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Sonos Beam (Gen 2) — Dolby Atmos · HDMI eARC · Compact
Sonos

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Dolby Atmos · HDMI eARC · Compact

86
/ 100
From $499
VS
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra wins by 3
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra — $999
Bose

Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra

$999

89
/ 100
From $999
Specdex verdict

Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) lands at 86 and Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra at 89. That puts Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick Sonos Beam (Gen 2) if…

  • ✓Atmos in a compact bar
  • ✓Trueplay room correction
  • ✓Expandable with Sub + rears

Pick Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra if…

  • ✓Dolby Atmos on most
  • ✓One-box simplicity
  • ✓eARC passthrough
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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).

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) 86
vs
89 Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra

Score breakdown

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
86
sound 86
features 88
design 92
ease 90
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra
89
sound 89
features 87
design 84
ease 86

Specs side-by-side

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra — full spec comparison
Spec Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra
Channels
5.0 (virtual Atmos)
—
Connectivity
eARC HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.0
—

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

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

FAQ: Sonos Beam (Gen 2) vs Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra

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

Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra scores 89 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is Sonos Beam (Gen 2) worth the price? +

At $499, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in design.

Is Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra worth the price? +

At $999, Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra delivers a Specdex score of 89 — strongest in sound.

Does Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra 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, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra? +

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

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

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