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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
Sonos Arc wins by 2
Sonos Arc — $899
Sonos

Sonos Arc

$899

88
/ 100
From $899
Specdex verdict

Sonos Arc takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) lands at 86 and Sonos Arc at 88. That puts Sonos Arc ahead by 2 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 Sonos Arc 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

Sonos Arc

Compared on the sound sub-score

Sonos Arc leads on sound (88 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 $899).

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) 86
vs
88 Sonos Arc

Score breakdown

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
86
sound 86
features 88
design 92
ease 90
Sonos Arc
88
sound 88
features 86
design 84
ease 86

Specs side-by-side

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus Sonos Arc — full spec comparison
Spec Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Sonos Arc
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

Sonos Arc

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 Sonos Arc

Which is better, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Sonos Arc? +

Sonos Arc scores 88 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. 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 Sonos Arc worth the price? +

At $899, Sonos Arc delivers a Specdex score of 88 — strongest in sound.

Does Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Sonos Arc 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 Sonos Arc? +

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 Sonos Arc? +

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