Soundbars are often seen as a more convenient alternative to traditional home theater speaker systems. But, as more drivers and sound-enhancing technologies are packed into a soundbar setup, they can become quite large. Some are too wide to keep underneath your computer monitor or on a media console, so the best soundbars for desktop use are typically smaller than those optimal for use with your TV. Smaller soundbars generally don't sound as spacious as their wider counterparts, due to the physical placement of the drivers, but their compact form makes them easier to set up wherever you'd like.
We've tested over 230 soundbars; below are the best compact soundbar recommendations. Also, check out our recommendations for the best budget soundbars, the best soundbars 5.1, and the best soundbars for music.
Quick Look
Our recommendations are built upon our thorough testing and rigorous reviews. Every soundbar we evaluate goes through multiple testing stages with different teams to ensure accurate, authentic results. No cherry-picked units or data.
Curious how we've tested over 200 soundbars (and counting)? Look at our How We Test Soundbars article for a behind-the-scenes look at our lab and process.
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Best Small Soundbar
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is the best soundbar with a small design we've tested. This premium model has the same compact footprint as the original Sonos Beam, measuring less than 26 inches in width. Thanks to its small size, it'll fit easily beneath your computer monitor or TV stand without crowding the space. Also, unlike the first-gen model, this soundbar has Dolby Atmos support, meaning you can enjoy object-based formats on Blu-ray discs and streaming services. If you move to a bigger space, you can upgrade it with compatible Sonos speakers.
Despite its small size, this premium 5.0 bar has a soundstage that is wider than the bar's physical edges, providing a cinematic feel that makes it seem like you're right in the middle of the action. This feature helps it stand out from other high-end small soundbars like the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Mini. The Sennheiser is slightly more customizable since it comes with a graphic EQ instead of more traditional bass and treble adjustments, which you may find worth the extra cost. Both bars also feature built-in voice assistant capabilities.
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Best Mid-Range Small Soundbar
If you want a more affordable option, consider the Samsung HW-S60D. This standalone 5.0 soundbar offers a pretty versatile performance for the price, along with Dolby Atmos support for users who watch a lot of content on streaming platforms and Blu-rays. It has a sleek design that's easy to integrate into your home decor and built-in Alexa support for hands-free control. At less than 27 inches in width, the bar also doesn't take up much space in your setup.
The HW-S60D soundbar has many customization tools to maximize your listening experience. As with most premium soundbars, it has a room correction feature to optimize its sound and a 7-band graphic EQ if you prefer to customize its sound manually. Unlike the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), it supports Bluetooth connectivity and Chromecast. That said, its stereo soundstage isn't quite as impressive as the Sonos', meaning you don't get the same wide feel in the space around you. It's especially noticeable with audio formats like Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos, as sound effects don't stretch into the area around your couch in the same clear and real way.
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Best Budget Small Soundbar
The Roku Streambar is a great, budget-friendly alternative to our top picks. It's a 2.0 setup with many great features and functions to improve your existing home theater. For example, it gives you access to Roku's media streamer, which organizes all your streaming services, like Netflix and Disney+, into one easy-to-use interface. Easily navigate to your favorite shows and movies, and you enjoy a clear and clean sound right out of the box. Dialogue is reproduced clearly and accurately, so it's easy to follow along with conversations on screen.
This well-built soundbar measures slightly less than 14 inches wide, making it easier than the Samsung HW-S60D to fit into your living room without crowding up the space. Apple users can stream to the bar via AirPlay 2, and it also supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless playback. Given that it's a 2.0 bar, it's ideal for listening to vocal-centric content like podcasts, sitcoms, and documentaries. It brings less rumble in the low bass than the Samsung, though, so it's less suitable for bass-heavy music like EDM and hip-hop. Still, it's worth a look if you're on a tight budget.
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Best Soundbar For Desktop Computers
While many people opt for a soundbar to enhance their TV's sound, you can also connect to your computer for a noticeable improvement over built-in display speakers. The Bose Smart Soundbar is the best small soundbar we've tested for this use. With a width of less than 28 inches, it's easy to slide beneath or in front of your monitor. Since it's only around two inches tall, it's also not likely to obscure your screen in any way. This bar's price is comparable to the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). However, it adds Bluetooth connectivity for a wire-free connection to your computer.
This soundbar doesn't bring the same wide and immersive soundstage as the Sonos. Still, it offers great sound. Dialogue is clear and accurate, and bass lovers can always add a subwoofer to enhance the rumble in the mix. Bass and treble adjustments are also available to customize the bar's output. Plus, built-in Amazon Alexa lets you control the bar with only your voice. The bar supports Dolby Atmos content with dedicated up-firing drivers; however, you'll need a display that supports audio passthrough, or a way to split audio from your PC's HDMI output, as Dolby Atmos isn't typically supported over Bluetooth. Overall, it's great for casual computer users that are fine with reduced channel compatibility or higher latency over Bluetooth, but if you want something better suited for gaming, consider the Razer Leviathan v2. While we haven't tested the bar, it supports USB audio directly from your PC, and works with Razer's own THX Spatial Audio.
Notable Mentions
- Denon Home Sound Bar 550: The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is a well-built soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos content. However, it's a 2.0 setup, so it has to downmix Atmos into stereo to play it, which doesn't sound as immersive as what you get with the 5.0 Sonos Beam (Gen 2). See our review
- JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam: The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam is a compact 5.0 soundbar with a discrete center channel and a room correction feature. It also supports Virtual Dolby Atmos, meaning it has to downmix Atmos content into surround to play it, which isn't as immersive-sounding as the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). See our review
- Sonos Beam: The Sonos Beam is a 3.0 setup with a similar design to the next-generation option, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). It doesn't support Dolby Atmos content. However, it's still a solid upgrade over your TV speakers if you don't watch many movies. See our review
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Roku Streambar SE:
The Roku Streambar SE is a solid choice for those on a budget who want their soundbar to double as a TV streamer. It comes at an even lower price point than the Roku Streambar but sacrifices Dolby Digital support and compresses more at max volume. That said, it has a more balanced out-of-the-box frequency response with more punch in the high-bass.
See our review
Recent Updates
Nov 24, 2025:
We've updated the text for accuracy, ensured our picks are still valid, and replaced the Samsung HW-S60B with the Samsung HW-S60D due to the limited availability of the HW-S60B.
Apr 16, 2025:
All our picks are still in stock, and we haven't tested any small soundbars recently, so we've made only minor edits to the text for clarity.
Jan 20, 2025:
We added the Samsung HW-S60D as an alternative pick in the mid-range category for anyone who prioritizes eARC support. The Bose Smart Soundbar replaces the Bose Smart Soundbar 600 as our 'Best Soundbar For Computer Use' pick because it's more widely available and cheaper. Finally, we restructured the article by removing the 'Best Lower Mid-Range Small Soundbar' category to better distinguish between the performance and features of soundbars at different price points.
Oct 11, 2024: We've added the Roku Streambar SE as a Notable Mention due to its wireless streaming capabilities at a budget price. Otherwise, we've only made minor changes to the text.
Jul 11, 2024: We've checked all our picks to ensure they remain in stock but have made no changes to the text or picks.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best compact soundbars, the best mini soundbars, and the best soundbars for computers for most people to buy. We factor in the price (a cheaper soundbar wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no soundbars that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all our soundbar reviews, sorted by bar width. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. No soundbar is perfect. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.