Returning to highschool, school, or college must be a time of pleasure – a brand new 12 months beckons, and with it the chance to get some new devices, together with a soundbar to take your TV’s audio up a degree.
While among the best TVs in 2025 do have good audio system, there are bodily limitations that merely can’t be overcome, and that is the place a standalone soundbar comes into play.
You might have seen absolute beasts like the Sonos Arc and Samsung HW-Q800D, however these signify the highest (learn: costly) finish of the market, and there are many nice ‘bars accessible for affordable.
In a shared dorm or home, having nice sound goes to make film night time, stay sports activities, and every little thing else lots higher and be sure that everybody can hear clearly. You may stream music to them!
To assist get your setup prepared, we’re looking at among the best cheap soundbars in the marketplace, balancing measurement, value, and efficiency.
What to consider
In 2025, the best soundbars can do all of it: plug into your TV by way of HDMI eARC, unfold sound throughout the room, permit for voice management, mix into your setup, and so forth.
Beyond these options, college students seeking to discover the precise soundbar are prone to have some particular necessities about measurement and value. Let’s break down what to search for and why.
- Compact measurement: Student flats and dorm rooms aren’t precisely roomy – so a slim soundbar is right. Models just like the Sonos Beam tuck neatly below your TV or monitor, providing a giant enhance over built-in audio system with out taking on your desk. No want for a subwoofer both (except you need one later).
- HDMI connections: With HDMI ARC or eARC, one cable is all it’s essential to join your soundbar and TV. It means fewer wires, and your TV distant will management the quantity too. HDMI eARC additionally helps higher-quality lossless audio variations of the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtrack codecs.
- Connectivity: While Bluetooth is nice for fast streaming out of your telephone or laptop computer, search for Wi-Fi options like AirPlay 2, Google Cast, or Alexa Cast. These allow you to stream in larger high quality, hyperlink with different good audio system, and even management playback along with your voice.
- Performance: A 3.1-channel soundbar features a centre speaker only for voices – making dialogue a lot simpler to listen to. If you’re watching numerous movies, lectures, or YouTube, it’s a sensible improve.
- Price: You don’t have to spend massive to get nice sound. There are loads of wonderful soundbars below $500, just like the Fire TV Soundbar or Sony HT-S2000. Spending extra can get you extras like Dolby Atmos or Wi-Fi, however even funds fashions supply a severe step up.
Keep these items in thoughts and also you’re prone to discover some good offers, particularly for older-generation fashions just like the original Sonos Beam, which I’ve in my lounge and it nonetheless works nice.
Amazon Fire TV Soundbar
The Amazon Fire TV Soundbar is a compact, budget-friendly sound improve that’s excellent for small scholar rooms or tight dwelling areas.
At simply 24 inches large and a couple of.5 inches tall, it suits comfortably below most TVs and screens, and doesn’t really feel cheap regardless of the low value.
Setting up is so simple as it will get: join by way of HDMI ARC or optical, and also you’re good to go. There’s no Wi-Fi streaming or voice assistants built-in, nevertheless it does assist Bluetooth, DTS Virtual:X for pseudo-surround, and a number of EQ modes for film, music, or dialogue tuning.
What actually stands out in TechSwitch’s testing is speech readability: voices come by means of crisp and clear, making this an ideal decide for binge-watching, lectures, YouTube, or late-night research breaks.
Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus
The Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus is a step up from the usual Fire TV Soundbar, providing a 3.1-channel setup with a devoted centre speaker for clearer voices, plus assist for digital Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
It’s nonetheless compact sufficient for many scholar flats or bedrooms at 37 inches large, but delivers a noticeably wider, extra immersive soundstage than its smaller (and cheaper) sibling.
Setup is simple: join by way of HDMI ARC/eARC or optical, pair your Bluetooth units, and also you’re able to go.
There’s no Wi-Fi streaming built-in, however Bluetooth is dependable, and EQ presets, together with dialogue and night time modes, provide help to tailor sound for movies, music, or late-night viewing.
Sony HT-S2000
The Sony HT-S2000 is a 3.1-channel Dolby Atmos soundbar that’s compact sufficient for a small room however highly effective sufficient to make movies, video games, and lectures sound crisp and detailed.
Its devoted centre channel retains dialogue clear and Sony’s Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force PRO Front Surround create a convincing sense of peak and width from a single bar.
Like the Amazon soundbars, it connects by way of HDMI eARC for easy setup, with an optical choice in case your TV doesn’t assist ARC.
Bluetooth streaming is on board for fast music playback, and you should utilize Sony’s Home Entertainment Connect app for additional management and firmware updates.
There’s no built-in Wi-Fi or voice assistant, however the sound high quality is wealthy and well-balanced for its measurement.
Bose Smart Soundbar
The Bose Smart Soundbar is a smooth, premium choice that mixes wonderful sound with built-in good options, backed by probably the greatest manufacturers in sound.
It’s slim sufficient to suit below most TVs with out blocking the display screen, but delivers spacious, detailed audio that makes movies, music, and dialogue sound wealthy and clear.
A devoted centre channel boosts voice readability, whereas Bose’s TrueSpace tech creates a large, immersive soundstage from a single bar.
As with the others, connectivity is robust. You get HDMI eARC for easy TV hookup, plus Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and Chromecast built-in for high-quality wi-fi streaming.
Alexa and Google Assistant are built-in, so you possibly can management playback, regulate quantity, or handle good dwelling units hands-free.
There’s additionally assist for Bose Voice4Video, which helps you to management your TV and cable field utilizing voice instructions.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a compact however highly effective soundbar that’s excellent for smaller areas, providing spectacular audio high quality and good options in a tidy package deal.
The Beam makes use of a 3.0-channel design with superior processing to ship digital Dolby Atmos, creating a way of peak and width with out the necessity for additional audio system. Dialogue is obvious, bass is punchy for its measurement, and you may increase the system later with a Sonos Sub or rear audio system.
Connectivity is once more wonderful: HDMI eARC makes TV hookup easy, whereas Wi-Fi streaming helps AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Sonos’ personal app.
There’s no Bluetooth, however you get voice management by way of Alexa or Google Assistant, plus compatibility with tons of of streaming providers. Trueplay tuning adapts the sound to your room for the very best efficiency.
If you possibly can’t fairly stretch to the brand new Gen 2 mannequin, the unique Beam – which I nonetheless use as my every day driver in a {surround} setup – is a good choice second-hand. Just be certain it really works and also you get a mannequin with a field.
FAQ
- Do I need a subwoofer for my soundbar? Not necessarily. Many soundbars deliver strong bass on their own. A subwoofer can add more depth, but in small rooms it’s often not essential.
- What’s the difference between HDMI ARC and eARC? Both use one cable for audio and management. eARC has extra bandwidth, permitting higher-quality codecs like Dolby Atmos from Blu-ray gamers and consoles.
- Can I join my telephone or laptop computer to a soundbar? Yes – most have Bluetooth, and a few additionally assist Wi-Fi streaming by way of AirPlay 2, Google Cast, or Spotify Connect.
- Is Dolby Atmos price it in a small room? Yes. Even digital Atmos could make audio really feel extra immersive, particularly for movies and video games.
- Will a soundbar enhance dialogue readability? Absolutely. Look for 3.1-channel fashions with a centre speaker, or use a soundbar’s dialogue mode for additional speech readability.