ZDNET
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Sonos and Bose’s flagship soundbars will both improve your TV’s audio.
- Sonos’ products appeal to long-term investors seeking a whole-home audio experience.
- Samsung’s products will appeal to Samsung TV enthusiasts who want the most bang for their buck.
Sonos and Samsung make wonderful products to upgrade the sound of your home theater, as both offer Dolby Atmos compatibility, speech enhancement features, access to several music streaming services, and hands-free voice controls.
Also: My Sonos Arc Ultra faced an unexpected challenger – and the soundbar met its match
However, you might choose Sonos if you want to customize your home theater, retaining the ability to choose between a product’s size, capabilities, and most importantly, price. On the other hand, you might choose Samsung if you’re building a Samsung SmartThings-enabled smart home, want a one-size-fits-all home theater, or have Samsung TVs.
Despite the obvious, baseline commonalities of soundbars, rear speakers, and subwoofers, Sonos and Samsung appeal to different consumers. Here’s how to know which one best fits you.
1. Ease of use, ecosystem, and modularity
Christian de Looper/ZDNET
Sonos’ soundbars are incredibly easy to use; as long as your TV has an eARC port and your home has Wi-Fi, you can maximize their performance and features. All of Sonos’ home theater products — soundbars, rear speakers, and subwoofers — offer exceptional performance with a plug-and-play setup.
Also: Are the Sonos Ace still worth it in 2026? I’ve tested dozens of headphones, and it’s a resounding yes
Additionally, Sonos offers an array of products to fit your space. You can choose from different sizes of soundbars and subwoofers to fit your budget and square footage. Some Sonos smart speakers operate on their own as sleek, modern-looking speakers, and operate as rear speakers for your home theater when grouped together. If you start with purchasing a soundbar, you can easily build your system without upgrading core components.
Jada Jones/ZDNET
Finally, Sonos offers multi-room audio, allowing users to place multiple speakers throughout their home and control them all from a single app. Users can control Sonos portable Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, smart speakers, and the Sonos Ace headphones from one app.
Additionally, you can synchronize these speakers to all play the same audio via AirPlay or Bluetooth, and the Sonos app offers direct access to several music streaming platforms.
Review: Sonos Arc Ultra
On the other end, Samsung officially sells one standalone subwoofer compatible only with its S-series soundbars, and one pair of rear speakers compatible with a limited number of Samsung soundbars. Samsung’s speakers are not compatible with a single multi-room platform, limiting your listening experience to one room at a time. Therefore, the winner for this round goes to Sonos.
Winner: Sonos
2. Power, value, and connectivity
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Samsung’s flagship soundbars offer several power-user features that Sonos doesn’t, including an additional HDMI 2.1 port that supports 4K at 120Hz pass-through for lower latency while gaming. Samsung’s HW-Q990F flagship soundbar also supports several music file formats, including MP3, FLAC, and WAV, as well as DTS:X and Dolby Atmos.
Review: Samsung HW-Q990F
Samsung’s best home theater systems come in a box, a set that includes a soundbar, rear speakers, an external subwoofer, power cables, a remote, and wall-mounting brackets. For $2,000, you can get the best of Samsung’s home theater and have everything you could possibly need before taking the next step up, which includes amps, ceiling, or wall speakers.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
If you have several Samsung smart home products and like to oversee them all in one centralized hub, Samsung’s soundbars are also compatible with Samsung SmartThings. Some soundbar features are exclusive to newer Samsung TVs, including Q-Symphony, which synchronizes the soundbar and TV’s audio to maximize output. However, Q-Symphony is only available in models from 2020 and newer, so you’ll miss out if your TV is older.
Also: I changed 6 settings on my Samsung TV to significantly improve the viewing experience
Conversely, Sonos’ soundbars feature only an eARC or Optical port for audio connectivity to your TV, are sold separately for modularity and system building over time, and block your TV speakers when connected to a source.
Winner: Samsung
The bottom line
If you want an immediately complete sound system to complement your TV, especially if it’s a newer Samsung model, Samsung’s flagship Q-series home-theaters-in-a-box won’t disappoint. They outperform Sonos with additional HDMI ports, budget flexibility, and an extensive array of audio formats to support all media types. You’ll splurge once and not have to worry about upgrading for several years.
If you want a long-term investment that offers a full suite of outstanding features regardless of TV manufacturer, Sonos is the better choice. Its products can generally stand the test of time, thanks to over-the-air firmware and software updates, and you can build a system throughout your entire home at your own pace.
Also: How I upgraded my soundbar audio quality for free – and 4 other methods to give it a boost
Both manufacturers can cover the basics: impressive, immersive sound; wireless audio streaming; access to multiple music streaming platforms; and spatial audio compatibility. But if the basics are what you’re after, you may be overpaying if you consider buying these companies’ flagship products. Instead, consider more inexpensive options from either company, or consider budget options from JBL, LG, or Sony.
