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The 10 Best Soundbars as of June 2026

Updated 18 June 2026 · Reviewed by the Pickarank team · Prices in GBP, subject to change

We compared the best soundbars you can buy in 2026, scoring each out of 10 on performance, value, build quality and features. Here are the ten worth your money — with an at-a-glance table and the current best prices.

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Our top picks at a glance

Top pick

Sonos Arc Ultra

9.3Best overall
Check price on Amazon ≈ £999
Best value

Sony HT-S2000

8.4Best budget Atmos
Check price on Amazon ≈ £280
Also great

Samsung HW-Q990D

9.2Best for home cinema
Check price on Amazon ≈ £1299

Prices were correct at the time of writing and change often — tap through for today's price on Amazon.

How we ranked these soundbars

Each pick earns a score out of 10 from weighted criteria:

  • Performance (35%) — how well each soundbar does its core job.
  • Value (25%) — quality and features for the price.
  • Build & reliability (20%) — materials, longevity and warranty.
  • Features (20%) — meaningful extras that improve the experience.

At a glance: top 10 compared

#SoundbarsScoreBest forChannelsApprox priceAmazon links
1Sonos Arc Ultra9.3Best overall9.1.4£999View Price
2Samsung HW-Q990D9.2Best for home cinema11.1.4£1299View Price
3Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 99.0Best premium Sony13ch£1099View Price
4Sonos Beam Gen 28.8Best compact5.0£499View Price
5LG S95TR8.7Best for LG TVs9.1.5£1199View Price
6Samsung HW-Q800D8.6Best mid-range5.1.2£599View Price
7Bose Smart Soundbar8.6Best dialogue5.0£500View Price
8Sony HT-S20008.4Best budget Atmos3.1£280View Price
9Sonos Ray8.2Best small-room3.0£279View Price
10Polk Audio Signa S48.1Best value Atmos3.1.2£349View Price
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The full ranking

1
Best overall

Sonos Arc Ultra

9.3Our number one pick.

The Arc Ultra is the soundbar to beat, with a wide, room-filling Dolby Atmos performance and Sonos's new Sound Motion bass technology that pulls genuinely deep low end from a single bar. It slots neatly into the wider Sonos system, though you will want to add the Sub and rears to unlock its full potential.

Sound: 9.4Bass: 9.0Features: 9.4Value: 8.6
Pros
  • Expansive, detailed Atmos
  • Surprising bass for one bar
  • Slick Sonos ecosystem
Cons
  • Best results need extra speakers
  • Premium price
Check price on Amazon≈ £999
2
Best for home cinema

Samsung HW-Q990D

9.2A superb runner-up.

If you want true surround out of the box, the Q990D includes a wireless subwoofer and rear speakers for a genuine 11.1.4 setup that fills the room with effects. It is a multi-box system rather than a tidy single bar, but for movie nights nothing near the price comes close.

Sound: 9.4Bass: 9.4Features: 9.2Value: 9.0
Pros
  • Full surround in the box
  • Powerful, room-filling sound
  • Loads of inputs and features
Cons
  • Several boxes to place
  • Best paired with a Samsung TV
Check price on Amazon≈ £1299
3
Best premium Sony

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9

9.0Rounds out our top three.

Sony's flagship bar uses clever processing to throw sound high and wide, and it pairs beautifully with Bravia TVs for perfectly synced picture and audio. The sub and rears are optional extras, so the bar alone is more about clarity and height than deep bass.

Sound: 9.2Bass: 8.6Features: 9.0Value: 8.4
Pros
  • Spacious, precise Atmos
  • Superb with Bravia TVs
  • Clear dialogue
Cons
  • Sub and rears cost extra
  • Premium price
Check price on Amazon≈ £1099
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4
Best compact

Sonos Beam Gen 2

8.8A standout in the upper half.

The Beam Gen 2 is the sweet spot for smaller rooms, delivering virtual Atmos, crisp dialogue and full Sonos smarts from a bar that tucks neatly under most TVs. There is no dedicated up-firing driver, so the Atmos effect is simulated, but for the size and price it is excellent.

Sound: 8.8Bass: 8.2Features: 9.2Value: 8.8
Pros
  • Compact, room-friendly
  • Clear dialogue
  • Full Sonos features
Cons
  • Virtual rather than true Atmos
  • Limited bass without a Sub
Check price on Amazon≈ £499
5
Best for LG TVs

LG S95TR

8.7A well-rounded mid-table pick.

A complete system with sub and rears, the S95TR offers immersive height channels and tight integration with LG OLED TVs, including WOW Orchestra that combines the bar and TV speakers. It is feature-packed but, like its Samsung rival, takes up space.

Sound: 9.0Bass: 9.0Features: 9.0Value: 8.6
Pros
  • Complete surround package
  • Excellent with LG TVs
  • Lots of height channels
Cons
  • Many boxes to set up
  • Pricey
Check price on Amazon≈ £1199
6
Best mid-range

Samsung HW-Q800D

8.6Great value in the middle of the pack.

The Q800D hits a smart balance: a capable 5.1.2 setup with a wireless sub and real Atmos height for noticeably less than the flagships. You miss the rear speakers, but it is a big step up from any TV's built-in sound and you can add rears later.

Sound: 8.8Bass: 9.0Features: 8.6Value: 9.0
Pros
  • Real Atmos with wireless sub
  • Great mid-range value
  • Expandable later
Cons
  • No rears included
  • Best with Samsung TVs
Check price on Amazon≈ £599
7
Best dialogue

Bose Smart Soundbar

8.6A dependable pick if the price is right.

Bose's bar is all about clarity, with an AI dialogue mode that keeps voices crisp above a film's effects, plus easy streaming and voice control. Bass is modest until you add the optional Bose sub, so it suits speech-heavy viewing more than action blockbusters.

Sound: 8.8Bass: 8.0Features: 8.8Value: 8.4
Pros
  • Excellent dialogue clarity
  • Easy streaming and voice control
  • Compact
Cons
  • Needs the sub for big bass
  • Atmos is virtual
Check price on Amazon≈ £500
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8
Best budget Atmos

Sony HT-S2000

8.4Solid, if outshone by pricier rivals.

The HT-S2000 brings believable virtual Atmos and a built-in bass solution to a wallet-friendly price, making it a tidy single-box upgrade for most living rooms. It will not rival multi-speaker systems for surround, but for the money it punches above its weight.

Sound: 8.4Bass: 8.2Features: 8.0Value: 9.0
Pros
  • Affordable Atmos
  • All-in-one, no extra boxes
  • Clear dialogue mode
Cons
  • Virtual surround only
  • Limited deep bass
Check price on Amazon≈ £280
9
Best small-room

Sonos Ray

8.2A budget-friendly option worth a look.

The Ray is Sonos's entry bar, a compact front-firing speaker that vastly improves TV sound in a bedroom or small lounge while plugging into the Sonos app and multiroom. There is no HDMI or Atmos, so see it as a tidy, affordable upgrade rather than a cinema system.

Sound: 8.2Bass: 7.8Features: 8.6Value: 8.6
Pros
  • Compact and tidy
  • Full Sonos app and multiroom
  • Great for small rooms
Cons
  • No HDMI or Atmos
  • Limited bass
Check price on Amazon≈ £279
10
Best value Atmos

Polk Audio Signa S4

8.1Rounds out our top ten.

The Signa S4 includes a wireless subwoofer and real up-firing Atmos drivers for a price that undercuts most name-brand rivals, giving a genuine sense of height on a budget. It is not the most refined, but as affordable Atmos with bass included it is great value.

Sound: 8.2Bass: 8.6Features: 8.0Value: 9.0
Pros
  • Wireless sub included
  • Real up-firing Atmos
  • Strong value
Cons
  • Less refined than premium bars
  • Basic app
Check price on Amazon≈ £349
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Frequently asked questions

What's the best of the soundbars in 2026?

Our top overall pick is the Sonos Arc Ultra, which leads on our combined score for performance, value and features. The Samsung HW-Q990D and Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 are excellent alternatives depending on budget and needs.

How did we choose these?

We weight performance, value, build quality and features, drawing on hands-on use and independent testing. See the methodology box above for the full breakdown.

Are these prices accurate?

Prices are approximate UK figures at the time of writing and change frequently. Click through to Amazon for the current price.

The bottom line

If you just want the best soundbars without overthinking it, the Sonos Arc Ultra is our top recommendation — it earns the highest overall score for performance, value and features. Have a look at the current price and see what you think.

Check price on Amazon ≈ £999

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