CNET: Best budget soundbars of 2024

The built-in sound quality on TVs has gotten a lot better over the years, but not even the best TVs can compete with dedicated soundbars.

Thankfully, you don’t need to spend a lot. A cheap soundbar is the perfect solution for getting better dialogue quality out of your entertainment system. Whether it’s for watching movies and TV shows or even streaming music over Bluetooth, the best budget soundbars can make your TV sound better for less than $200.

The budget models highlighted here are ones that performed well in CNET’s hands-on tests. For the complete list visit CNET.com.

CNET TAKE: The compact Roku Streambar offers a lot for its low price tag of $139. This is a fully fledged 4K HDR streamer with hundreds of supported services, plus the ability to connect via Bluetooth. It’s an instant upgrade on your TV speaker, with excellent vocal clarity.

PROS: Compact, easy to set up and affordable, Excellent dialogue reproduction, tried and true Roku experience

CONS: Lacks bass in movies and music

CNET TAKE: For $170, the Vizio 2.1 Soundbar includes a wireless subwoofer, HDMI connectivity and both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding. Even better than the previous Vizio V21, this soundbars excels with movie soundtracks and sounds great with music, too.

PROS: Huge soundstage, exciting, detailed sound for music and movies, affordable

CONS: No analog or optical, need app to change settings, no height effects

CNET.com