Best soundbar 2024: Top TV speakers for every budget, reviewed

Epic 65in 4K TVs are taking up residency in homes across the UK. The thick bezels of yesteryear have faded out of existence, beckoning in an era of gloriously detailed high dynamic range (HDR) tellies, making it easier than ever to get that silver screen experience right from the comfort of your own settee.

But while the picture quality on our TVs is continuously improving, something has to give – and audio is often the first to take a hit. Those thin screens leave little room for booming speakers, so voices don’t always sound crisp and clear, and there’s often not much depth. That’s where soundbars come in.

With a soundbar, you get explosive sound that matches the intense shots seen on screen. The best part? All that acoustic magic comes in an all-in-one audio box, available in a range of sizes – there are compact examples or beefier ones that stretch across the length of your wide screen, and everything in between.

You can get soundbars that connect via both ARC (Audio Return Channel) and eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel), as well as examples that come with external subwoofers. The latest technology is also making blockbuster audio more immersive than ever before, thanks to the integration of three-dimensional sound technology, courtesy of Dolby Atmos.

Below, you’ll find a range of soundbars, perfect for any budget, but if you’re looking for a specifically wallet-friendly model, check out our round-up of the best budget soundbars.

How we tested the best soundbars

We looked at a range of different soundbars – from high-end premium models to more budget-friendly options, testing them out extensively on our 65in LG nano86 television set, which has an eARC port.

To get a full sense of the soundbar’s audio quality, we watched a range of Dolby Atmos and non-Atmos TV shows and films on Netflix and regular TV, such as the Premier League, Altered Carbon, Six Underground and high-fidelity music streaming services.

We also looked at each model’s design, features and specs, looking at the quality of any extras – such as subwoofers and companion apps, as well as assessing each soundbar’s overall performance when it came to filling rooms with sound.