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Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra — $999
Bose

Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra

$999

89
/ 100
From $999
VS
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra wins by 3
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) — Dolby Atmos · HDMI eARC · Compact
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
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Design

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Compared on the design sub-score

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) leads on design (92 vs 84).

Ease of use

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Compared on the ease of use sub-score

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) leads on ease (90 vs 86).

Sound

Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra

Compared on the sound sub-score

Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra leads on sound (89 vs 86).

Value for money

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) more score per dollar ($499 vs $999).

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

Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra versus Sonos Beam (Gen 2) — full spec comparison
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.

Which is better for design, Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra or Sonos Beam (Gen 2)? +

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) — leads on design (92 vs 84). Compared on the design sub-score.

Which is better for ease of use, Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra or Sonos Beam (Gen 2)? +

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) — leads on ease (90 vs 86). Compared on the ease of use sub-score.