CouchSetup is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Sonos Beam vs Bose Smart Soundbar is the choice most people end up with when they want one compact, premium soundbar for a TV between about 43 and 65 inches. Both are slim, both connect over HDMI eARC, both do Dolby Atmos and both sit in a similar price range. They’re still built for different people.
Our verdict
Quick answer: buy the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) for a living room, for music, or if you may add a sub and rear speakers later. Buy the Bose Smart Soundbar for a bedroom or apartment, if you struggle to hear dialogue, or if you want Bluetooth and Chromecast. Neither has deep bass on its own.
At a glance
| Feature | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) | Bose Smart Soundbar |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.8/10 | 8.2/10 |
| Size (H × W × D) | 2.68 × 25.63 × 3.94 in | 2.21 × 27.34 × 4.09 in |
| Weight | 6.35 lb | 6.91 lb |
| Drivers | Center tweeter, 4 midwoofers, 3 passive radiators | Center tweeter, 2 side-firing, 2 up-firing |
| Dolby Atmos | Virtual | 2 up-firing drivers |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes (5.0) |
| Wi-Fi streaming | Sonos app, AirPlay 2 | Bose app, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect |
| Wi-Fi bands | 2.4 GHz only | Not stated by Bose |
| Ethernet | Yes | No |
| Room tuning | Trueplay (iPhone or iPad) | None |
| Upgrades | Sonos Sub Mini or Sub, Sonos rears | Bose bass module, surround speakers, wired sub out |
What the reviews don’t tell you
Which one fits your room and your phone
| Your situation | The catch | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| 5 GHz-only mesh Wi-Fi, no Ethernet nearby | Sonos lists 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only for the Beam | Bose, or enable 2.4 GHz |
| All-Android home | Beam’s Trueplay tuning needs an iPhone or iPad | Bose |
| Vaulted or very high ceiling | Dolby advises a flat ceiling about 7.5 to 12 ft for up-firing drivers | Beam (virtual Atmos doesn’t rely on the ceiling) |
| Shelf or overhanging TV above the bar | Blocks the Bose’s up-firing drivers | Beam |
| TV feet with very little clearance | The Beam is about half an inch taller | Bose |
How each looks under your TV
| TV | Screen width | Beam: space each side | Bose: space each side |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43-inch | about 37.5 in | about 6 in | about 5 in |
| 55-inch | about 48 in | about 11 in | about 10 in |
| 65-inch | about 57 in | about 15.5 in | about 15 in |
The 1.7-inch width difference barely changes the look. Height is what matters if your TV has short feet: measure the gap between the stand and the bottom of the screen.
What a full system costs
Bose’s own bundles show the bar with the Bass Module 500 at about double the bar alone. Sonos sells the Beam in sets with Era 100 rears and with a Sub Mini. Either way, adding bass roughly doubles the spend, so if you know you’ll want a sub, compare full-set prices before choosing the bar.
Dialogue
Both are far clearer than TV speakers, and both have a center driver that keeps voices on the screen. The Bose has AI Dialogue Mode plus a separate center-channel level; TechRadar rarely needed the AI mode, while Tom’s Guide still heard some muffled lines with bass turned up. The Beam has Speech Enhancement and Night Sound, and reviewers describe its voices as natural rather than boosted. If mumbled dialogue is your main problem, the Bose is more targeted at it; see our dialogue fixes for either bar.
Atmos: real height vs virtual
This is the clearest technical difference. The Bose bounces sound off the ceiling with two up-firing drivers, which can add real height in a room with a flat 8 or 9-foot ceiling. The Beam has no up-firing drivers; it creates width and height with processing, and reviewers consistently describe a soundstage wider than the bar. In short: the Bose gives a bit of real height in a narrower stage; the Beam gives a wider, fuller stage with only a hint of height.
Bass
Neither shakes the room. The Beam’s three passive radiators give punchy, controlled bass for its size. The Bose is lighter still, the weakness named in every review we read. For apartments and bedrooms that can be a plus: less boom through walls. For explosions you can feel, plan for a sub either way.
Music and streaming
| Feature | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) | Bose Smart Soundbar |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| AirPlay 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Chromecast built in | No | Yes |
| Spotify Connect | Via the Sonos app | Yes |
| Multi-room | With other Sonos speakers | Via AirPlay 2 or Chromecast groups |
The Beam is one of the best compact bars for music, and it joins a Sonos multi-room system. The Bose has more ways to play, which suits a household mixing iPhones and Android phones, but sounds narrower.
Setup and upgrades
Both plug into the TV’s eARC or ARC port and take volume from the TV remote with HDMI-CEC on; see HDMI ARC vs eARC. Neither has an HDMI input, so consoles stay connected to the TV and keep 4K 120Hz and VRR. The Beam grows most easily: add a Sonos sub, then two rears, all wireless. The Bose can add its bass module and surrounds, plus one unique trick: Bose Ultra Open Earbuds can act as personal rear speakers for one listener. Plan rear positions with our speaker placement calculator.
Our pick by room
| Your situation | Better pick |
|---|---|
| Small or mid-size living room | Sonos Beam |
| Bedroom or late-night watching | Bose |
| Trouble following dialogue | Bose |
| Music lover or Sonos home | Sonos Beam |
| Mixed iPhone and Android household | Bose |
| May add a sub and rears later | Sonos Beam |
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
8.8/10 CouchSetup score
Best for Living rooms, music lovers and anyone who may add a sub or rear speakers later
- About 25.6 inches wide and 2.7 inches tall
- Virtual Dolby Atmos over HDMI eARC
- Speech Enhancement and Night Sound
- AirPlay 2 and Ethernet
- Add a Sonos sub and rears later
Prices change often, so check today’s price on Amazon.
What we liked
- Wide, full sound for its size
- Natural, centered dialogue
- Excellent for music and Sonos multi-room
- Best upgrade path to wireless surround
What we didn’t like
- No Bluetooth
- Atmos is virtual
- Trueplay needs an iPhone or iPad
- 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only
Bose Smart Soundbar
8.2/10 CouchSetup score
Best for Bedrooms, apartments, TV-first viewers and anyone who struggles to hear dialogue
- 3.0.2 channels with up-firing drivers for Dolby Atmos
- AI Dialogue Mode
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Connect
- HDMI eARC plus optical input
Prices change often, so check today’s price on Amazon.
What we liked
- Real up-firing Atmos drivers
- Clear dialogue with an adjustable center channel
- Every streaming option, including Bluetooth
- Low 2.2-inch profile
What we didn’t like
- Light bass without a bass module
- Narrower soundstage than the Beam
- No room calibration
- Black only
Full details in our Sonos Beam review and Bose Smart Soundbar review. If bass matters more than streaming, see best soundbars under $300.
How we picked
We gathered the specs and expert reviews (RTINGS, What Hi-Fi and Sound & Vision for the Beam; TechRadar, Tom’s Guide, RTINGS and SoundGuys for the Bose), put them side by side, and worked out what the individual reviews leave out, like the Wi-Fi, phone and ceiling catches. Every source is listed at the end.
FAQ
Which is better overall?
For most living rooms, the Beam: wider sound, better for music and a real upgrade path. The Bose wins for bedrooms, dialogue and Bluetooth.
Which has better Dolby Atmos?
The Bose has real up-firing drivers if your ceiling is flat; the Beam’s Atmos is virtual but sounds wider.
Does the Sonos Beam have Bluetooth?
No. The Bose does.
Which works better with Android phones?
The Bose, with Chromecast and Bluetooth. The Beam’s Trueplay needs an iPhone or iPad.
Can I use either with a TV without HDMI ARC?
Yes, over optical (Bose has an input; Sonos includes an adapter), but you lose Atmos.
Related guides
- Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review
- Bose Smart Soundbar review
- Best soundbars for small rooms
- HDMI ARC vs eARC explained
Sources: Sonos Beam official specs · Bose Smart Soundbar product page · What Hi-Fi: Bose Smart Soundbar vs Sonos Beam Gen 2 · RTINGS: Sonos Beam (Gen 2) vs Bose Smart Soundbar · TechRadar Bose Smart Soundbar review · Tom’s Guide Bose Smart Soundbar review · Sound & Vision Sonos Beam Gen 2 review · Dolby Atmos installation guidelines (PDF)
