Best soundbars 2026

Best soundbar under £500

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Sonos' entry-level Dolby Atmos soundbar may be long in the tooth, but it's still the best you will find under £500.

Best soundbar £500-£1000

Sonos Arc Ultra

Powerful and capable of throwing audio around a room with a sense of height and detail missing on most rivals, the Arc Ultra remains the top performer in its class.

Best soundbar over £1000

KEF XIO

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If you have deep pocket's, KEF's premium Dolby Atmos soundbar is the best and most musical option that we've tested.

Best soundbar system under £250

Hisense AX5125H

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One year on, Hisense's affordable Dolby Atmos system remains our value choice.

Best soundbar system £250-£500

Sony Bravia Theatre System 6

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Sony's atypical Dolby Atmos system's cohesive sound makes it the top option you will find at this price.

Best soundbar system £500-£2000

Samsung HW-Q990H

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Samsung's refined Dolby Atmos system cements delivers the goods.

Best soundbar system over £2000

Sony Bravia Theatre Trio + Rear 9 and Sub 9

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Built around Sony's quirky dissected soundbar, this system justifies its premium price with a stellar sound stage.

Want more choice? Check out our best soundbars buying guide

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Alastair is What Hi-Fi?’s editor in chief. He has well over a decade’s experience as a journalist working in both B2C and B2B press. During this time he’s covered everything from the launch of the first Amazon Echo to government cyber security policy. Prior to joining What Hi-Fi? he served as Trusted Reviews’ editor-in-chief. Outside of tech, he has a Masters from King’s College London in Ethics and the Philosophy of Religion, is an enthusiastic, but untalented, guitar player and runs a webcomic in his spare time.