Soundbars, ranked by critic score
10 ranked by critic score · 88 professional reviews
TV soundbars, judged on dialogue, music, surround effects and connections.
Image: SamsungSamsung HW-Q990F
All 11 reviewers recommend Samsung's top soundbar system, a bar plus subwoofer and rear speakers that deliver real surround sound and plenty of connections. It is very expensive and needs room for all the speakers; the Sonos Arc Ultra is the single-bar alternative.
The catch: Very expensive, and needs room for the speakers.
Tied on 89 with the Sonos Beam Ultra; ranked first on our tie-break (critic agreement, then number of reviews).
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- 1Samsung HW-Q990FTop pick, narrowly11 reviews89Image: Samsung
- 2Sonos Beam UltraBest compact Atmos soundbar4 reviews · early score89
Image: Sonos - 3Sonos Arc UltraMost reviewed pick21 reviews88
Image: Sonos - 4Sonos Beam (Gen 2)Mid-size rooms12 reviews85
Image: Sonos - 5Photo comingMarshall Heston 60Best compact Atmos soundbar4 reviews · early score85
- 6Sonos RaySmall rooms15 reviews80
Image: Sonos - 7Bose Smart Ultra SoundbarClearest dialogue7 reviews79
Image: Bose - 8Marshall Heston 120Best for bold looks and bass5 reviews79
Image: Marshall - 9Photo comingAmazon Fire TV Soundbar PlusBest budget Atmos setup4 reviews · early score78
- 10Creative Stage ProBest budget soundbar and sub5 reviews76
Image: Creative
Two soundbars tie for the highest critic score. On our tie-break (critic agreement, then number of reviews), the top pick is the Samsung HW-Q990F: critic score 89 out of 100 from 11 reviews, 11 of them positive. Most praised: sound quality and ease of use. Most common complaint: price.
Which to choose
Where reviewers who compared two of our top picks directly say "it depends". These comparisons never change a score.
Samsung HW-Q990F or Sonos Arc Ultra?
- The Samsung HW-Q990F if: You want a full surround system out of the box, need DTS:X, or own a Samsung TV.
- The Sonos Arc Ultra if: You want strong sound from one bar, already use Sonos, or prefer simple minimalist setup you can expand later.
From ZDNET's direct comparison, in our words · 2 outlets call this one conditional.
Common questions
What is the best soundbar?
Narrowly, the Samsung HW-Q990F, with a critic score of 89 from 11 professional reviews. Most praised: sound quality and ease of use. Most common complaint: price.
Samsung HW-Q990F vs Sonos Beam Ultra: which is better?
Critics score the Samsung HW-Q990F 89 and the Sonos Beam Ultra 89. We list the Sonos Beam Ultra under “Best compact Atmos soundbar”. Its main drawback: it is expensive and has no HDMI passthrough.
Which soundbars do critics disagree on?
The Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar (scores from 60 to 90); The Marshall Heston 120 (scores from 60 to 95).