Sonos
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Dolby Atmos · HDMI eARC · Compact
86
/ 100
From $499
VS
Bose Smart Soundbar Ultra wins by 3
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
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
| 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.