The 5 Best Budget Soundbars - Fall 2021 Reviews

The best cheap soundbar that we've tested is the Sony HT-S100F. This 2.0 setup comes with an S-Force Front Surround feature advertised to help create a more immersive sound. It's also Bluetooth-compatible, making it easy to wirelessly stream audio from your mobile devices to the bar.

Out-of-the-box, this soundbar has a neutral sound profile, though it lacks some low-bass and can sound a bit dark. It should still be suitable for listening to dialogue-centric content like podcasts and TV shows, and there's even a dialogue enhancement feature to help make voices clear and crisp. It also gets pretty loud, making it ideal for listening to music in large rooms and crowded parties.

Unfortunately, you can't turn off the S-Force Front Surround mode, which could be a bit disappointing for some users. Also, this soundbar doesn't support Dolby Atmos content, and it lacks a Full HDMI In port, so you can't use it as a hub between different devices. If you're on a tight budget, it's still a solid upgrade over your existing TV speakers.

The Samsung HW-A450 is the best budget soundbar under $200 that we've tested. This 2.1 setup offers a neutral, balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, making it suitable for lots of different types of audio content. It also comes with lots of sound enhancement features, including a graphic EQ and presets to help you customize its sound.

This soundbar can get loud enough to fill up a large room or a crowded party. There isn't a lot of compression when you push it to max volume, either. It's also Bluetooth-compatible, so you can wirelessly stream audio from your phone to the bar.

Unfortunately, this setup doesn't have a very impressive surrounds performance since it has to downmix surround content into stereo to play it. Also, it doesn't come with many inputs, so you can't connect it via HDMI ARC or Full HDMI In. That said, you can still plug it into your TV using the included optical cable.

The best budget soundbar that we've tested for under $300 is the Vizio V Series V51-H6. This 5.1 setup comes with a subwoofer and two satellite speakers and can get loud enough to fill spaces like large crowded rooms with sound. It also features an AUX port, meaning you can wire devices like your phone to the bar.

It has a balanced and neutral sound profile, making it suitable for listening to a wide variety of audio content. Its balanced mid-range and dedicated center channel ensure voices and dialogue are clearly and accurately reproduced, so it's suitable for dialogue-heavy audio content like podcasts and TV Shows. It can produce a deep bass thanks to its subwoofer, so you can feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed movie scenes or bass-heavy music. Additionally, there are EQ presets you can use to tweak its sound.

Unfortunately, It doesn't have more comprehensive sound enhancement features like a graphic EQ to customize its sound. It also lacks a Full HDMI In port and doesn't support Dolby Atmos content which may disappoint some movie fans. However, it's still the best value soundbar if you're looking for a versatile choice.