Best Soundbars UK 2026: Six Picks Compared
Modern televisions are gorgeous and sound terrible, because a slim screen has no room for a decent speaker, so a soundbar is the single upgrade that transforms the everyday experience of watching anything. The good news is that even a modest soundbar is a huge step up from television speakers. The catch is that the category runs from forty pound plastic bars to premium systems with wireless rear speakers, and the jargon around channels and Atmos is designed to confuse, so the honest question is how much better you want it to sound and whether you care about surround, not which box has the longest spec sheet.
This guide explains the three things that decide which soundbar suits your room, then compares six models genuinely sold on Amazon UK right now, from a budget all in one bar up to a premium Atmos system. No invented listening tests, just the trade offs laid out plainly so you match the sound to your room and your telly.
The Three Things That Actually Matter
Ignore the marketing channel counts for a moment and look at these three things instead.
- Whether it has a separate subwoofer. This is the upgrade you feel most. A single bar improves dialogue and clarity, but a system with a separate wireless subwoofer adds the bass that makes films and games feel cinematic rather than thin. If your budget stretches to a bar plus subwoofer, that jump matters far more than a higher channel count on a bass light bar. Decide first whether you want that physical bass, because it shapes which tier you buy.
- Channels and Atmos, explained honestly. A 2.0 bar has left and right, a 2.1 adds a subwoofer, a 3.1 adds a dedicated centre channel for clearer dialogue, and 5.1 or Atmos systems add surround and height effects. More channels genuinely help with films, but only if your room suits it and you feed it the right content. For a normal living room watching everyday television, a good 2.1 or 3.1 bar sounds excellent, and Atmos is the enthusiast upgrade rather than a must have. Match the channels to how you actually watch.
- Connections and how it fits your telly. Look for HDMI eARC, which carries the best sound over a single cable and lets you control the bar with your television remote, and check whether the bar physically fits under your screen without blocking the bottom edge or the remote sensor. Optical input is a fine fallback on older sets. Getting the connection right means the bar just works with one cable and one remote, which is the difference between a soundbar you love and one you fight with.
All Six Picks at a Glance
| Pick | Best for | Setup | Typical price band |
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority Everest | Tight budgets | Bar plus subwoofer | £80 to £130 |
| Samsung C450 | Value with real bass | 2.1 with subwoofer | £120 to £200 |
| LG S65Q | Most living rooms | 3.1 with subwoofer | £200 to £300 |
| Samsung Q700C | Dolby Atmos in one system | 3.1.2 Atmos | £350 to £500 |
| Sonos Beam Gen 2 | Compact smart soundbar | Single bar, Atmos | £400 to £500 |
| Bose Smart Soundbar 600 | Premium single bar | Single bar, Atmos | £450 to £550 |
Bands are typical Amazon UK prices at the time of writing, quoted as ranges because prices move often.
Our Six Picks for 2026
Majority Everest Soundbar
Best for tight budgets
Majority is a Cambridge based British brand that made its name selling honest soundbars for a fraction of the big names, and the Everest is the model that gives you a bar and a separate wireless subwoofer for the price others charge for a bare bar. That subwoofer is the point: it brings real bass to films and games that budget single bars simply cannot, and setup is genuinely plug and play with Bluetooth, HDMI and optical inputs. Considerations: the finish and the app are basic next to the premium brands, the detailed clarity is a step behind pricier bars, and it is a big upgrade on television speakers rather than a cinema in a box. For a first soundbar, a spare room, or anyone who wants proper bass on a tight budget, it is remarkable value. Typical band is around £80 to £130.
View on Amazon UKSamsung C450 Soundbar
Best value with real bass
The Samsung C450 is the sensible value choice, a 2.1 system with a wireless subwoofer from a brand whose soundbars pair effortlessly with its televisions. It delivers clear dialogue and genuine bass, has a simple game and adaptive sound mode, and if you own a Samsung telly the two work together neatly with a single remote and on screen control. Considerations: it is a 2.1 rather than a bar with a dedicated centre channel, so dialogue is good rather than the best in class, and it lacks the Atmos height effects of the pricier models. For most living rooms wanting a clear, bassy upgrade from a trusted brand without overspending, it hits the value sweet spot. Typical band is around £120 to £200.
View on Amazon UKLG S65Q Soundbar
Best for most living rooms
The LG S65Q is the do everything pick for a typical living room, a 3.1 channel system with a dedicated centre channel for clear dialogue and a wireless subwoofer for bass, which is the combination that makes everyday television and films sound genuinely good. It has the AI room calibration LG is known for, plenty of inputs including HDMI, and it is a clean, low profile bar that fits under most screens. Considerations: it is not a full Atmos system with height channels, the app is functional rather than slick, and stepping up to the Atmos models adds surround for those who want it. For the buyer who wants clear speech, real bass and a proper centre channel without moving into premium territory, it is the all rounder to beat. Typical band is around £200 to £300.
View on Amazon UKSamsung Q700C Soundbar
Best Dolby Atmos in one system
The Samsung Q700C is where films start to feel cinematic, a 3.1.2 channel Atmos system with up firing drivers that bounce height effects off the ceiling and a wireless subwoofer for the low end. Atmos content gains a genuine sense of space and overhead effects, Q Symphony lets it play alongside a Samsung television's own speakers for a fuller sound, and it stays a tidy bar plus subwoofer rather than a room full of boxes. Considerations: you need Atmos content and a suitable room to hear the height effects at their best, it costs meaningfully more than the 3.1 bars, and true rear surround still needs optional wireless speakers. For the buyer who wants Atmos from a single, tidy system, it is the natural step up. Typical band is around £350 to £500.
View on Amazon UKSonos Beam Gen 2 Soundbar
Best compact smart soundbar
The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is the compact bar that packs remarkable sound and a full smart platform into a small footprint, which suits smaller televisions and rooms where a big bar would dominate. It handles Atmos virtually through clever processing, streams music brilliantly over the Sonos app and voice assistants, and can grow into a full surround system later by adding Sonos speakers and a sub wirelessly. Considerations: it has no separate subwoofer in the box, so the deepest bass wants the optional Sonos Sub, it relies on its app for setup and full control, and at this price a bar with an included subwoofer moves more air. For a compact room, a music lover, or anyone building into the Sonos ecosystem, it is the smart choice. Typical band is around £400 to £500.
View on Amazon UKBose Smart Soundbar 600 Soundbar
Best premium single bar
The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is the premium single bar for someone who wants big, room filling sound and Bose's famously clear dialogue without a clutter of speakers. It delivers Atmos with genuine width and height for a one box bar, has the polished Bose app, voice control and music streaming, and the build and finish feel every bit the premium product. Considerations: like the Sonos it ships without a subwoofer, so the deepest bass wants the optional Bose bass module, it is a premium price for a single bar, and value hunters get more raw hardware from a bar plus subwoofer system. For the buyer who prizes clarity, brand and a tidy single bar, and may add the sub later, it is the premium pick. Typical band is around £450 to £550.
View on Amazon UKWhich One Should You Buy?
On a budget? The Majority Everest gives you a bar and a subwoofer for the price of a bare bar, and the Samsung C450 steps up the clarity and brand fit for a little more.
Want the best all rounder? The LG S65Q adds a dedicated centre channel and subwoofer for clear dialogue and real bass, which is the sweet spot for most living rooms.
Want Atmos or premium? The Samsung Q700C brings Atmos in one tidy system, while the Sonos Beam Gen 2 and Bose Smart Soundbar 600 are the compact and premium single bars for smart features and clarity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need a soundbar if I have a new television?
For most people, yes, because the thing that makes a modern television so slim leaves no room for decent speakers, so even expensive sets often sound thin and struggle with dialogue. A soundbar is the single cheapest upgrade that transforms the everyday experience of watching anything, making speech clearer and films and games far more immersive. If you have ever turned the subtitles on because you could not follow the dialogue, a soundbar with a centre channel will fix that more reliably than turning the volume up.
What is the difference between 2.1, 3.1 and Atmos?
The numbers describe the speaker channels. A 2.1 bar has left and right speakers plus a subwoofer for bass, a 3.1 adds a dedicated centre channel that makes dialogue much clearer, and Atmos systems add height and surround effects for a cinematic sense of space. For everyday television a good 2.1 or 3.1 bar sounds excellent, while Atmos is the enthusiast upgrade that rewards the right content and room. Match the system to how you actually watch rather than buying the biggest number.
Should I get a soundbar with a separate subwoofer?
If your budget allows, yes, because a separate wireless subwoofer is the upgrade you feel most. It adds the deep bass that makes films and games feel cinematic rather than thin, and it is a bigger real world difference than a higher channel count on a bass light single bar. Single premium bars like the Sonos Beam and Bose 600 sound superb and can add a subwoofer later, but if you want full impact out of the box, a bar plus subwoofer system delivers it for less.
How do I connect a soundbar to my television?
The best connection is HDMI eARC, which carries the highest quality sound over a single cable and lets your television remote control the soundbar's volume, so everything just works with one clicker. If your television is older and lacks eARC, an optical cable is a perfectly good fallback for most content. Check that your set has the right port before buying, and check the bar physically fits under your screen without blocking the bottom edge or the remote sensor.
Can I use a soundbar to play music too?
Yes, and most modern soundbars do it well over Bluetooth, with the smart bars like the Sonos Beam and Bose 600 adding app streaming, multi room audio and voice assistants that make them genuine music systems as well as television speakers. If music matters as much as films, lean towards those smart bars, which are tuned to sound good with music, not just dialogue and effects. For occasional listening, any soundbar with Bluetooth handles it comfortably.