Bose
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra
$999
89
/ 100
From $999
VS
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra wins by 3
Sonos
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Dolby Atmos · HDMI eARC · Compact
86
/ 100
From $499
Specdex verdict
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra lands at 89 and Sonos Beam (Gen 2) at 86. That puts Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra if…
- ✓Dolby Atmos on most
- ✓One-box simplicity
- ✓eARC passthrough
Pick Sonos Beam (Gen 2) if…
- ✓Atmos in a compact bar
- ✓Trueplay room correction
- ✓Expandable with Sub + rears
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra 89
vs 86 Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Score breakdown
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra
89 sound 89
features 87
design 84
ease 86
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
86 sound 86
features 88
design 92
ease 90
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | — | 5.0 (virtual Atmos) |
| Connectivity | — | eARC HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.0 |
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra
Pros
- +Dolby Atmos on most
- +One-box simplicity
- +eARC passthrough
Cons
- −Rear surrounds sold separately on some
- −App quality varies
- −Cabinet depth needs space
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Pros
- +Atmos in a compact bar
- +Trueplay room correction
- +Expandable with Sub + rears
Cons
- −No upward drivers (virtual Atmos)
- −No DTS
- −App glitches
FAQ: Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra vs Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Which is better, Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra or Sonos Beam (Gen 2)? +
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra scores 89 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra worth the price? +
At $999, Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra delivers a Specdex score of 89 — strongest in sound.
Is Sonos Beam (Gen 2) worth the price? +
At $499, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in design.
Does Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra or Sonos Beam (Gen 2) last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.