Soundbar buying guide
The Best Soundbars of 2026
Our 2026 soundbar picks: Samsung's HW-Q990H for a full system, the HW-Q800H under $1,000, Hisense's AX5140Q for surround on a budget, and what fits under your TV.
Soundbar prices don't track the testing. The bars we cover run from $113.99 for a Roku to $1,497.99 for a Samsung system, and RTINGS rates the $399.99 Hisense AX5140Q great for movies while calling the $1,090.98 Bose Lifestyle Ultra satisfactory. What's in the box matters more than the badge on the front: a sub, rear speakers, or neither.
Width matters too. A bar that's wider than your TV's picture hangs past the screen, and two of our top picks only fit under a 65-inch TV or bigger. The analysis below shows which bars fit which screens.
These picks and scores are an editorial synthesis of published testing and the makers' specs, not our own testing. Prices are what Amazon charged on October 26, 2026, not live quotes; four of these bars were sold by marketplace sellers that day, and each bar's page says which.
The short list
| # | Best for | Model | Amazon price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Best overall |  | 11.1.4 · Bar, sub, and rears | ~$1,497.99 |
| 02 | Best under $1,000 |  | 5.1.2 · Bar and sub | ~$697.99 |
| 03 | Best value |  | 5.1.4 · Bar, sub, and rears | ~$399.99 |
| 04 | Best for LG TVs |  | 9.1.5 · Bar, sub, and rears | ~$1,199.99 |
| 05 | Best without a sub |  | 9.1.4 · Bar only | ~$1,099 |
| 06 | Best under $300 |  | 5.1 · Bar and sub | ~$297.99 |
| 07 | Best for small TVs |  | 7.1.2 · Bar only | ~$695.50 |
Amazon prices seen October 26, 2026, not live quotes.
Our analysis
What the box, the testing, and the price add up to
Computed from our catalog and the soundbar finder at build time, so it moves when a price or score does. We don't test soundbars ourselves; findings from other outlets are credited on each bar's page. How we work
Every soundbar we cover, cheapest first
Rear speakers in the box are what separate the movie scores. Only three bars score 4 or 5 for movies: the Hisense AX5140Q, the LG S95AR, and the Samsung HW-Q990H, and all three come with a sub and rears. Bars without rears top out at 3 there, however much they cost.
Dialogue is easier to get. Four bars score 5 for it, including the Sonos Arc Ultra, which has no sub in the box. Value runs the other way from price: every bar at $300 or less starts at 5, and above $750 only the S95AR keeps more than a 2. The Q990H sits in the top price band, and each of the other four over $750 is matched or beaten on all four fit scores by a cheaper bar here.
| Soundbar | Amazon price | In the box | Atmos | Movies | Dialogue | Music | Bass | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roku Streambar SE2.0 channels | $113.99 | Bar only | No | 1/5 | 2/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 5/5 |
| Sonos Ray2.0 channels | $219 | Bar only | No | 1/5 | 2/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 4/5 |
| Samsung HW-S60D5.0 channels | $277.99 | Bar only | Yes | 2/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 5/5 |
| Samsung HW-B750Fpick5.1 channels | $297.99 | Bar and sub | No | 2/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 53.1 channels | $348 | Bar and sub | Yes | 2/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Hisense AX5140Qpick5.1.4 channels | $399.99 | Bar, sub, and rears | Yes | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Sonos Beam Ultrapick7.1.2 channels | $695.50 | Bar only | Yes | 2/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Samsung HW-Q800Hpick5.1.2 channels | $697.99 | Bar and sub | Yes | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| LG Sound Suite H75.1.3 channels | $849.99 | Bar only | Yes | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 811 channels | $998 | Bar only | Yes | 2/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar5.1.2 channels | $1,090.98 | Bar only | Yes | 2/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Sonos Arc Ultrapick9.1.4 channels | $1,099 | Bar only | Yes | 2/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| LG S95ARpick9.1.5 channels | $1,199.99 | Bar, sub, and rears | Yes | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| Samsung HW-Q990Hpick11.1.4 channels | $1,497.99 | Bar, sub, and rears | Yes | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 2/5 |
Prices: what each Amazon listing charged for a new unit on October 26, 2026, not live quotes. Channels: the maker's figure. Scores: our 1–5 fit scores, a reading of published testing credited on each bar's page; value comes from the written price bands on How we work.
Which bars fit under your screen
Width rules out more bars than budget. The HW-Q990H and S95AR are wider than the picture on a 55-inch screen, so they're for 65-inch TVs and up. The HW-Q800H, Arc Ultra, and LG Sound Suite H7 fit from 55 inches, the AX5140Q and Samsung HW-B750F from 48.
Under a 42-inch screen only five bars fit: the Roku Streambar SE, Sonos Ray, Samsung HW-S60D, Sonos Beam Ultra, and Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5. A narrower bar always works under a bigger TV; it just looks smaller.
| Soundbar | Width | 42" | 48" | 55" | 65" | 75" | 83" |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roku Streambar SE | 9.6 in | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Sonos Ray | 21.9 in | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Samsung HW-S60D | 26.3 in | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Sonos Beam Ultrapick | 29.5 in | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 | 35.5 in | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Hisense AX5140Qpick | 40.1 in | – | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Samsung HW-B750Fpick | 40.6 in | – | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar | 43.3 in | – | – | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 8 | 43.4 in | – | – | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Samsung HW-Q800Hpick | 43.7 in | – | – | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Sonos Arc Ultrapick | 46.4 in | – | – | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| LG Sound Suite H7 | 47.2 in | – | – | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Samsung HW-Q990Hpick | 48.5 in | – | – | – | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| LG S95ARpick | 49.2 in | – | – | – | Fits | Fits | Fits |
The width rule: a bar fits when it's no wider than the screen's picture. A 16:9 picture is 0.872 × the diagonal wide (42" → 36.6 in, 48" → 41.8 in, 55" → 47.9 in, 65" → 56.7 in, 75" → 65.4 in, 83" → 72.3 in), and every TV is a little wider than its picture, so a bar that passes won't overhang the set. Widths are the makers' published bar widths.
What the soundbar finder picks at 65 inches
We ran the finder for a 65-inch TV with no brand features, at every use and budget. With no budget limit, the HW-Q990H leads for movies and all-round use, and the HW-Q800H leads for dialogue, music, and bass: it matches the Q990H on those scores and costs about $800 less, so its value score is 4 to the Q990H's 2.
Set a budget and the picks shift down the price list. Under $1,000 the HW-Q800H leads all-round, the AX5140Q leads for movies, and the HW-B750F leads for music. Under $600 the AX5140Q leads all-round. Under $300 the HW-B750F leads every use.
| Use | Under $300 | Under $600 | Under $1,000 | Any budget |
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Bold names are this guide's picks. Budgets are judged by Amazon prices seen October 26, 2026; “over” marks a bar the finder shows over budget because too few fit.
Ranked
Our picks
- 01
Best overall
Samsung HW-Q990H
- 11.1.4 Atmos
- ~$1,497.99
- Bar, sub, and rears
- 65" and up
- Samsung
- 48.5 in
The finder's first pick for a 65-inch TV with no budget limit, for movies and all-round use. The bar, a wireless sub, and two wireless rears all come in the box, and RTINGS calls it amazing for mixed use and dialogue and impressive for movies. It's $1,497.99 from Amazon.com, has two HDMI inputs with 4K 120Hz passthrough, and adds Q-Symphony with 2022 and later Samsung TVs. It's 48.5 inches wide, so it's for 65-inch TVs and up.
Pros
- Pro: Sub and two rears in the box: true 11.1.4 with nothing to add
- Pro: RTINGS: amazing for mixed use and dialogue, impressive for movies
- Pro: Two HDMI inputs with 4K 120Hz passthrough
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: 48.5 inches wide: fits 65-inch screens and up
- Trade-off: RTINGS calls it largely unchanged from the Q990F
- Movies
- 5 out of 5
- Dialogue
- 5 out of 5
- Bass
- 5 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published testing and specs, not our own measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the breakdown: Samsung HW-Q990H - 02
Best under $1,000
Samsung HW-Q800H
- 5.1.2 Atmos
- ~$697.99
- Bar and sub
- 55" and up
- Samsung
- 43.7 in
The finder's first pick under $1,000, and its first for dialogue, music, and bass at any budget. RTINGS calls it excellent for dialogue and credits its sub with deep bass, for $697.99 from Amazon.com. It has no rears in the box and no DTS at all, so movies score a 3. It fits under a 55-inch TV.
Pros
- Pro: RTINGS: great for mixed use, excellent for dialogue
- Pro: Wireless sub in the box with deep bass, per RTINGS
- Pro: HDMI input with 4K passthrough, plus Wi-Fi, AirPlay, and Chromecast
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: No DTS of any kind
- Trade-off: No rears in the box; Atmos height is modest, per RTINGS
- Dialogue
- 5 out of 5
- Bass
- 5 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published testing and specs, not our own measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the breakdown: Samsung HW-Q800H - 03
Best value
Hisense AX5140Q
- 5.1.4 Atmos
- ~$399.99
- Bar, sub, and rears
- 48" and up
- Hisense, Roku
- 40.1 in
The finder's first pick under $600, and RTINGS' best budget soundbar. For $399.99 you get a 5.1.4 system with a sub and two up-firing rears, rated great for movies, dialogue, and mixed use. There's no Wi-Fi, passthrough stops at 4K 60Hz, and on October 26 Amazon's seller was a marketplace store, shipped by Amazon.
Pros
- Pro: Sub and two up-firing rears in the box for $399.99
- Pro: RTINGS: great for mixed use, dialogue, and movies; its best budget soundbar
- Pro: Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, with an HDMI input
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: No Wi-Fi: Bluetooth only
- Trade-off: Passthrough tops out at 4K 60Hz
- Movies
- 4 out of 5
- Dialogue
- 4 out of 5
- Bass
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published testing and specs, not our own measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the breakdown: Hisense AX5140Q - 04
Best for LG TVs
LG S95AR
- 9.1.5 Atmos
- ~$1,199.99
- Bar, sub, and rears
- 65" and up
- LG
- 49.2 in
On an LG TV the finder puts it first for dialogue and music at 65 inches. RTINGS rates it great or better for every use, the sub and rears come in the box, and LG adds WOW Orchestra and wireless WOWCAST. It was $1,199.99 from a marketplace seller on October 26, $500 under LG's own price. Like the Q990H, it needs a 65-inch screen.
Pros
- Pro: Sub and up-firing rears in the box
- Pro: RTINGS: great for movies and music, amazing for dialogue
- Pro: WOW Orchestra, WOWCAST, and WOW Interface with LG TVs
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: No HDMI 2.1-class bandwidth on its passthrough, per RTINGS
- Trade-off: 49.2 inches wide: 65-inch screens and up
- Dialogue
- 5 out of 5
- Movies
- 4 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published testing and specs, not our own measurements.
- 05
Best without a sub
Sonos Arc Ultra
- 9.1.4 Atmos
- ~$1,099
- Bar only
- 55" and up
- None stated
- 46.4 in
The only bar with no sub in the box that scores 5 for dialogue: RTINGS calls it impressive for dialogue and great for music, and names it its best standalone bar for dialogue. What Hi-Fi? and Tom's Guide both gave it five stars. Movies only rate decent without the $899 Sub 4, and there's no DTS:X or HDMI input. $1,099 from Amazon.com.
Pros
- Pro: RTINGS: impressive for dialogue, great for music
- Pro: RTINGS' best standalone bar for dialogue
- Pro: Strong bass for a bar with no sub
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: Only decent for movies without a sub, per RTINGS
- Trade-off: No HDMI input and no DTS:X
- Dialogue
- 5 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
- Bass
- 3 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published testing and specs, not our own measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the breakdown: Sonos Arc Ultra - 06
Best under $300
Samsung HW-B750F
- 5.1
- ~$297.99
- Bar and sub
- 48" and up
- Samsung
- 40.6 in
The finder's first pick under $300 for every use. RTINGS rates it very good for dialogue and music, and a wireless sub comes in the box. It has no Dolby Atmos and uses ARC, not eARC. It was $297.99 from a marketplace seller on October 26, $2 under the line.
Pros
- Pro: RTINGS: very good for dialogue and for music
- Pro: Wireless sub in the box with punchy bass
- Pro: Center channel and side-firing speakers
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: No Dolby Atmos
- Trade-off: HDMI ARC, not eARC; no Wi-Fi
- Value
- 5 out of 5
- Dialogue
- 4 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published testing and specs, not our own measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the breakdown: Samsung HW-B750F - 07
Best for small TVs
Sonos Beam Ultra
- 7.1.2 Atmos
- ~$695.50
- Bar only
- 42" and up
- None stated
- 29.5 in
The finder's first pick under a 42-inch screen at any budget. It's 29.5 inches wide, with two up-firing drivers, and What Hi-Fi? and TechRadar both gave it five stars. RTINGS hasn't tested it yet, so its scores lean on those outlets. $695.50 from a marketplace seller on October 26 ($699 from Amazon.com itself); no DTS:X and no HDMI input.
Pros
- Pro: 5 of 5 from What Hi-Fi? and TechRadar
- Pro: Two up-firing drivers for real Atmos height
- Pro: Fits under a 42-inch screen
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: Not yet tested by RTINGS
- Trade-off: No DTS:X and no HDMI input
- Dialogue
- 4 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
- Bass
- 3 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published testing and specs, not our own measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the breakdown: Sonos Beam Ultra
Disclosure: “Check price” buttons are Amazon affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking.
How we chose
We started from the soundbar finder's answers for a 65-inch TV, shown above, then checked width, since a bar wider than your picture doesn't belong under your TV. The finder ranks on our fit scores: movies, dialogue, and music follow the word RTINGS opens each use's verdict with; bass comes from what's in the box and what the testing found; value comes from our price bands. The Beam Ultra is the one pick RTINGS hasn't tested, so its scores come from What Hi-Fi?, TechRadar, and SoundGuys.
Beyond RTINGS, we drew on What Hi-Fi?, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, SoundGuys, PCMag, Engadget, and the EISA awards, credited on each bar's page. Specs, sync features, and compatible add-ons come from the makers. We don't test soundbars ourselves.
Sub, rears, or bar only?
A sub in the box is the biggest single difference in our bass scores: every bar that scores 4 or 5 for bass includes one. Bars without one can add one later, but the makers' own subs aren't cheap. On October 26 Sonos charged $899 for the Sub 4, LG $599.99 for the W7, and Bose $899 for the Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer.
Rear speakers are what make movies wrap around you. If your room has space and power outlets behind the couch, a system with rears in the box, like the AX5140Q, S95AR, or Q990H, is the most direct way to get there.
Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and what your TV passes through
Most bars here decode Dolby Atmos, but not all of them have up-firing drivers to put the effects overhead; the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 and Samsung HW-S60D simulate height. The Samsung HW-B750F, Sonos Ray, and Roku Streambar SE don't decode Atmos at all.
DTS:X is patchier. Of the bars that decode Atmos, the Sonos Arc Ultra and Beam Ultra, the Bose, and Samsung's HW-Q800H and HW-S60D don't decode DTS:X. It also depends on your TV: RTINGS found the LG C6 doesn't pass DTS through to a soundbar, so a DTS track from a TV app won't reach the bar.
Plug it into the right port
Connect the bar to the TV's HDMI eARC or ARC port, and let the TV send sound from everything else. ARC is fine for streaming, which delivers Atmos over Dolby Digital Plus; eARC adds lossless formats from discs. The Sonos Ray is the one bar here with no HDMI at all: it uses optical.
Our TV and soundbar pairing guide covers the settings, Atmos in plain English, and placement.
Also consider
- Samsung HW-Q990F: the 2025 version of the Q990H, with the same hardware, per RTINGS. Amazon's buy box was $998.00 from a marketplace seller on October 26; samsung.com charged $1,599.99.
- Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9: Sony's flagship single bar got five stars from What Hi-Fi?, but RTINGS calls it decent for mixed use. $1,498.00 from a marketplace seller on October 26.
- Bose TV Speaker (2nd Gen): Bose's new $299 bar was $199.00 at Amazon.com on October 26, but no outlet we follow has tested it yet.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best soundbar of 2026?
For a 65-inch or bigger TV, the Samsung HW-Q990H: it includes a sub and two rears, and RTINGS calls it amazing for mixed use. For a 55-inch TV or a budget under $1,000, the Samsung HW-Q800H. For surround on a budget, the Hisense AX5140Q at $399.99, with its sub and rears included. Prices are from October 26, 2026.
Is a soundbar with a subwoofer worth it?
For movies and music with real low end, yes: every bar we score 4 or 5 for bass comes with one. If you mostly watch talk shows and news, or live in an apartment, a bar with a strong center channel matters more, and the Sonos Arc Ultra gets a 5 for dialogue without one.
Is the Sonos Arc Ultra worth $1,099?
For dialogue and music without a sub, it's the best bar we cover: RTINGS calls it impressive for dialogue and great for music. For movies it needs Sonos's $899 Sub 4 to match the Samsung HW-Q990H, which includes a sub and rears for $1,497.99.
Will any soundbar work with my TV?
Any bar with HDMI ARC or eARC works with any TV that has it, and your TV remote will usually run the volume. Matching brands adds extras like Samsung's Q-Symphony or LG's WOW Orchestra. Check the width too: a bar should be no wider than your TV's picture.
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Disclosure: Our picks are independent and editorial — a synthesis of published testing and manufacturer specs, not our own lab measurements. Prices are Amazon prices seen October 26, 2026. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.