Dolby Atmos performance is well worth the outlay.

• Read the full Sonos Arc Ultra review

Best Dolby Atmos soundbar package

The Samsung HW-Q990B is the equivalent of the old home theater in a box packages. Buy one and right out of the box you have yourself an 11.1.4 surround sound system that is powerful and sleek while still being easy to set up and install.

If you like your soundbars loud and don’t have neighbors to worry about, you’re going to love it. With a claimed 656W total power output, it’s hard not to be impressed by the output of this speaker. The Adaptive Sound uses built-in microphones to adjust the output to your surroundings, and can help boost the height speakers. In terms of clarity and depth of sound, there’s a lot to like here and delivers detailed audio and impressive Dolby Atmos sound. See where it ranks on our best soundbars page.

It’s not quite as feature-complete as we’d like at this price point, but if you’re looking for a strong soundbar that can rattle the windows, the Samsung HW-Q990B is worth auditioning in your home theater.

• Read our full Samsung HW-Q990B review

Best Dolby Atmos soundbar for audiophiles

The Panorama 3 is Bowers & Wilkins' most affordable soundbar to date. It's more costly than the Sonos Arc but if it’s sound quality you prize, then the Panorama 3 is worth every penny. The 3.1.2 speaker configuration integrates forward-firing left, right and center channels and for cinematic rumble and punch there a two built-in subwoofer drivers along with Dolby Atmos Elevation drive units.

Powered by a total of 400 watts of Class D amplification, means the Panorama 3 can deal with those big dynamic shifts so beloved of cinema the world over without breaking sweat and is expressive and articulate where music is concerned too. It's extremely well judged and coherent with all kinds of music and movie content, while Dolby Atmos content projects well beyond the confines of the speaker cabinet, and in all directions. There’s real width to the soundstage the Bowers & Wilkins establishes, and there’s a proper sensation of movement as effects pan from one side of the stage to the other as soundtracks are served up with plenty of confidence and no little style.

• Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 review

Best high-end Dolby Atmos soundbar

Never knowingly understated, Devialet's Dione soundbar manages to bring a little of the high-end company's customary design drama to the world of do-it-all, add-on TV speakers. In keeping with much of its luxury output, the Dione is properly expensive, strikingly stylish, and a full-on 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos affair, designed to deliver a surround-sound experience from a single unit.

Given a full-on, action-packed Dolby Atmos soundtrack to deal with, the Dione is a dynamic, expansive and quite nuanced listen. For a soundbar that goes without the low-frequency reinforcement of a partnering subwoofer, the straightforward amount of bass it’s able to produce really is quite remarkable. ‘Punch’ and ‘rumble’ are both available, and are of an order of magnitude that eludes all but the most accomplished of the Devialet’s rivals. Width and height soundstage elements are deeply effective, which all adds up to a must-hear soundbar if you happen to have deep pockets and are looking for one of the best-sounding and most elegant Dolby Atmos soundbar solutions on the market right now.

• Read our full Devialet Dione review

Best Dolby Atmos soundbar for Bose ecosystems

The Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar may look identical to the Smart Soundbar 900 (below), but it integrates a wealth of additional features aimed to boost the TV viewing experience though machine learning and artificial intelligence. It uses nine speakers to create the best sound experience possible for your TV room with proprietary TrueSpace technology to deliver 5.1.2 audio channels with Dolby Atmos spatial audio content. Additionally, Bose's AI Dialogue Mode technology automatically adjust tonal balance to boost voice clarity without impacting on the immersive sound effect.

As a TV speaker to improve on a screen's built-in speakers, the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar is a good option in a compact form with plenty of attractive features. It's one of the easiest soundbars I've encountered to install and set up thanks to the remarkably solid Bose Music app, and the room calibration mode is surprisingly effective. The sound is warm and expansive for the most part, but bass levels can struggle when action move demands get too high. Its multiroom capabilities are a plus if you already own other Bose products, and help make the Ultra Soundbar a solid pick for fans of its ecosystem.

• Read the full Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar review

Best Dolby Atmos soundbar with clear dialog

The Ambeo Soundbar Plus has a significantly smaller footprint than Sennheiser's Ambeo Max, and is more akin to the size of the Sonos Arc (see above). Despite its more diminutive size, it claims 400W power output to 7.1.4 channels — to you and I that's seven active full range speaker channels, plus one sub bass, and four up-firing height channels.

Like its 'Max' brother, the Soundbar Plus uses Ambeo virtualization tech to deliver Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Sony 360 Reality Audio soundtracks, as well as up-mixing stereo TV and music content. It's not quite the same as having dedicated surround speaker behind you, but can be more effective when it comes to delivering an immersive viewing experience.

During my testing, I found the Sennheiser's Ambeo Plus gave a big boost to TV sound with an immersive performance that delivers a big room-filling sound to match today's vibrant TV images. For the best bass performance with high-octane movies, though, you'll want to add the matching Ambeo sub. Sonically, it's a worthy addition, and you can even add multiple subs into your setup, but, of course, it's an extra outlay that pushes the already high price for a single soundbar even higher.

• Read our full Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus review

How to choose

4 things to consider when choosing the best Dolby Atmos soundbar

As with selecting any soundbar, it is important to consider a number of factors when deciding which particular model is right for you.

1. Get the right size: Size will likely be prohibitive for many customers — you obviously need a soundbar that will fit neatly with your TV in terms of screen size and available space, and that looks right as the centerpiece of your home theater setup. Some of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars in this guide are particularly wide (the Sony measures around 51-inches), which is how they manage to achieve such an immersive soundstage that appears extend far beyond the width of your TV screen.

It is also important to consider in the size of the room you're dealing with, and the distance viewers would typically be sitting from the TV. If you have a large space, it's probably best to target soundbars that come with or where you can add a subwoofer — we think you'll appreciate the extra bass this will bring.

2. Connectivity: This is crucial too, both in terms of wired and wireless access. You're going to want HDMI with eARC/ARC to set up your soundbar with a single physical cable, and your going to want to make sure the latest wireless connectivity is available with Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth support.

3. Content: For Dolby Atmos features, you're going to want to consider how you access this kind of content — support for the audio format is growing but it's not available everywhere yet. You may need to subscribe to a particular plan to get access to Dolby Atmos content, so check what your particular plan offers.

4. Price: A Dolby Atmos soundbar generally costs a bit more, but prices are getting more competitive, and in many cases could even form the basis of a much more ambitious surround sound setup, incorporating dedicated wireless surround speakers and a wired or wireless subwoofer, for example.

How we test the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

As more and more soundbars come with support for the Dolby Atmos format, the big difference between Atmos and traditional surround sound soundbars is that (with the right content), you'll hear sound move up and down and not just side-to-side. This brings an extra sense of cinematic realism to your viewing at home when, say, a car flies overhead in an action movie.

With multiple drivers covering a wide sound area in front of your screen, as well as side- and upward-firing speakers driven by sophisticated digital signal processing to bring an extra dimension to movie soundscapes, a Dolby Atmos soundbar makes an effective sound upgrade for most screen's built-in speakers.

When testing for inclusion in our best Dolby Atmos soundbars page, we play a range of media — including movies, music and games — in order to evaluate overall sound quality. We also test any companion software that may come with a soundbar, and factor in how easy it is to set up and use each device.

Once testing is completed, we rate the best soundbars based on our five-point system (1 = worst, 5 = best). Products that hit nearly every mark are awarded an Editor's Choice badge.

Contributions from: Simon Lucas, Michael Gowan, Nick Pino

More from Tom's Guide

• Pair your Dolby Atmos soundbar with the best TVs for any budget
• 5 best TV sound upgrades I've tested
• How to test Dolby Atmos is working on your soundbar

Never knowingly understated, the Devialet Dione soundbar manages to bring a little of the high-end company's customary design drama to the world of do-it-all, add-on TV speakers. In keeping with much of its luxury output, the Dione is properly expensive, strikingly stylish, and a full-on 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos affair, designed to deliver a surround-sound experience from a single unit (albeit a sizable one).

Specification is extensive, build quality is unarguable and the finish is flawless. Connectivity is adequate, control options are effective (even though it goes without a remote control) and performance… well, performance is authentically startling.

Devialet Dione review: Price and availability

• One of the most expensive soundbars we've seen
• Up against some serious competition

The Devialet Dione is priced at $2,399 / £1,990 / AU$3,999 and available from the Devialet website and online retailers including Best Buy, World Wide Stereo and SSense. This, it hardly needs observing, is serious money for a one-piece soundbar no matter how visually or technically impressive it might be. 

Certainly Samsung isn't asking as much for its 11.1.4-channel HW-Q990B soundbar that also includes dedicated rear speakers plus a separate subwoofer. In fact, even the all-conquering Sennheiser Ambeo that ranks as one of the 5 best TV sound upgrades we've tested is the only self-contained soundbar we can think of with a similar price-tag — which means the Devialet has set itself up against some prodigious opposition.

Update: Devialet has added an Opéra de Paris version. Finished in white with a 22-carat moon gold central plate, the new edition is said to be inspired by the gilded interiors and iconic style of the Paris Opéra Garnier. The luxury finish is available now priced at $2,900 / £2,400 through the Devialet website and specialist audio retailers.

 Devialet Dione review: Design

• Eye-catching high-end design
• Wall mount with caution

If there’s one thing even a passing acquaintance with the Devialet brand teaches you, it’s that the company takes industrial design very seriously indeed. Devialet products always look like no other and is partly why its Dione soundbar looks like an over-engineered golf-ball crashed into the middle of it.

That ‘golf ball’ is, in fact, a spherical center channel speaker Devialet calls ‘ORB’, and is actually very nicely integrated into the otherwise-predictable sleek, low profile of the overall soundbar. The Dion can be positioned on a shelf or mounted on the wall — and the ‘ORB’ can be physically rotated to take account of the bar’s table-top or wall-mounted position. 

It's sleek shape actually translates to 3.5 x 47.2 x 6.5in (H x W x D) — so the Dione needs to accompany a biggish TV and, if it’s to sit on the same shelf, a TV with enough clearance between the shelf and the bottom of the screen. A weight of 26.5 pounds (around 6 pounds heavier than the Sony HT-A7000), means a structural wall is essential to carry the Devialet load securely.

Devialet Dione review: Configuration and features

• Full-range 5.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos sound
• Total output power rated at 950W RMS

Devialet intends the Dione to deliver full-on, full-range 5.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos sound, and to that end has fitted the soundbar with no fewer than 17 neodymium speaker drivers and 950 watts of power. When the soundbar is sitting on a shelf, four aluminum long-throw subwoofers and two aluminum full-range drivers — plus the center channel — face forwards, four aluminum full-range drivers (two at each end of the bar) face upwards to provide audio elevation, another full-range aluminum driver fires from each end for some sonic width, and four more aluminum long-throw subwoofers fire from the rear of the cabinet. Shift the soundbar’s orientation to hang it on a wall and the drivers that previously faced forwards now fire upwards, the drivers that used to fire upwards now face outwards and the rear speakers continue in their role (though their left/right output is reversed) and, of course, the ORB is rotated to face the right way.

All clear? Even if it’s not, don’t worry — the Dione has gyroscopes, so it always knows which way is up. And at the very least, it should be obvious Devialet has gone to its usual exhaustive lengths.

As far as processing is concerned, Devialet has — as is its established practice — embedded digital-to-analogue conversion circuitry in its Devialet Intelligence processor. Here it’s working at a 24bit/96kHz resolution.

While the Dione is all about Dolby Atmos, it’s not able to deal with the DTS:X equivalent (which is a very minor loss, to be honest). It features a number of EQ settings and processing protocols designed to extract the biggest audio experience possible from lesser digital audio files, though, thanks to its ‘Space’ technology. ‘Movie Mode’ takes any mono or two-channel signal and upscales it to fill the soundbar’s 5.1.2 configuration, ‘Voice Mode’ is designed for use with podcasts, news channels and other dialogue-centric content, and ‘Music Mode’ restricts the speaker’s output to stereo.

No matter the mode in which you intend to use the Dione, though, it’s well worth running the (very brief) ‘Auto Calibration’ procedure that’s part of the control app. It’s very effective.

Devialet Dione review: Connectivity

• No HDMI pass-through
• UPnP-compatible to enable access to locally stored content

There are a few physical connections in a recess at the rear of the Dione. As well as a figure-eight mains socket, there’s an Ethernet input, a digital optical socket and a HDMI eARC. The lack of HDMI pass-through seems as penny-pinching, but unless your TV is particularly connection-heavy it is unlikely to be too problematic.

Wireless connectivity extends to dual-band wi-fi, Bluetooth 5.0, Spotify Connect and Apple AirPlay 2. And it’s UPnP-compatible if you’ve content stored on a local network.

Devialet Dione review: Controls

• Devialet app control via devices 
• Some touch controls on soundbar's surface

When you spend this sort of money on, well, any item of home entertainment equipment, you expect a remote control. Right? Well, the Dione goes without. Instead, you can use the (admirably stable and useful) Devialet app, the smattering of capacitive touch controls on the soundbar’s surface or, of course, your TV’s remote control (provided you’ve made an HDMI eARC connection between the screen and the soundbar). 

It’s easy to control the Dione, so quite why the omission of a dedicated remote handset feels a bit mean is unsure. It definitely does, though. Oh, and there’s no voice-assistant capability, either — and yet somehow that seems less of an omission. 

Devialet Dione review: Sound quality

• Exceptional scale and and dynamics
• Big movie and music sound delivered with plenty of control and clarity

As long as you bear in mind that, price notwithstanding, the Devialet Dione is ‘just’ a soundbar, its sonic performance can’t fail to impress. As far as sheer scale and low-frequency presence are concerned, the Devialet has very few realistic competitors.

Given a full-on, action-packed Dolby Atmos soundtrack to deal with, the Dione is a dynamic, expansive and quite nuanced listen — but, first and foremost, it’s dynamic. For a soundbar that goes without the low-frequency reinforcement of a partnering subwoofer, the straightforward amount of bass it’s able to produce is remarkable. It delves deep into the frequency range (Devialet is claiming extension down to 24Hz, which seems all too credible), hitting hard but controlling the low-end stuff pretty well — it certainly doesn’t bloom or put any pressure on the midrange in any other way. ‘Punch’ and ‘rumble’ are both available, and both are of an order of magnitude that eludes all but the most accomplished of the Devialet’s rivals.

At the opposite end, there’s decent shine and bite to treble sounds, despite the lack of any dedicated tweeters. There’s a crisp level of attack to the highest frequencies, which complements the bass activity nicely.

It’s in the midrange, though, that the Dione is perhaps most impressive. The ORB center channel proves direct, detailed and endlessly informative — even without ‘Voice Mode’ engaged, the Dione projects voices ahead of the mayhem that might be occurring all around them, and it defines dialogue with assurance.

The entirety of the frequency range hangs together well, and though the Devialet is keen to demonstrate its low-end prowess, the overall presentation never sounds too lop-sided.

It also sounds enjoyably expansive. Genuine surround-sound is in predictably short supply, but the stage the Dione presents at front is far wider, deeper and taller than the soundbar from which it emanates. There’s real width to the Devialet sound and, while the upward-firing drivers will never fool you into thinking there are speakers above you, the height the Dione can generate from an appropriate soundtrack is considerable.

Even if you partner the Devialet with a properly big television (55-inches and above), the sound it produces will comfortably exceed the dimensions of the screen. And even in extremis, when the on-screen action is all kicking off and every part of the frequency range is trying to outdo the others, the control and clarity of the Dione is never in question.

For music (unless it’s been mixed for Dolby Atmos, of course), it’s best to use ‘Music Mode’ to listen in stereo — otherwise the spatial effect can sound quite forced and unnatural. But all of the positives of the Devialet’s movie performance are carried over — and, if anything, the midrange positivity is even more welcome and enjoyable. Big volumes can produce a hint of edginess at the top of the frequency range, it’s true — but then ‘big’ in the context of the Devialet Dione’s output is very big indeed.

Devialet Dione review: Verdict

So it turns out the Devialet Dione has only one meaningful rival — and in some ways, this is a preferable product to Sennheiser’s mighty (and mightily functional-looking) Ambeo soundbar. It’s certainly the better-looking of the two, and the Devialet has, if anything, even greater midrange fidelity, and its positional flexibility is superior. 

If you’re after as much of the effect of a full-on, multi-part Dolby Atmos surround-sound speaker system from a single unit, the Dione is thrillingly fit for purpose. The ‘surround’ sensation doesn’t really exist, in all honesty — but as far as width and height are concerned, the Dione is deeply effective. And for a soundbar without a partnering subwoofer, its low-frequency presence, extension, control and straightforward wallop is remarkable.

If you're luck enough to have the budget for a surround-sound system but would prefer a soundbar, you need to hear the Devialet Dione.

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With some of the best TVs on the market, LG has just released details of a new lineup of powerful soundbars designed to boost your home theater experience with immersive Dolby Atmos and DTS:X format support, and up-firing center speakers. 

There are six new models in all, including the flagship S95QR ($1,799), S90QY ($1,199), S80QR ($TBC), S80QY ($899), S75Q ($599) and S65Q ($399). Although we've yet to get hands on with any of the models in the new lineup, it's the flagship S95QR that looks to be the most interesting for its 810W total power output claim, making it LG's most powerful soundbar to date.

A 9.1.5-channel configuration, it uses 15 speakers throughout the surround sound speaker package, and incorporates dedicated wireless rear surrounds and a wireless subwoofer. 

The S95QR soundbar itself employs three up-firing height speakers (which includes a brand new up-firing center driver), plus there are two further up-firing drivers in the wireless rears. All woofers in the S95QR have been upgraded over previous flagship designs to larger models that aim to deliver deeper bass notes said to emulate the immersive sound of a movie theater. 

The wireless rear speakers of the S95QR package have also been upgraded with four front/side drivers — along with the two aforementioned up-firing drivers. The enhanced configuration is said to distribute sound evenly across a wider area, and facilitates flexible speaker placement for a more immersive sound experience no matter what size room they're placed in.

Power share

Compatible with special features when used with LG OLED TVs, LG’s TV Sound Mode Share aims to deliver the best of both worlds by using the TV’s superior audio processing capabilities but relying on the richer-sounding soundbar drivers (and subwoofers, where included) to pump out the processed sound.

Even if you don’t match one of the new LG soundbars with one of its TVs, the new lineup offers some well-featured speaker systems. Models including the flagship S95QR through to the S75Q support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats. HDMI eARC ports come as standard on all models with support for Dolby Vision pass-through as well as HDMI 2.1, and there's auto low latency mode (ALLM) for gamers who value in-sync onscreen action and audio too. Room calibration is said to be improved, and there's compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

As with several of its most recent soundbars, the audio output of LG's 2022 soundbar lineup has been tuned by Meridian Audio. The British audio specialist has also contributed its Meridian Horizon tech, which converts two-channel stereo sound into a multi-channel audio experience for surround sound speaker setups.

Additionally, a new LG add-on called Wowcast ($99) enables wireless lossless multi-channel audio connectivity from any TV with an HDMI ARC/eARC port to Wi-Fi-enabled S95QR, S90QY, S80QY, S80QR soundbars.

All models are available via LG's website and select authorized LG dealers, and you can check our LG promo codes to see if you can snap one up at a discounted price. I for one am looking forward to getting to grips with the new flagship S95QR and seeing how it compares to the best Dolby Atmos soundbars we've seen so far.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro 2022 (from $1,299) is one of the first M2-powered Apple laptop to hit the market. While the design hasn't changed, Apple promises a leap in performance, whether you're editing photos or videos or running multiple applications at once.

And based on our tests, the M2 chip delivers, offering performance that destroys the best Windows laptops. The M2 also beats the M1 chip by a significant margin in various benchmarks. Plus, the new MacBook Pro 2022 delivers the longest battery life we've seen, surpassing 18 hours of endurance.

However, while this notebook sports a new slice of Apple silicon, the design shows its age. You get the same form factor, same ports, same display and same webcam. Meanwhile, the new MacBook Air 2022 offers a larger display with thinner bezels, a 1080p webcam and a thinner, lighter design.

It would be easy to say the new MacBook Pro isn’t worthwhile and that it’s better to get its modern cousin, the MacBook Air. There’s some truth to that sentiment, but it wouldn’t be wise to dismiss this product, which is still one of the best laptops for power users.

And while the MacBook Pro 13-inch is currently the longest-lasting laptop we've tested, the newly announced MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch 2023 launched with M2 Pro and M2 Max power could potentially last even longer.

Read the rest of our full MacBook Pro 2022 review to see if it's worth the investment.

MacBook Pro 2022 review: Price and configurations 

• Starts at $1,299
• Upgradable to 24 GB of memory and 2 TB of storage
• 67W USB-C charger included

The M2-powered MacBook Pro is available now for a starting price of $1,299 on Apple’s website. This is identical to its predecessor, though it’s $100 more than the $1,199 starting price of the MacBook Air 2022.

The base model features a 13.3-inch (2560 x 1600) display, an M2 processor with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 8 GB of unified memory and 256 GB of storage. You can upgrade up to 24 GB of unified memory and 2 TB of storage if you’re willing to pay $2,499. Our review unit came with 16 GB of unified memory and 1 TB of storage, costing $1,899 as configured.

All configurations come with a 67W USB-C power adapter. You can opt for either a silver or space gray finish.

MacBook Pro 2022 review: Design and ports 

• Same design as 2020 M1 MacBook Pro
• Touch Bar included
• Only two Thunderbolt ports

The MacBook Pro 2022 features the same unibody aluminum design that has been around for the better part of a decade. The laptop isn't unattractive, but the thick bezels and the infamous Touch Bar make this new laptop appear dated when compared to the contemporary MacBook Pro 14-inch, MacBook Pro 16-inch and MacBook Air 2022.

Port selection is minimal, with only two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports on the left and a headphone jack on the right. There are no configurations featuring additional ports.

In all fairness, the new MacBook Air has the same number of ports as the MacBook Pro. However, since the Air has MagSafe charging, you can argue that it has more available ports than the MacBook Pro 2022.

MacBook Pro 2022 review: Display 

• Sharp 13.3-inch Retina Display screen
• Can get fairly bright

As with design, the MacBook Pro has the same 13.3-inch Retina Display as its predecessor. The screen delivers sharp images and vibrant colors. If you’re watching the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth trailer on YouTube or enjoying Prehistoric Planet on Apple TV+, you won’t be disappointed by the overall picture quality.

This Retina Display doesn’t have the jaw-dropping image quality of the MacBook Pro 14-inch’s gorgeous mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR screen, which is disappointing. Perhaps it’s unfair of me to ask, but it would have been nice to see a machine with “Pro” in its name have an improved panel. 

Per our lab tests, the MacBook Pro 2022 achieved an average of 474.6 nits of standard brightness and 490 nits of HDR brightness. Though lower than the advertised 500 nits of brightness, it’s brighter than the M1 MacBook Pro’s 439 average. 

According to our colorimeter, the 13-inch MacBook Pro’s display produces 109.4% of the sRGB color gamut (the closer to 100%, the better). Interestingly enough, this number is slightly lower than the 111% produced by its M1-powered predecessor. As for the DCI-P3 color gamut test, the MacBook Pro 2022 registered 77.5%, which is lower than the M1 MacBook Pro’s 79.2%.

MacBook Pro 2022 review: Audio 

• Powerful speakers
• Good enough for music listening

The stereo speakers on the MacBook Pro 13-inch are just as great as before, delivering clear and punchy sound that fills an entire room.

The audio in programs like Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast or YouTube videos from UrAvgConsumer sound clean and crisp — making you feel as if you're in the room with those shows' respective hosts and guests. Songs like Dio’s Egypt (the chains are on) and Arch Enemy’s Sunset Over the Empire are lacking in bass but sound much better than they would on most laptop speakers.

While the 14-inch MacBook Pro's speakers have better sound, the M2 MacBook Pro's audio is still quite impressive. However, the Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7 with its Bowers and Wilkins speaker system trounces them both in the audio department.

MacBook Pro 2022 review: Performance 

• M2 processor has stronger performance over M1
• Handles video transcoding with ease
• Solid for everyday work

Apple promised better performance from the M2 chip powering the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Though the new processor isn’t powerful as the M1 Pro and M1 Max chip, it’s a huge improvement over the original M1 chip. As things stand, this is the most powerful baseline 13-inch MacBook Pro the company has ever released.

On Geekbench 5.4, which measures overall performance, the MacBook Pro 2022 scored 8,911 on the multicore portion of the test. This is well above the M1 MacBook Pro’s 7,571 score on Geekbench 5.3. However, the beastly M1 Pro-driven MacBook Pro 14-inch scored an incredible 12,477.

The new Apple laptop runs circles around the best Windows laptops, defeating notebooks like the Asus Zenbook 13 OLED (6,411) and Dell XPS 13 OLED (5,420) in the same performance test. The Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7 (7,140) came close to reaching the previous MacBook Pro's score but even it can't reach the heights achieved by the new M2 laptop.

The MacBook Pro delivered impressive results in our Handbrake video-editing test, which involves transcoding a 4K clip to 1080p. It transcoded a video in 6 minutes and 51 seconds, whereas the M1 MacBook Pro achieved the same task in 7 minutes and 46 seconds.

The Dell XPS 13 OLED took a leisurely 18 minutes and 12 seconds and the Yoga 9i needed over 12 minutes. Note that we have yet to test the new Dell XPS 13 with a 12th gen Intel chip, so we expect better performance. 

As for our PugetBench test, which performs 21 tasks (three times per run) in PhotoShop, the MacBook Pro notched a score of 817 and a time of 4 minutes and 54 seconds. In contrast, the M1 MacBook Pro scored 576.6 and took 7 minutes and 3 seconds. That's a significant improvement. 

For my own purposes, which mostly involves word processing, surfing the web, watching YouTube videos and Slack messaging, the MacBook Pro was more than capable. The laptop never chugged, even when I had well over 20 open Chrome tabs while texting on Discord and running YouTube.

I also never heard the laptop’s fans kick in. Granted, I’m not a video or audio editor who pushes productivity laptops to the limit, but it’s still nice working on a notebook that remains quiet — which is something I couldn’t say about the Intel-powered MacBooks of old.

A strange quirk with the basic MacBook Pro M2's SSD has been discovered - it's actually slower than the old M1 MacBook Pro, which also has an impact on overall performance.

MacBook Pro 2022 review: Graphics and gaming 

• Gaming performance is lacking
• Tested titles couldn't hit 60 frames per second

The M2 chip is a monster when it comes to video and audio editing. However, in terms of gaming, it’s a major disappointment — even with titles optimized for Macs.

At 1920 x 1200 resolution and Very High graphical settings, Rise of the Tomb Raider achieved an average of only 25 frames per second. The M1 MacBook Pro saw similar results when running at 1440 x 900. Though the MacBook Pro 14-inch failed to reach a desired 60 fps, it still managed to achieve an acceptable 39 fps on average. Lara Croft deserves better than this.

Even with Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm running at 51 frames per second compared to the M1 MacBook Pro’s 38 fps average, it’s clear that Macs still aren’t highly capable gaming machines yet. Perhaps Metal 3 could be the gaming ace up Apple's sleeve, which is arriving with macOS Ventura, but as things stand, gaming on Macs isn’t yet up to snuff.

If you want one of the best gaming laptops with MacBook Pro portability, then you'd do well to consider rigs like the Alienware x14 or Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.

MacBook Pro 2022 review: Keyboard, touchpad and Touch Bar 

• Magic Keyboard delivers comfortable writing experience
• Touchpad is smooth and responsive
• It has a Touch Bar? Really?

The MacBook Pro 2022’s Magic keyboard is roomy enough to comfortably type on for long stretches. I wrote and edited this entire review on the laptop without missing a beat.

The backlit keys provide a good level of resistance when pressed. I type pretty hard but didn’t feel that the keys were fragile to work on. I wish the keys made a proper “click” sound instead of a dull thud, but that’s a small complaint that frequent laptop users won’t have. I am, after all, a mechanical keyboard enthusiast.

The touchpad is just as roomy and responsive as the keyboard. Its smooth surface makes it easy to swipe and perform gestures. I’m not a fan of the hollow sound produced when clicking on the touchpad, but enabling “Tap to click” in system preferences resolved that. Who says Apple doesn’t let you customize anything?

I have mixed feelings about the Touch Bar. While I don’t necessarily hate the OLED touchscreen resting above the number keys, I would have preferred proper function keys. Considering how last year’s Pro models did away with the Touch Bar, it’s strange to see it in the 2022 MacBook Pro. This is another design aspect that makes this new machine feel outdated.

MacBook Pro 2022 review: Webcam 

• 720p webcam quality is adequate at best

Speaking about holdovers from the past, let’s discuss the laptop’s middling webcam. In a world where so many people rely on video conferencing for work and to keep up with loved ones, a 720p camera is less than ideal. This is doubly true when 2021’s MacBook Pros and the new MacBook Air all pack 1080p cameras.

With that said, the picture quality isn’t horrendous. The image is somewhat grainy and washed out, but you’re still going to look presentable to whomever you’re speaking to. Apple said the M2 helps improve the 720p webcam’s overall image quality and, based on my experience, I have to say this is mostly true. Acceptable or not, it’s hard to give a 720p webcam a pass.

MacBook Pro 2022 review: Battery life and heat 

• Epic battery life
• Remains cool, even after long sessions

The M1 MacBook Pro was a long-lasting laptop that didn’t produce a lot of heat. Thankfully, the same is true of its M2-powered replacement. In fact, it's one of the longest-lasting laptops we've ever tested.

In our Tom’s Guide battery test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of screen brightness, the MacBook Pro 2022 lasted for 18 hours and 20 minutes. This isn’t quite the 20 hours of battery life Apple promised, but it's still extremely impressive. In contrast, the new Pro outstrips its M1 predecessor (16:25) and the MacBook Pro 14-inch (14:08). Put simply, the MacBook Pro can last for an entire work day and beyond.

By comparison, the Snapdragon 8cx-powered Lenovo Flex 5G lasted 17 hours and 28 minutes back in 2020. And among current laptops, according to Laptop Mag's list of laptops with the best battery life, the closest competitor is the Dell Latitude 9510 with a runtime of 18:17. 

Like the 2020 M1 MacBook Pro, this laptop doesn’t get overly warm. Its underside reached a maximum temperature of 85 degrees, which is ten degrees lower than what we consider to be uncomfortably hot for a laptop. Likewise, the touchpad never went above 79 degrees.

This is one of, if not, the coolest-running and quietest laptops I’ve ever used.

 MacBook Pro 2022 review: Software

• macOS 12 Monterey works well with M2 chip

macOS 13 Ventura is due to launch in Fall 2022. As such, the M2 MacBook Pro comes with the current macOS 12 Monterey. If you want to know what this operating system is all about, read our full macOS 12 Monterey review.

I’m still fairly new to macOS, but as a long-time Windows user, I find Apple’s operating system easy to use and navigate. Apps open up the instant I click on them and I’m able to keep a large number on screen without any noticeable slowdown. This is due not only to macOS being a well-designed operating system but because of the M2 chip under the hood. It’ll be interesting to see what macOS Ventura can do for M2-powered Macs.

MacBook Pro 2022 review: Verdict 

I was initially skeptical of the MacBook Pro 2022 when it was revealed at WWDC 2022. M2 processor notwithstanding, the "new" laptop's design looked archaic compared to the sleek and modern MacBook Air 2022. The fact you’re paying just $100 more over the thinner laptop made it even harder to justify.

Though I maintain that the new MacBook Air is the overall better deal, my feelings toward the Pro have changed after extensive hands-on testing. The new 13-inch Pro is a very capable laptop for professionals. Objectively, it's one of the best laptops you can buy.

The 13-inch Pro's active cooling system, 10-GPU cores as standard and insanely long battery arguably make this laptop worth the premium. And while the M2 chip might not be as powerful as the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors, it’s far beyond the M1. As I said before, this is the most powerful 13-inch base-model MacBook Pro Apple has ever produced.

Design aside, the MacBook Pro 2022 is a definitive improvement over its predecessor. It even blows away the beloved MacBook Air with M1. Because of that, the new MacBook Pro has earned a spot on our best laptops list.

If you need a laptop that can deliver sustained performance and unmatched battery life, the MacBook Pro 2022 is a worthwhile investment. This is especially true for those who are still lugging around an Intel-powered Apple laptop. But if you don’t require a machine for creative projects, you might want to go for the new Air, or wait for a MacBook Pro M2 Pro.