Soundbars have come a long way in the last few years, offering excellent sound while taking up less space and costing less. Bars that won't bankrupt you, come with the best streaming devices or smart assistants built-in, and create powerful sound without relying on subs or rear speakers are some of the criteria for the best soundbars. The small, reasonably priced package of the Sonos Beam will impress you with its massive sound, but there are many other great options to consider.

Sonos Beam Gen 2

(Image credit: Sonos)

Sonos Beam Smart TV Sound Bar (Gen 2)

All of the smarts.

You get the best soundbar with basic smarts with the Sonos Beam. The included HDMI-to-Optical adapter allows you to connect your TV with the Sonos Beam. The ability to integrate products has been brought about by a recent update. Most modern sets support HDMI-CEC, which will allow you to control your TV with your voice. It isn't a replacement for a remote, but it is an excellent option.

It is easy to add more speakers to create a surround system. You will get a single HDMI port, a single Ethernet port, and a standard AC power input. You can get a great soundbar with the Sonos Beam. A few months later, you can get a couple of speakers to add more channels. You can buy a kit with everything you need to make a great system.

If you want to experience better lows in your movies and video games, you'll want to get a sub after the fact. It adds more punch to intense scenes and helps to immerse you in whatever you are watching or playing. The Beam creates a wide soundstage with an effective low-end sound all on its own.

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Sonos Arc Review

(Image credit: Daniel Bader / Android Central)

Sonos Arc

The sound is great with the smarts.

You can now get the best Sonos speakers all over the house, because they're all on your phone. The Sonos Arc is the flagship model of the company and it has become a household name for TV audio. A total of 11 amplifications and three tweeters are included in the package. This is coupled with a microphone to work with your voice assistant.

If you don't want a complicated setup, the Arc requires only two cables to plug in. The Playbar has an optical audio port, an HDMI ARC port, and one Ethernet port. You can connect the Arc to other speakers in the same family for a surround sound experience.

It's a fantastic option, and we had almost nothing but praise for it in our Sonos Arc review, mainly because of the amazing sound from a soundbar without rear speakers. There are a couple of downfalls that may make you look elsewhere. It is more than 13 pounds and is 45 inches wide, so you will need a lot of space and heavy-duty wall anchors. The other pitfall is that you may not get as much punch in your movies as you want.

Creative SXFI Carrier

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

If you are looking for a powerful soundbar that1-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-65561-6556 Creative's latest soundbar is an excellent option for users who want a high-end sound system in an integrated package and need a wireless sub.

The SXFI Carrier doesn't offer wi-fi, but it does include two HDMI inputs, an HDMI output with eARC, and all the benefits of HDMI 2.1. You also get optical, 3.5 in, andusb-C.

The SXFI Carrier is a relatively small design, measuring 880 x 128 x 76mm and weighing 8 lbs. The weight is 3.6 kilograms. Creative has a 10-inch driver for next-level bass and sub-bass detail, seven driver units, and a unique SXFI technology.

Roku Streambar Pro

(Image credit: Roku)

Roku Streambar Pro

The true all-in-one system.

Our favorite of all the best Android TV boxes is the Chromecast with Google TV. If you have a lot of gaming consoles, cable boxes, or Blu-Ray players to connect, you will end up with two HDMI ports for your streaming box and soundbar.

The all-in-one solution you have been looking for is the Roku Streambar Pro. You will be able to enjoy 4K HDR content and upgraded audio thanks to its four full-range drivers and the streaming capabilities of a Roku Streaming Stick+ if you connect it to your 4K TV. It is small enough to slide under any TV, with side-firing drivers to fill a room with decent sound. You can upgrade to true surround sound with the help of a wireless speaker and a subwoofer.

The Streambar Pro checks all of the boxes when it comes to smart home compatibility. It's compatible with a number of digital assistants, including Apple's Siri. You will be able to control your smart home devices with the best phones, regardless of your smart home platform.

Anker Nebula Soundbar

(Image credit: Anker Nebula)

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is one of the best streaming devices. What if we told you that you could get a built in sound system? You will get that with the Nebula Soundbar. The company is known for its amazing charging accessories, but it has branched out into other areas such as smart projectors and soundbars.

You will not have to worry about trying to route any extra cables or paying extra for better bass because this soundbar has a built-in sub. It's also a Fire TV 4K streaming device. The package includes a Nebula- branded Fire TV remote, which can be used with your favorite streaming services.

You will not get everything with the Nebula Soundbar. It doesn't support Dolby Atmos. It is a bit disappointing to see that the feature is missing. There is only one HDMI port on the backside. If you are planning on using this with your PS5 you will end up disappointed.

Bose Smart Soundbar 900

(Image credit: Bose)

Bose has been in the sound game for a long time, but its home theater audio options used to be too expensive for many potential owners. The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 system is proof that the times have changed. This 2.29-by-41.14-by-4.21-inch soundbar is priced and designed to compete directly with the Sonos Beam but has the premium Bose features we're used to from its more expensive models.

The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 has four full-range drivers and a central tweeter for distortion-free sound. You can use it to control your TV or cable box with the built-in microphone, or answer phone calls with the built-in microphone. It has several options for connecting to the internet, including Bose Simplesync to the best Bose headphones.

If you want to build a total home theater system, you can either buy a Bose Bass Module or a Bose Surround Speaker. We appreciate that the Smart Soundbar 900 is an audio experience until you can afford new audio tech.

Yamaha YAS-209BL

(Image credit: Yamaha)

Yamaha YAS-209BL Soundbar

Almost perfect.

Yamaha has released some of the best soundbar options in the past. The company has taken its experience and introduced another fantastic option. The Yamaha 209BL Soundbar is an improvement over its predecessor because of its surround sound and three-dimensional surround sound. The 209BL will fill every inch of your room to make you feel like a part of the movie.

The included remote or accompanying app can be used to stream music over the internet. You can get the right amount of bass for your favorite movie, TV show, or music playlist with the wireless sub packaged in the bundle.

The 209BL is excellent in many aspects, but there are a few frustrating omissions. There are three inputs, one for output, one for input, and a Digital Optical output port. You will only be able to use AmazonAlexa, which is already built-in, for smart home assistants. The benefits will not be able to be taken advantage of by the users. Apple Music, TIDAL, or YouTube Music are not supported by Yamaha.

Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX

(Image credit: Polk Audio)

Polk MagniFi Mini AX

It's sleek, smart, and powerful.

Polk is a company that provides great audio experiences in your home. The Polk MagniFi Mini AX has a few tricks up its sleeves that other soundbars cannot compete with. A standard optical port for your television and an auxiliary cable are included in the MagniFi Mini AX.

With smart home integration, you will have the added benefit of a built-in Chromecast, which will allow you to stream music over the internet, but not video. You can get that extra bass from your media without the need for any additional wires with the wireless sub that comes with the Mini AX.

While controlling your TV and soundbar with a single remote is nifty, we would have liked to see a more robust one from Polk. Basic controls are provided by the included remote. There is only a single HDMI port on this soundbar, so if you want to have multiple devices connected to the same device, you will be disappointed.

JBL 5.1 Soundbar System

(Image credit: JBL)

Millions of people have used the Google Assistant. More products are integrating Assistant.

The JBL Bar 5.1 is a perfect example of this, as the company worked with Google to integrate their services. There are three HDMI ports on board. If you don't want the microphone to be used for listening, you can get a privacy switch. The wireless surround sound speakers that detach from the primary soundbar are one of the most significant advantages. You can mount them in different areas of your room and charge them with the main soundbar.

Being a favorite for the best soundbar meant some sacrifice had to be made. You cannot add this to your Home Groups. It won't make or break your purchase, but it's something to be wary of when you get this soundbar. It is disappointing that the Bar 5.1's wireless speakers do not have a built in charging port.

Samsung HW-B650 3.1 Soundbar

(Image credit: Samsung)

It can be hard to switch your levels to match the content you are viewing. You can throw those worries out the window with the HW-B650 3.1 Soundbar. The adaptive sound mode adjusts the sound levels based on what you watch.

If you want to get the best experience possible, you need to have the HW-B650 plugged into one of the best TVs on the market. Even if you don't own a TV, the HW-B650 is still intriguing with its features. The connections include a single HDMI input, one HDMI output, an optical input, and a wireless connection.

One possible source of frustration is the included remote. It is not as reliable as previous versions. You can use your phone to replace the old remote.

Vizio M-Series 5.1 Soundbar

(Image credit: Vizio)

Most of the best soundbars cost over a grand, while the cheaper ones can only produce a pale imitation of 3D audio. The premium price that usually demands is not present with this Vizio soundbar, which comes with the speakers and subs necessary to bounce sound around your living room.

In our review, we praised the performance of the soundbar for its ability to fill a room with distinct objects and add depth to movie soundtracks. There were some issues with the remote control. The newer Vizio M-Series 5.1 Sound Bar improves on its flaws and retains all the strengths of its predecessor. The M51ax-J6 has a similar experience without the remote control. It adds even more depth to the sound.

If you want the best Atmos experience, you should buy the HW-Q90R or the SN11RG because they will add an extra thousand dollars to your bill. We are hesitant to recommend dropping that kind of cash unless you can afford it. Many of the other best soundbars on this list will not produce a wide, rich soundstage.

TCL Alto R1

(Image credit: TCL)

TCL Alto R1

Only owners of the Roku TV.

Some people don't need to dive into the deep end to find the best cheap soundbars. If you want a better audio experience and have a smaller budget, the TCL Alto 6 is a good choice. The Alto R1 is a good option for people with limited space.

There are several different sound modes to pair with the content you are enjoying, along with five hardware buttons on the soundbar to make adjustments. If you want to take advantage of theVersatility of the Alto R1, you can double as yourBluetooth speaker.

The biggest catch is that you can't use this with non-Roku TV sets. The Alto R1 doesn't have an HDMI port built into it, as the only other accessory is a power adapter. It doesn't have the same features as it does, but that isn't surprising considering the price. The Alto R1 has a downside that you can't control with a smart assistant.

The best soundbars come in small packages

Shapes and sizes of soundbars are available. Larger soundbars have more room for bigger drivers and built-in subs, but they can be expensive. Smaller soundbars can do a better job of spreading rich sound across the entire room than larger ones. You can go wrong either way, but the Sonos Beam is our pick for the best soundbar. It gives you superb audio quality for a surround sound experience, with the option of augmenting it with other Sonos speakers for even better sound down the line.

There are some negatives. Unless you invest in a separate Sonos Sub, the bass isn't particularly strong. It only supports voice commands if connected via a high-definition television. It doesn't play the soundtracks from the movies. If that is not a deal-breaker, it is still the best affordable soundbar you can find today.