Best Soundbars Under $1000 (2026)

What are the best soundbars under $1000 in 2026?

Background, first written February 2026. The current picks, with dated prices, are in the table above.

Summary

This revision re-checked every product on the card against the outlets that test soundbars, and the picks changed. The Samsung HW-Q800F becomes the top pick: TechRadar names it its best soundbar overall, RTINGS its best 5.1 soundbar, and Consumer Reports recommends it [src7, src2, src13]. Amazon listed it new, available to order, at $537.99 when we checked on 2026-10-14. The Hisense AX5140Q stays the budget pick [src1, src3, src20], the Sonos Beam Gen 2 becomes the compact pick [src1, src14, src15, src13], and the Samsung HW-QS700F becomes the pick for a wall-mounted TV [src7, src13].

The former top pick becomes an alternative. The LG S90TR is RTINGS' best mid-range LG soundbar, but none of the other guides we read recommends it [src4]. The Samsung HW-Q600F and the Polk Audio Signa S4, both recommended by Tom's Guide's reviewer, stay as alternatives [src17, src5], as do the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar, which RTINGS still mentions favourably and TechRadar now leaves off its list [src6, src7], and the JBL Bar 1000MK2, RTINGS' best mid-range soundbar, which TechRadar also recommends [src1, src9]. The Samsung HW-QS750F, Tom's Guide's best value soundbar, which Homes & Gardens also recommends, joins them as an alternative [src16, src20].

The $1,000 cap. This card judges every product against its cap at the price we observed, on the date we observed it, not at a list price: Amazon listed the Samsung HW-Q800F at $537.99 when we checked on 2026-10-14, under the cap; Amazon.com sold the Sonos Arc Ultra at $1,099.00 in our 2026-10-13 price check, over it.

Removed. The Sonos Arc Ultra: Tom's Guide and What Hi-Fi? name it their best soundbar overall and CNN Underscored its splurge pick [src16, src14, src15], but its observed price is over the cap. The Klipsch Flexus Core 200: none of the current guides we read recommends it, and CNET, which recommends the smaller Flexus Core 100, writes that "the larger 200 doesn't impress as much for the extra outlay" [src18].

The testers split on the best soundbar under this card's cap. TechRadar's best overall is the Samsung HW-Q800F [src7]; CNN Underscored's is the Sonos Beam Gen 2 [src15]; RTINGS' best overall, the Samsung HW-Q990F, is followed in its main list by the JBL Bar 1000MK2 as its best mid-range soundbar [src1]; CNET's best soundbar of 2026 is the Yamaha YAS-209, a 2.1 bar with a subwoofer that none of the other guides we read recommends [src18]; and Tom's Guide and What Hi-Fi? choose the Sonos Arc Ultra, which is over this card's cap [src16, src14]. We rank the Q800F first because one outlet names it its best soundbar overall and two others recommend it as a complete bar and subwoofer [src7, src2, src13]. The Beam Gen 2 has the broadest support of any bar on this card, from four outlets, but RTINGS and What Hi-Fi? recommend it as a small or entry-level Dolby Atmos bar, and it has neither a subwoofer nor up-firing drivers, so it is the compact pick [src1, src14, src15, src13].

Recommended elsewhere, not ranked here. The Sony HT-S2000, TechRadar's best budget soundbar and What Hi-Fi?'s best step-up soundbar [src7, src14]: both recommend it as an inexpensive upgrade on a TV's own speakers, TechRadar at roughly $349, and both say better-sounding bars exist: TechRadar writes that it "isn't the best soundbar for sound on this list", What Hi-Fi? that "you can spend more on meatier-sounding soundbars" [src7, src14]. It is a single 3.1-channel bar with a built-in subwoofer and no up-firing drivers [src14]; for the budget role, this card ranks the Hisense AX5140Q, RTINGS' best budget soundbar, which adds a separate subwoofer, rear speakers and up-firing drivers [src1, src3]. The Hisense AX5125H, TechRadar's best budget Dolby Atmos surround system and What Hi-Fi?'s best budget soundbar package [src7, src14]: this card ranks the Hisense AX5140Q, which RTINGS recommends [src1]. The Sonos Beam Ultra, on sale since September 2026: we found one review so far [src11].

Top 10 Models Compared

Price is the last price our checker recorded for the Amazon listing we link; a dash means it has recorded none yet for that listing, as for the new Samsung HW-Q800F and HW-QS750F links. The picks table at the top of the page has the seller and stock, and the text gives the date of each price it quotes.

Best for Each Use Case

Top Pick: Samsung HW-Q800F — Check price

TechRadar names the Q800F its best soundbar overall, "thanks to its powerful soundscape that captures (and heightens) dialogue and details", and says "You won't find better value anywhere else in this guide" [src7]. Its review, an Editor's Choice, found "deep, room-swallowing bass, phenomenal dialogue clarity, and expansive Dolby Atmos effects" [src8]. RTINGS calls it "the best 5.1 soundbar that we've tested" and prefers it to Samsung's 2026 HW-Q800H, whose room correction "tunes the H-series bar too bright"; it found the Q800F well balanced out of the box, with "plenty of low-end rumble" from the subwoofer, two voice enhancement features, and enough volume to fill a large space [src2]. Consumer Reports, whose premium picks include the Q800H, says the Q800F "also has very good sound for less money" [src13]. It is a 5.1.2 bar with a subwoofer, a claimed 400W, HDMI eARC plus one HDMI input, optical, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3, and it decodes Dolby Atmos and DTS:X [src7, src2]. Surround comes from side-firing drivers that bounce sound off your side walls, with up-firing drivers for height; rear speakers can be added later [src2, src8]. Q-Symphony combines a compatible Samsung TV's own speakers with the bar and sub [src8]. The catches: no 4K 120Hz HDMI passthrough for a current games console, and a plain design [src7].

Price and availability. Samsung's official US price for the Q800F is $1,099, but TechRadar's reviewer found it selling "for less than $750" at reputable retailers, and TechRadar's Sonos Beam Ultra review puts it at a similar price to that $699 bar [src8, src11]. Samsung's US store listed the HW-Q800F at $1,099.99, out of stock, when we checked on 2026-10-14 [src21]. Amazon listed it new, available to order, at $537.99 when we checked on 2026-10-14.

Best Budget: Hisense AX5140Q — Check price

RTINGS' best budget soundbar, "but given its features, you wouldn't necessarily expect its affordable price", and its best soundbar under $500: a 5.1.4 system with a subwoofer, two wireless satellites and four up-firing drivers for Dolby Atmos height [src1, src3]. RTINGS found it "well-tuned, lending a balanced sound with a low-end punch that doesn't overwhelm the mix, while clear dialogue can cut through"; it has an HDMI input for video passthrough and decodes DTS:X and Dolby Atmos [src1, src3]. The limits RTINGS lists: no Wi-Fi or Spotify Connect, only Bluetooth, and room correction only with a supported Hisense TV [src1, src3]. Homes & Gardens calls it "one of the best soundbars if you are looking for huge, booming sound on a budget", but found that the bass "often overpowers more subtle details" and that the rear speakers do not play with music [src20]. Trusted Reviews was less keen: it praises the tonal balance and the amount of kit for the money, but could not get rid of "a fractional delay in the wireless transmission system" that put the subwoofer and rears slightly out of time, most noticeably with music; it also notes HDMI passthrough capped at 4K at 60 frames per second [src19]. Hisense's US store listed it in stock at $399.99 when we checked on 2026-10-14 [src23]; in our 2026-10-13 price check, the Amazon offer at $399.99 was from a marketplace seller.

Best Compact Soundbar: Sonos Beam Gen 2 — Check price

CNN Underscored names it its best soundbar and writes that "anyone looking to buy a soundbar under $1,000 should look at" it; the second-generation Beam "costs less than half as much as the Arc Ultra" [src15]. RTINGS makes it its best small soundbar: a 5.0 bar at "less than 26 inches in width" that "can widen its soundstage well past its small frame", with room correction [src1]. What Hi-Fi? makes it its best entry-level Dolby Atmos soundbar — "If space and budget are limited, there isn't a better virtual Dolby Atmos soundbar that we'd recommend" — and Consumer Reports lists it among its best midpriced soundbars [src14, src13]. Its Dolby Atmos height comes from processing, not up-firing drivers: What Hi-Fi? explains it uses psychoacoustic HRTF processing on two of its five front-facing drivers, an effect "not quite as immersive" as dedicated up-firing speakers, and CNN Underscored and Consumer Reports both note the missing upward-firing drivers [src14, src15, src13]. It streams over Wi-Fi with AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect; What Hi-Fi? lists no additional HDMI ports, no Bluetooth and no DTS:X [src14]. A Sonos subwoofer and rear speakers can be added later [src1, src15]. Sonos's US store listed it in stock at $499 when we checked on 2026-10-14 [src22]; in our 2026-10-13 price check, the only Amazon offer was from a marketplace seller, at $468.23, out of stock.

Best for Wall-Mounting: Samsung HW-QS700F — Check price

TechRadar's best soundbar for wall-mounting: a 3.1.2 bar with a Samsung wireless subwoofer whose gyro sensors adjust the speaker configuration depending on whether it sits on a table or hangs on the wall [src7]. TechRadar's review, which gives it its Recommended badge, found that it "Sounds excellent in either of its configurations", with "No surround channel sound effect" as its weakness, and gives a $699.99 US price [src10]. Consumer Reports lists it among its best midpriced soundbars, with very good overall sound, a separate wireless subwoofer, Q-Symphony, and a built-in gyro that reorients its sound [src13]. It decodes Dolby Atmos and DTS:X [src7]. Rear speakers can be added; TechRadar suggests Samsung's SWA-9500S [src10]. Amazon.com sold it at $597.99 in our 2026-10-13 price check.

Alternative — RTINGS' Best Mid-Range Soundbar: JBL Bar 1000MK2 — Check price

RTINGS' best mid-range soundbar: a 7.1.4 system with "a high-powered 10-inch driver subwoofer" and two detachable, battery-powered satellites that you can place "without worrying about your closest power outlet", or use as standalone wireless speakers [src1]. TechRadar's review gives it its Recommended badge and calls it "an engaging and highly versatile Dolby Atmos soundbar that will surround you with cinematic sound", though "its dialogue and music chops aren't as good as the competition"; its reviewer found dialogue clarity "adequate, but not as crystal-clear as the Sonos Arc Ultra or Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar" [src9]. CNN Underscored, which tested it but does not pick it, found it "sounded good and accurate", but its default bass "too strong" for anything other than TV or film, and the rear speakers' charge "didn't last more than a week" in its testing [src15]. Its three HDMI inputs pass video only up to 4K at 60Hz [src1]. TechRadar gives a $1,199.95 list price and says it is now widely available for $999 [src9]. Amazon.com sold it at $999.95, in stock, in our 2026-10-13 price check, five cents under this card's cap. It is an alternative rather than a pick: RTINGS ranks it, but TechRadar found its dialogue and music weaker than the competition's, and CNN Underscored tested it without picking it [src1, src9, src15].

Alternative — Tom's Guide's Favourite Mid-Range Bar: Samsung HW-Q600F — Check price

Tom's Guide's reviewer calls it "my favorite mid-range soundbar" and "the best mid-range bar I've ever tested": a 3.1.2 bar and subwoofer with expansive sound "both horizontally and vertically", but no smart home features such as AirPlay [src17]. Tom's Guide's main guide lists it under "also tested", at 4.5 stars [src16]. RTINGS says it is "worth checking out if you want a great soundbar under $500"; it has to downmix surround content to stereo, has no room correction, and can be expanded with a rear speaker kit [src5]. Neither outlet ranks it in its main list of best soundbars, so it is an alternative here. Amazon.com sold it at $497.99 in our 2026-10-13 price check.

Alternative — Dolby Atmos on a Budget: Polk Audio Signa S4 — Check price

Tom's Guide's reviewer calls it "my go-to recommendation for Dolby Atmos sound on a budget": a 3.1.2 bar with a wireless subwoofer, whose "Voice adjust" mode made dialogue clearer without burying the effects [src17]. Tom's Guide's main guide lists it under "also tested", at 4 stars, for "surprisingly solid Dolby Atmos for a decent price", and notes it is a large bar [src16]. Tom's Guide gives a $449 price [src17]; Amazon.com sold it at $449.00 in our 2026-10-13 price check. We found no second outlet that recommends it, so it is not ranked.

Alternative — RTINGS' Mid-Range LG Pick: LG S90TR — Check price

RTINGS names it the best mid-range LG soundbar: a 7.1.3 system with satellites and room correction that can play a compatible LG TV's speakers together with the bar [src4]. RTINGS calls it "a little dated", released in 2024, and says its satellites lack up-firing speakers, so its Dolby Atmos height falls short of LG's newer Sound Suite systems; still, "this bar will offer a great overall performance, but for less" [src4]. TechRadar gives its list price as $1,199 and counts it among systems that come with their own subwoofer and surround speakers [src9]. Amazon.com sold it at $669.99, in stock, in our 2026-10-13 price check. It was this card's top pick; none of the other guides we read recommends it, so it is now an alternative.

Alternative — Single Bar: Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar — Check price

A one-box bar with nine drivers in 5.1.2 channels, including upward-facing ones; TechRadar's 2023 review praised the width and detail of its sound and found that dialogue "enjoys proper expression", but heard "a slight shortage of low-end 'punch'" and "only a very modest sensation of the audio 'height'" [src12]. TechRadar's current guide leaves it out: it "isn't great enough value to make it into the list" [src7]. RTINGS now makes a set built on Bose's Lifestyle Ultra line its best Bose soundbar, and says the cheaper Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar "offers a comparable performance at a lower price" [src6]. In our 2026-10-13 price check, the Amazon offer, at $679.00, was from a marketplace seller, Adorama.

Alternative — Tom's Guide's Best Value: Samsung HW-QS750F — Check price

Tom's Guide's best value soundbar: a 5.1.2 system that "gives you a soundbar, two rears, and a subwoofer" for an $899 list price, which it calls "considerably more generous than Sonos or JBL" [src16]. Its tester found "cinematic sound, with enviable width and immense bass" and clear dialogue with the voice enhancement mode; the catches are sound that is "wide, but not massively high" and rears that are not truly wireless, since the left one must be plugged into power [src16]. Homes & Gardens, in its review of the Hisense AX5140Q, recommends the HW-QS750F surround system to readers who prefer "a more high-fidelity, delicate soundstage", and found its app's sound customization some of the most comprehensive it had seen [src20]. It is an alternative rather than a pick: none of the other guides we read recommends it, and for a bar, subwoofer and rear speakers in one box, RTINGS recommends the Hisense AX5140Q and the JBL Bar 1000MK2, both on this card [src1]. Amazon listed it out of stock when we checked on 2026-10-14.

Key Market Trends (2026)

• Samsung's 2026 bars are out; RTINGS still prefers the 2025 models. RTINGS keeps the HW-Q800F as its best 5.1 soundbar ahead of the 2026 HW-Q800H, which it found tuned too bright, and keeps the HW-Q990F as its best soundbar ahead of the HW-Q990H [src2, src1]. TechRadar keeps the 2025 HW-Q800F as its best soundbar overall [src7], and Consumer Reports lists the HW-Q800H among its premium picks while recommending the HW-Q800F as very good sound for less money [src13].
• Sonos added a compact bar with up-firing drivers. The Sonos Beam Ultra, released in September 2026 at $699, is a 7.1.2 bar that sits between the Beam Gen 2 and the Arc Ultra; TechRadar's review says it "might just be the best compact Dolby Atmos soundbar I've tested", but notes no HDMI passthrough and no DTS:X [src11]. We found only one review so far, so it is not on this card.
• Full surround for under $500. RTINGS' best soundbar under $500, the Hisense AX5140Q, comes with a subwoofer and two wireless rear satellites [src3]. TechRadar and What Hi-Fi? recommend another Hisense package, the AX5125H; TechRadar describes it as a 5.1.2 system with a wireless subwoofer and surround speakers that sells for under $350 [src7, src14].
• Height from drivers or from processing. The Hisense AX5140Q, Samsung HW-Q800F and Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar have up-firing drivers [src1, src2, src12]; the Sonos Beam Gen 2 creates height with processing, which What Hi-Fi? finds "not quite as immersive" as dedicated up-firing speakers [src14].
• Sonos bars skip DTS:X. What Hi-Fi? lists no DTS:X support for the Beam Gen 2 and no DTS support for the Arc Ultra, and TechRadar notes the new Beam Ultra leaves out DTS:X [src14, src11].
• Several testers' picks cost more than $1,000. The Sonos Arc Ultra, best overall at Tom's Guide and What Hi-Fi? and CNN Underscored's splurge pick, sold at $1,099.00 at Amazon.com in our 2026-10-13 price check [src16, src14, src15]; TechRadar's best all-in-one soundbar, the Klipsch Flexus Core 300, costs $1,199.99 [src7].

Important Caveats

• Prices in the comparison table are the last our checker recorded for the Amazon listing we link, and a dash means it has recorded none yet for that listing; dated prices in the text come from the check named beside them. The picks table at the top of the page has the current price, seller and stock.
• When we checked on 2026-10-14, Amazon listed the top pick, the Samsung HW-Q800F, new and available to order at $537.99, and Samsung's US store showed it out of stock [src21].
• Hisense and Sonos listed the Hisense AX5140Q and the Sonos Beam Gen 2 in stock on their own US stores when we checked on 2026-10-14 [src23, src22]. In our 2026-10-13 price check, the Amazon offers for those two bars and for the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar came from marketplace sellers, not Amazon itself.
• The testers disagree about the Hisense AX5140Q's bass: RTINGS found a low-end punch "that doesn't overwhelm the mix", Homes & Gardens bass that "often overpowers more subtle details" [src1, src20].
• Two of the outlets test in the UK: What Hi-Fi? in London and Reading [src14], and Trusted Reviews, which reviewed the Hisense AX5140Q at a £543 price [src19].
• TV pairing: Q-Symphony on the Samsung HW-Q800F needs a compatible Samsung TV [src8]; the LG S90TR plays an LG TV's speakers with the bar only with a compatible LG TV [src4]; the Hisense AX5140Q's room correction needs a supported Hisense TV [src3].
• For gamers: the Samsung HW-Q800F and JBL Bar 1000MK2 have no 4K 120Hz HDMI passthrough, and Trusted Reviews found the Hisense AX5140Q's passthrough capped at 4K at 60 frames per second [src7, src1, src19].