The 5 Best Budget Soundbars Of 2022 [Buyer’s Guide]

In this article, we’re going to look at the Top 5 Best Budget Soundbars Of 2022. We made this list based on our own opinion, research, and customer reviews. We’ve considered their quality, features, and values when narrowing down the best choices possible.

If you want more information and updated pricing on the products mentioned, be sure to check the links in each product we mentioned.

So, here are the Top 5 Best Budget Soundbars Of 2022.

#1. Vizio V Series V51-H6

The best soundbar under $250 we’ve tested is the Vizio V Series V51-H6. This 5.1 setup offers a very versatile performance for its price, so it’s a suitable choice for listening to music, movies, and TV shows. It’s also one of the few setups in its price range to come with discrete satellite speakers, which help create a more immersive surround sound.

Out-of-the-box, it has a neutral sound profile with a little extra boom in the bass range, so vocals and lead instruments are clear and detailed in the mix. Thanks to its dedicated subwoofer, it has a deep and extended low bass to help you feel the rumble in bass-heavy music and action-packed movies. If you prefer a different sound, there are some standard customization features available, including a dialogue enhancement mode, as well as bass and treble adjustments.

#2. TCL Alto 8i

The best budget Dolby Atmos soundbar that we’ve tested is the TCL Alto 8i. This standalone bar is one of the only setups in this price range that can play Dolby Atmos content, which is great if you watch lots of movies on streaming platforms and Blu-rays. It uses front-firing drivers built into the bar to ricochet sound off the ceiling to simulate height.

Out-of-the-box, it has a fairly neutral, though slightly dark and boomy sound profile due to the extra bass and recessed treble. That means that dialogue in your favorite movies is pretty clear, but higher-pitched voices can sound veiled. There are some customization features available, including bass and treble adjustments to create a more neutral sound.

#3. Samsung HW-A550

The best soundbar under $200 that we’ve tested is the Samsung HW-A550. This 2.1 setup is an even more affordable option than the Vizio V Series V51-H6, and it’s a good choice for vocal-centric content like TV shows and music. Like most Samsung bars, it’s customizable, with a graphic EQ and many preset modes to help you adjust its sound to your liking.

Out-of-the-box, it offers a neutral, balanced sound profile, meaning voices and lead instruments in music and television are clearly and accurately reproduced. You’ll also find more standard customization features like bass and treble adjustments. While it supports surround sound, unfortunately, it has to downmix it into stereo to play it, which doesn’t sound as immersive.

#4. Vizio V Series V21-H8

If you’re looking for an affordable bar with lots of thump and punch in the bass, check out the Vizio V Series V21-H8. It’s a 2.1 setup like the Samsung HW-A550, but its dedicated subwoofer can reproduce a more extended low-bass, making it a solid choice for listening to bass-heavy music. There’s even a subwoofer level control that lets you adjust how loud the subwoofer gets.

Its default sound profile is quite bass-heavy, so you feel the rumble in bass-heavy genres like hip-hop and EDM. The mids are still quite balanced, so dialogue in TV shows is clear and detailed. You also have some options available to help customize its performance, including bass and treble adjustments and a dialogue enhancement mode.

#5. Sony HT-S100F

The best cheap soundbar that we’ve tested is the Sony HT-S100F. This simple 2.0 setup has a standalone design that makes it easy to fit into your living room without taking up lots of space. It doesn’t offer as many features as more premium bars, but it’s still a decent choice for listening to dialogue-heavy content like podcasts and TV shows.

Its sound profile is fairly neutral, and voices in TV shows and documentaries are pretty clear in the mix. It lacks some low-bass and some detail in the treble, meaning that it also has a slightly muddy sound. Like most cheap bars, the sound enhancement features are limited, but you can enhance the dialogue, which is nice.