Most people prioritize resolution and other visual factors when buying a new TV, but the audio quality is often ignored. Screens have gotten bigger and sharper and brighter, but built-in TV speakers remain tinny and underwhelming, making the purchase of an external speaker system or soundbar almost essential.
I've rounded up the best soundbars you can get in 2025. They're separated into categories that will hopefully help you narrow down which option is the best for you. Without further ado, here are the best soundbars of 2025.
It should be no surprise at all that the Sonos Arc Ultra tops the list as the best soundbar overall. Sonos has been dominating the soundbar space for years, and the Sonos Arc Ultra is their flagship soundbar. The Sonos Arc Ultra comes with all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a premium soundbar, like Dolby Atmos support, spatial audio, voice assistant from Amazon Alexa, Sonos Voice Control, and more. What's most impressive is that it outperforms a lot of soundbar and subwoofer combos with just the soundbar—the bass is that good. However, you can still add more companions if you wish, like rear speakers and a subwoofer. You can read more about it on PCMag's review.
For those who like the finer things in life but also appreciate minimalism, the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar offers the best audio without the need to get a whole surround sound system. It has a big and full sound with a relatively strong bass without a subwoofer (though you can add one if you want). It also has all three major voice assistants built-in (Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, and Amazon Alexa) for easy wifi streaming. You can read more about it in PCMag's review.
Spatial Audio is a technology that makes you feel like you're immersed in what you're watching with sound coming from all around you. The JBL Bar 1300X is the best soundbar with this technology, using Dolby Atmos, 11.1.4-channel spatial audio technology, and a subwoofer to give you this surround sound without the need to actually have speakers all around you. But if you still would like to experience that, you can detach the edges of the soundbar and place them behind you to give you a truer surround sound experience. You can read more about this soundbar in PCMag's review.
Not everybody has a lot of room to play with in their TV setup, but if you have at least 3.1 inches under your TV, chances are the Polk MagniFi Mini AX will work for you. This soundbar might be small, but it still creates powerful sound. It comes with a wireless subwoofer, too. Although it doesn't offer the best spatial audio, it does come with Dolby Atmos support. You can read more about it in PCMag's review.
If you want a one-and-done solution that offers a good bang for your buck and will keep you under $200, the VIZIO 2.1 Soundbar with Subwoofer combo is a great option. This combo has the least impressive audio quality of the bunch, but it's still better than what most TVs can offer. It's also very affordable and a great option for anyone looking to get more bass or their first soundbar. You can read more about it in PCMag's review.
The best soundbar for you will depend on your budget, how much space you have, and how you want to use it. Someone looking for a soundbar for their small apartment will likely prefer something more compact as opposed to an audiophile looking to maximize their audio experience in their dedicated media room. Hopefully, this roundup helps you narrow down your search for the best soundbar for you.
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