The LG C6 is easily one of the best TVs I’ve tested this year, showing a significant upgrade over its predecessor, the LG C5. The new model has faster performance, a real step-up in brightness (nearly 300 nits peak HDR and 50 fullscreen HDR) and a more accurate picture, especially with its color temperature, mitigating some of the green tint I saw in the LG C5 when I compared the C6 and C5 side-by-side.

While the LG C6 does currently sit at the top of the TV food chain for me, in terms of performance vs price, there are some rivals I’ve been intrigued to test alongside it. One of those has just landed in our testing lab: the Samsung S90H, Samsung’s own mid-range OLED and direct rival to the C6.

I decided to compare the two side-by-side using reference 4K Blu-ray scenes I use to test TVs. Can the S90H cement itself as one of the best OLED TVs and de-throne the LG C6?

Brightness and bright room viewing

In terms of brightness measurements, the C6 registered 1,427 nits peak HDR brightness in Filmmaker Mode, which is a nice result for a mid-range OLED. Surprisingly, the S90H measured 1,689 nits peak HDR brightness in its own Filmmaker Mode, which is 18% higher than the C6. Samsung’s OLED TVs are brighter than LG’s, with the Samsung S95H/S99H flagship OLED registering 10% higher brightness than the LG G6 in HDR Filmmaker Mode (2,739 nits for the S95H/S99H vs 2,475 nits for the G6).

The S90H’s fullscreen HDR brightness was also higher, measuring 310 nits to the C6’s 247 nits, both of which were measured in Filmmaker Mode. So, with measurements, the S90H is brighter. But, did this translate across to real-world viewing?

Firing up Lawrence of Arabia, focusing on a bright, daytime desert scene early in the movie, the C6 actually showed higher luminance. The white sands appeared punchier and brighter on the C6 compared to the S90H. This was the case with both TVs in Filmmaker Mode and even in the brighter Movie mode (called Cinema Home on the C6). In fact, the perceived brightness gap was even wider when set to their movie modes, with the C6 rendering the white sands and blue skies even brighter.

This could be a result of the C6’s new Alpha 11 AI Gen 3 processor, the same used in the flagship G6, which does feature an impressive brightness booster and 13-bit color processing (12-bit with 1 bit of added brightness), as well as the C6’s glossy screen vs the S90H’s matte screen. It wasn’t all cut-and-dry, as in some scenes, particularly colorful ones, the S90H looked punchier at times (I’ll get onto that in the below Color section).

One thing is for sure though: for bright room viewing, the S90H is the clear victor. The C6’s reflective screen was one of its negatives in my C6 review, often showing mirror-like reflections during darker scenes. The S90H features Samsung’s OLED Glare Free screen and as expected, it’s super effective at eliminating these reflections. I used dark scenes from movies like The Batman and Project Hail Mary to really test it out, and I was surprised by how well the S90H displayed these scenes in our bright testing lab. If you have a bright room, the S90H is the better choice.

Colors

Color is probably the toughest battle fought between these two TVs. Watching The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, both TVs did a great job faithfully recreating the movie’s bright and vivid colors. In a scene where the Lumas gather for story time at the start of the movie, their multi-colored bodies looked richer and deeper on the C6, but appeared more natural on the S90H. The same is true with the red and green of Mario and Luigi’s overalls respectively, and I found myself leaning towards the C6’s more saturated color profile.

Switching to Speed Racer however, the S90H delivers more vibrant colors. The decor of the Racer family kitchen, which features pink walls and green and orange details, seemed to pop more on the S90H. While they were still very rich on the C6, they didn’t quite have the same eye-catching hues to them as on the S90H. Throughout the movie, the S90H did a better job rendering the cartoon style colors of the movie, with pleasing richness, depth and vibrancy.

Finally, I loaded up La La Land. In the Spring pool party scene, both TVs did a great job reproducing the colorful outfits of the partygoers, as well as keeping things natural with the surrounding skies and green bushes. However, the C6 had the punchier colors again here. Mia’s yellow dress seemed to have more pop on the C6 compared to the S90H, again regardless of picture mode. Both TVs did a very good job showing balanced color profiles, with nothing looking too oversaturated (the green bushes have sometimes looked too neon on some TVs I’ve tested it on), but again, the C6 had the more engaging colors.

With HDR color gamut measurements, there was nothing to call between them. The C6 measured 99.7% of the UHDA-P3 color space and 75.9% of the BT.2020 color space, with the S90H registering 99.3% and 76.5% of the same respective color spaces. This did inform me that the 55-inch S90H I was testing was a W-OLED panel and not a QD-OLED, as a QD-OLED would have registered higher on the BT.2020 color space.

One final observation I had was that watching the subway fight scene from The Batman, the S90H showed some green tint in comparison to the C6, something I’d noticed on previous OLEDs like the C5. The C6 didn’t show any sign of this, and it was one of main plus points of the C6 during its testing.

Contrast and dark scenes

The Batman has proven to be a challenge for some TVs in the past and it proved to be a bit of a test for one TV in particular here: the S90H. Watching any of the movie’s opening scenes, where there are plenty of dark areas on screen, the S90H very clearly crushed blacks, which resulted in loss of shadow detail. As Batman stands in a subway post fight, the texture of the rear wall and in Batman’s armour was much harder to see on the S90H, while being legible on the C6.

In fact, most scenes from The Batman looked better on the C6, with both TVs set to Filmmaker Mode. I found during viewing that the S90H’s default Filmmaker Mode was very dim, even in darker, ambient conditions.

Bumping up the Shadow Detail setting from 0 to 5 did help bring back some detail, but blacks were still crushed. Setting its Tone Mapping from Static to Active (which isn’t in the spirit of Filmmaker Mode but helped here) did alleviate some of these issues, but again, the C6’s picture, in its out-of-the-box Filmmaker Mode settings, was more faithful to the movie.

Aside from these crushed black tones, both TVs did demonstrate strong contrast. As Bruce works at a desk in the Batcave, the bright tones from the monitors and desk lamp were well balanced with the dark tones surrounding them, and while they looked more natural on the C6, they were impressive on the S90H.

Switching to Project Hail Mary, the S90H’s blacks were inkier and deeper, and actually suited the scenes in space well. However, it was still prone to crushing blacks in some scenes, resulting in detail loss. Watching this movie revealed that the C6 could sometimes overexert its brightness and black tones actually looked lifted compared to the S90H in some shots.

Despite this, both TVs did a very good job rendering Project Hail Mary, and it still showcased how effective OLED was with these high contrast scenes.

A battle for the ages

Putting the C6 and S90H side-by-side proved that both of them were overall excellent mid-range OLEDs, and despite their own picture oddities from time to time, deliver superb picture quality. Both could be counted among the best gaming TVs thanks to their extensive features and both are available in size 42-83 inches.

For price, the 55-inch C6 costs $999 / £1,199 / AU$2,995, while the 55-inch S90H costs $1,299 / £1,199 / AU$2,995. While the S90H’s price is higher in the US right now, I don’t expect that to last, so really these two TVs are priced the same as well.

It comes down to your circumstances. If you have a bright room, the S90H is a no-brainer and if you’re in more ambient conditions, the C6 is the better pick. If I had to pick one right now, it would be the C6 as I found the C6’s picture to be more consistent on the scenes I tested, but this was a really close fight and if you can get the S90H for cheaper than the C6, then you won’t be disappointed with it.

• LG Display is investing heavily in OLED production up to 111 inches
• Current LG OLEDs top out at 97 inches
• Today's 97-inch panel is much older tech than smaller panels

If you're looking for home theater-size OLED TVs, you'll soon encounter two hard limits: availability and affordability. You can't currently buy an OLED larger than 97 inches because nobody makes them.

And you probably can't afford a 97-inch OLED TV because it's terrifyingly expensive: today LG is listing its 97-inch OLED for $19,999 (reduced from $24,999) / £15,999. But it looks like both of those things are about to change.

LG Display is reportedly investing big money in big OLED, though: it and its partner Guangzhou Development Zone Holding Group are reportedly investing an extra 1 billion yuan to upgrade its production facilities for giant OLED displays.

As FlatpanelsHD reports, the market analysis company TrendForce says that the announced upgrades mainly target "large-size OLED module manufacturing, with products covering 77-inch, 83-inch, 97-inch, and 111-inch," with the ability to debut a 111-inch panel being a "major highlight of the project."

Bigger and potentially more affordable TVs are always welcome. But we do have some questions.

What panel is LG intending to use?

The big question for us is whether the investment will mean improvements to the existing 97-inch panel's technology.

The 2026 version of LG's 97-inch OLED TV is a 4K native panel with a native refresh rate of 120Hz, but while the model is the LG G6, its panel is not the same as its smaller siblings: they all get LG's Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 panel, but the 97-inch is an older, non-Tandem panel — in fact it dates back to the LG G2 from 2022, so it's several generations behind. That means it isn't as bright and doesn't have the same color accuracy as the other models.

That difference is important, because these large OLEDs are up against some of the best mini-LED and increasingly, RGB mini-LED TVs — and those TVs are exceptionally bright and accurate as well as increasingly affordable. It's possible to buy high-quality 98-inch Hisense TV for just $3,999, which is a lot for a TV but not a lot for a 98-inch one — and is obvious just a fraction of the 97-inch OLED price.

We're keeping our fingers crossed here: if LG Display breaks the size barrier and makes ultra-large Tandem RGB TVs that are less expensive to manufacture, that'd be great. The worst case scenario is that we get the same kind of panel that's currently in the 97-incher, but a bit bigger — but it seems like that the aim is to upgrade the technology, given that production of smaller sizes was mentioned as a goal as well.

And that might be the bigger win from the project for most of us: if the project succeeds in making producing 111-inch OLED viable, and therefore improves the process and lowers the cost of 77-inch and 83-inch models too, that's probably the real benefit.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

In a year that saw the arrival of next-gen RGB mini-LED to the mass market and elite OLEDs get more impressive and flexible than ever for brightness, my TV of the Year at the TechRadar Product of the year Awards 2026 is, in fact, the mid-range LG C6 OLED TV.

The latest in the LG C-series lineage, the LG C6 earned the full five stars in my LG C6 review, delivering what has always made LG’s C-series TVs among the best TVs around, but taking a few key features to another level (more on that below).

When I compared it to its predecessor, the LG C5, my admiration for the C6 was further solidified, again as the latter showed major upgrades over the former — that's not something you always see in newer TV models. At the time, I said I thought the C5 was better value — but six months on, the C6's price has dropped significantly, and it's now phenomenal value.

This win actually marks LG’s first return to the top of the TV of the Year podium since 2022, with Samsung’s mid-range QD-OLED the S90C taking the crown in 2023, with subsequent victories for Samsung’s flagship OLED models, the S95D in 2024 and the S95F last year. While Samsung released very impressive TVs in 2026, one of the key things we're all looking for even more than usual this year is value, and C6 has a few key elements that make it the best bang for buck.

Accuracy, brightness and power

One of the LG C6’s big upgrades was to its processor. While previous generations of the C-series had used LG's Alpha 9, the C6 was fitted with the Alpha 11 AI Gen 3: LG's most powerful chip, and the same one used in the flagship LG G6. This meant faster processing times for easier use and navigation, as well as upgraded picture features including 13-bit image processing for reduced color banding, and an upgraded brightness booster.

But did these features actually translate into real-world improvements? When I compared the C6 to the C5, the answer was a resounding yes. The C6 registered 1,438 nits peak HDR brightness in Filmmaker Mode in a 10% window — a notable step-up over the C5’s 1,180 nits in the same test. It even hit 245 nits fullscreen HDR brightness, which was 50 nits higher than the C5. That may not sound like much, but for an OLED battling against reflections in bright rooms, it makes a clear difference.

As for actual real-world viewing, the HDR brightness boost was best demonstrated in scenes with a sunset on horizon, such as Wicked and Top Gun: Maverick, where the C6 clearly had higher peak brightness, resulting in punchier HDR highlights. Bright scenes and colors also looked more impactful and engaging on the C6, particularly when large areas of white, such as snow, were on screen.

But, the thing that impressed me the most with the C6 during my testing was its color temperature accuracy. When I viewed the C6 and C5 together, it was obvious that the C6 had a green tint effect on it (something that has affected OLED panels in the past), which you don't really register when you're watching it solo, but is clear when comparing against other high-end panels.

This was most noticeable in The Batman, namely the scene after he fought with a gang on a subway platform. Watching the scene on both the C6 and C5, they both demonstrated excellent contrast with well-balanced dark and bright tones, but the C6 clearly had a much more accurate color temperature, meaning the gray tones of the walls and platform actually looked gray, whereas the C5’s green tint took away some of that true-to-life accuracy.

Outside of this, the C6 also delivered bolder colors that popped more on screen, more accurate skin tones and slightly more refined dark tones than the C5. Watching Elemental during my C6 testing was a particular treat, as the red, purples, pinks and blues throughout really dazzled on screen. The C5 had also done a great job with that movie, but the C6 just had more.

Unbeatable value

The C6 is not a ‘cheap’ TV by any means, but one thing the C-series has always excelled at is value for money. It’s got a full suite of gaming features, and when you pair it with responsive, smooth performance, it’s easily the best gaming TV available. Its motion is also super smooth for sports, and because it's available in sizes from 42 inches to 83 inches, it’s versatile for any space. It really is a jack-of-all-trades TV.

But in this year’s C6, an exciting new twist happened with its larger 77- and 83-inch models, both known as the LG C6H: they received the same Tandem RGB OLED panel used in the LG G6. And the best part? This came at no changed cost from the LG C5, which used a less-advanced OLED EX panel. So at these sizes, the LG C6 is practically the same TV as the LG G6, but cheaper.

We always worry about price increases from previous models when a TV launches, due to inflation as well as upgrades touted by manufacturers — and obviously this year has been especially hard for tech price rises.

However, the C6 launched for nearly identical prices and those prices have been dropping ever since. At the time of writing, several months from its release in April 2026, you can pick up a 65-inch C6 for $1,499 / £1,799 / AU$3,995 already, which is a $1,200 / £700 price drop (none in Australia yet unfortunately). And with Black Friday around the corner, there’s only more opportunities to get one for less.

When you put its upgraded performance and features over its predecessor, stable prices, upgraded panels in larger sizes at no extra cost and its genuine value for money together, the C6 is my obvious pick for TV of the Year. Yes, there may be more impressive TVs out there if money's no object, but here in 2026 money very much is an object — and no other TV ticks all the box boxes, including value, so impressively.

Hisense XR10: One-minute review

The Hisense XR10 offers powerful projection that you can put all over the room and still get squared away. That’s thanks to extensive optical adjustments that include incredible zoom range and lens shift. Hisense definitely cranked up the elegance this year.

The Hisense XR10 is loaded up with blazing RGB lasers that give it stunning brightness and color, while an adjustable iris can help it clamp down black levels for dark room viewing with enhanced contrast. It’s all packed into a stylish box that’s much smaller and more portable than high-end theater projectors like the Sony Bravia Projector 7, and Hisense’s included carrying case will let you take it places in style.

All of this comes at a high price, though. The Hisense XR10 is $5,999 / £5,999 / AU$9,999 after falling from the original $6,999 price tag in the US. Though it has decent speakers for a projector and a serviceable operating system in VidaaOS, these don’t lend a ton of extra value. It also jumped the gun a bit and missed out on the VRR and 4K/120Hz support that a newer wave of projectors are offering. At its price, it’s not going to lead the charge for value, but you do get a lot for the money. It’s still probably worth waiting to see if the XGIMI Horizon 30 Ultra Max, JMGO Iris Ultra Max, and Hisense C3 Ultra Max leave the XR10 any room to breathe.

Hisense XR10 review: Price and release date

• Release date: mid 2026
• MSRP: $5,999 / £5,999 / AU$9,999

The Hisense XR10 made its debut at CES 2026 and started shipping in May. It came with an initial price of $6,999 / £5,999 / AU$9,999 but that US price has generally fallen to $5,999. In the time it’s been out, some deals have even brought it as low as $4,499, but it hasn’t been a sticky price drop and prices elsewhere seem to be much more static.

For the money, Hisense does include a special carrying case that’s far and away the highest quality one I’ve seen included with a projector like this. But even then it’s not adding thousands of dollars in value.

Hisense XR10 review: specs

Hisense XR10 review: design and features

• Stylish, compact design and serious carrying case
• Highly adjustable optics
• VidaaOS is quick but may be limiting

Hisense has built something particularly gorgeous with the XR10. It simply looks like a work of serious engineering with its brown metal casing, stylish venting and machined accents, knurled lens cover, oversize lens cover, and dark color scheme. The front's sensor array also looks highly technical. The top is a little plain, but Hisense has included a volume dial, power button, ambient light sensor, and a little aesthetic nod to the RGB laser system inside.

The Hisense XR10 is a modestly sized box at 11.5 x 10.7 x 8.4 inches / 292.1 x 271.8 x 213.4 mm, yet with all its packing in it ends up weighing a considerable 23.4 pounds / 10.6kg. To help you lug it around, Hisense includes a fashionable carrying case that looks more like a piece of luggage than the styrofoam cases many projectors come with. It's complete with straps, zippers, padded slots for each component, and it even has wheels and an extendable handle for rolling.

The projector has everything it needs to help you get it set up for perfect alignment with your screen. It stands on four height-adjustable feet, so you can get it level and squared away with the wall. And it offers extensive zoom and lens shift capabilities. It can shift from a short throw ratio of 0.84:1 all the way to a 2:1 throw ratio, this means you can set it close to a wall or screen and still get a big picture or set it far from that screen and shrink it down to fit without having to use digital cropping. Plenty of competitors are offering zoom now, but the XR10 has a far wider range than most.

The XR10 goes well beyond that, too, adding on 130% vertical lens shift and 46% horizontal lens shift. This makes it much easier to set the projector wherever is convenient for you and still be able to dial in a crisp, perfectly aligned projection where you want it.

Hisense has also built in some automatic picture correction, like screen fitting and obstacle avoidance, but the projector tends to try zooming all the way out to make those corrections. So it's very easy to end up in a situation where the projection is simply too large for the projector to figure out what to do to fit it onto a small screen. Some features also get locked out if lens shift is used, like automatic keystone correction (something you should skip anyway) and eye protection (something it’s also great to have because these are some bright lasers).

Around back, the Hisense XR10 is pretty well geared up for serious home theater use. It includes a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports one of which supports eARC as well as one HDMI 2.0 port. It also includes a set of two USB 3.0 ports, a gigabit ethernet port, and both optical and 3.5mm analog audio outputs.

That ethernet port could be useful, but the XR10 actually has Wi-Fi 7 on board, so you can get pretty fast networking wirelessly as well. With that wireless connection, you can easily access streaming services using the built-in operating system, which is unfortunately not Google TV.

Instead it’s Hisense's own VidaaOS. It has most of the major streaming apps and some extras like Xbox Cloud Gaming but there's plenty that's missing. On the bright side, navigating the software is fairly quick and Hisense's included remote has a dedicated input button so you don't have to spend much time in VidaaOS if you want to use an external source for video.

The XR10 offers serious brightness for a small box, so there’s a bit of fan whir in operation to keep the insides cool. It’s noticeable in a quiet room when sitting close to the projector, but it’s easily drowned out by the 2.1-channel sound system.

The remote control included with the XR10 is a fairly simple one, offering directional navigation and direct access to input selection, autofocus, voice input, the settings menu, the home screen, volume and brightness controls, a mute button, and shortcuts to Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and Disney+. It also has backlighting, but it's only activated after you press a button, not motion activated.

• Design & features score: 4.5 / 5

Hisense XR10 review: picture quality and performance

• Brilliantly colorful, stunningly bright, and capable of deep black levels
• Good gaming chops
• Punchy sound, but not cinematic

One of the greatest aspects of the Hisense XR10 is its color, coming by way of its RGB laser light source. For most content, it can look perfectly natural, but when it really comes time to jazz things up, it’s simply amazing. The attack on Rosalina’s home in the beginning of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a stunning showcase of its capabilities, with dazzling magical effects, so many colorful stars, and plenty of opportunity for the XR10 to demonstrate its vibrant color.

As the convoy heads out at the beginning of Mad Max: Fury Road, the subtle reds of the sand against the blues of the sky are simply gorgeous, and the deeper reds of the flamethrowers are all the more vibrant. The inside of the sandstorm is simply wondrous, with the chaotic flashing of lightning playing against the deep shadows.

All that color comes alongside serious brightness. In my testing with the projector in its Vivid picture settings, with the iris open and brightness set to maximum, I measured it outputting 6,841 lumens. It has the potential to go higher with a cooler white point and a Brightness Enhanced mode, reaching 7,757 lumens, but this tints the whole picture green.

In practice, the high brightness means the XR10 is strong enough to use in a room even if you’re not doing much to shut out ambient light. I found watching a lot of content even with some of my room lights on more than comfortable, and depending on what I was watching, I could even get away with leaving the windows open in the middle of the day and still see well enough.

The Hisense XR10 offers potent contrast as well. It’s exhibited splendidly in Dune 2 during the black-and-white Harkkonen coliseum fight. Even without color, there’s splendid detail and rich shadows. This contrast comes by way of the low black levels that the projector is capable of by shutting down its iris. In all but the darkest scenes I find that the letterboxes around some videos appear almost completely black.

The projector gets dark enough that light control in the room actually becomes rather important. Light hitting the screen can bounce around the room and end up back on the screen where it should be dark, and this raises the black level. Using a VESA test pattern with two bright boxes in the corners of an otherwise black screen, I measured a contrast of 362:1 without controlling for room reflections. By blocking out the white boxes with black velvet, I could simulate a light-controlled room and measured a 3,251:1 contrast ratio. That was with the optical iris open. Cranking the iris down to its lowest level, I measured a 11,194:1 contrast ratio.

The XR10 uses motion interpolation by default, and this tends to introduce a lot of motion artifacts, though it can be a benefit to panning shots. I’ve found the visuals look smooth enough and avoid issues with the motion interpolation set to Film or disabled outright.

Gaming on the XR10 is a joy. It supports both 4K/60Hz and 1080p/240Hz modes with very low latency in both, even without enabling Game Mode. I dashed through levels in Hades 2, easily keeping up with the pace of combat and played through 007: First Light while enjoying the deep cinematic shadows the projector enabled. The XR10 misses out on VRR, though, and a new crop of projectors are bringing in 4K/120Hz capabilities as well, leaving the XR10 a little bit behind on those fronts.

The audio of the XR10 is quite something for a box as small as it is. It features a 2.1-speaker setup with two main drivers and a subwoofer. There’s a bit of low-end brunt to it, though I found the volume drops off a cliff below about 70Hz, leaving the deepest rumble out of the picture. The speakers do a good job with most content and get plenty loud without distorting, but they don’t have much stereo separation to help along with the stunning cinematic quality of the projection.

For what it’s worth, the XR10 still comes with the DLP rainbow effect. It’s not as bad as I’ve seen on some DLP projectors, tending only to be noticeable with white on black visuals, but it may be distracting to those who are particularly susceptible to it.

• Picture quality & performance score: 4.5 / 5

Hisense XR10 review: value

• Premium price
• Capable and flexible projection

There’s no getting around the fact that, at $5,999 / £5,999 / AU$9,999, the Hisense XR10 is a very expensive projector, even next to a lot of its competition. It outprices models like the XGIMI Titan Noir Pro, XGIMI Horizon 30 Ultra Max, JMGO Iris Ultra Max, and even Hisense’s own C3 Ultra Max, and by a considerable amount. It is on the bright side of these projectors, though not the brightest. What it does have is a greater zoom range than any of these with its ability to go to a 2:1 throw ratio. For anyone who critically needs flexibility in positioning, that could be a big advantage.

The inclusion of decent speakers for a projector and a streaming operating system are nice to see, but not something that sets the XR10 far apart from its competition.

Ultimately the XR10 ends up with a sizable premium that might be hard to justify for everyone who’s seeking the most value. But if you’re after high-powered projection and serious capabilities, there are really only a few options that effectively undercut this one, and we're yet to see how well they hold up to their promises.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Hisense XR10?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Hisense XR10 review: Also consider

How I tested the Hisense XR10

• Tested at home in multiple, real-world viewing conditions
• Presented the display with a variety of media and formats
• I have tested numerous projectors and displays over the last half-decade

I tested the Hisense XR10 at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with streamed content, HDR and non-HDR, and console gameplay.

My testing evaluates the projector’s performance with respect to its price and competition from other models I and colleagues at TechRadar have tested.

I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer.

• First reviewed: October 2026
• Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Sony Bravia Theater Trio (HT-A8) review

The Sony Bravia Theater Trio is hard to define, but easy to love. Hard to define because its three-speaker (Trio, geddit?) package doesn’t feel quite like either a soundbar or a home theatre separates system; easy to love because it sounds amazing.

Sony’s own story of how the Trio came to be states that it was borne from frustration in its audio department about the inability of regular soundbar solutions — even high-end ones — to deliver sound with enough power and scale to convincingly partner with really big TVs. It was deemed that rather than creating a mammoth uber-long single soundbar to solve this problem, a much more practical solution would be to create a three-piece centre, left, right speaker package instead.

While the left and right speakers of the Trio system are larger and heavier than the sort of satellite speakers usually sold with or as options for regular soundbar systems, the package overall still looks startlingly compact overall for a system designed for king-sized TVs. The center speaker only measures in at 23.19 x 2.52 x 6.5 inches / 589 x 64 x 165mm, in fact. But you can, of course, place the wireless left and right speakers pretty much as far apart as your room allows, to help create a soundstage commensurate in scale with a monster TV.

I would quickly add at this point, though, that I personally don’t see the Trio as only worth getting if you have a huge TV. It’s actually so good and, as I’ll explain, so flexible with its sound that it’s worth considering by really any home theater fan who’s able to afford it.

Just throwing a trio of speakers at the big TV audio problem won’t in itself guarantee a satisfying home theater audio solution, of course. Especially when those three speakers only deliver dedicated left, right, centre and up-firing channels, rather than the many more channels that even some single bar soundbars can manage these days. The thing is, though, the Bravia Theater Trio’s channel count isn’t actually restricted to the the handful we’ve just mentioned. The brand’s revolutionary 360 Spatial Sound Mapping system is capable of adding up to 24 ‘virtual’ (created by psychoacoustic processing) extra channels of sound to the system’s ‘physical’ ones.

The 360 Spatial Sound Mapping system’s calculation process for figuring out where to place the sound from these extra virtual speakers uses a supplied, high-quality mic dongle that plugs into your phone to tailor the sound to your room layout. This works so well that you’ll be able to still enjoy a totally coherent, balanced, symmetrical soundstage from your Trio system no matter how awkward your room layout might be.

This room adaptation part of the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping system becomes even more useful if you add a pair of Sony’s new Rear 9 optional surround sound speakers. Even when I deliberately set the the two front and Rear 9 speakers in the most unhelpful positions I could manage, the processing still somehow manages to put me at the heart of a colossal 360-degree soundstage.

I’ve let the Trio’s cleverest trick, though, lead me into discussing the system’s performance before I’ve finished going through every feature it has to offer. So let’s quickly get back to that.

While the Trio’s centre speaker’s long, slim design suits simple placement on a desktop under your TV, the left and right speakers sneak a narrow straight bit into their otherwise cylindrical shape to allow them to be wall mounted if that suits your set up.

Connectivity is passable. The highlight is an HDMI loop through that supports 4K/120Hz gaming feeds — as you’d hope with a sound system from the brand responsible for the PlayStation 5 — as well as the HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision HDR formats, but not HDR10+. And the HDMI output also supports the eARC system for taking in sound from your TV.

Unfortunately, the only other port is a USB slot that’s apparently only for software updates. A second HDMI input and an optical digital audio input would have been nice on a £1,999 home cinema system these days perhaps, but the Trio’s support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (6.0) alongside the HDMIs will likely deliver everything most modern households will need.

These wireless options support direct streaming from Spotify Connect and Apple Airplay 2. On top of this, the system can also utilize Hi-Res Audio files and carries Sony’s redoubtable DSEE Ultimate AI upscaling system for making compressed audio sound better.

The latest Bravia Connect app for iOS and Android helps you set the system up, as well as providing an attractive and useful visual interface as a back up to the fairly basic remote control the system ships with. And it's particularly handy, given the Trio doesn’t carry an LED display.

Finally in the feature department, the Trio can play both the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound formats. In fact, it doesn’t just play them; it eats them for breakfast.

Any doubts about the Trio’s $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$2,999 price evaporate in an irresistible bombardment of almost impossibly massive sound staging, levels of power, detail and impact that seem to go far beyond the system’s claimed 405W of confirmed power. It also serves up mesmerizing detailing and precision, and an immaculate tone that has more in common with a premium full separates system than a minimalistic three-speaker package.

The system’s remarkable drivers and even more remarkable 360 Spatial Sound Mapping processing create a soundstage that fills at least the front half of even very large rooms, with the physical existence of the Trio’s three speakers essentially completely disappearing. As well as being capable of creating an epic sense of space for big movie locations, the size of sound the Trio can produce means it's effortlessly able to ‘fill’ the screen area and match the cinematic scale of even the very biggest TVs.

Despite its immense and immersive size, though, the Trio’s sound doesn’t forget the small things in home cinema and music life. It can pull in the boundaries of its sound superbly when a soundtrack wants to portray a tight space, for starters. Also, every detail in a movie sound mix is beautifully rendered, no matter how small, and produced with exactly the correct weight relative to other mix elements.

There’s no hint of harshness or brittleness to any sound the Trio makes, no matter how high pitched or deep it might be. In fact, despite the center speaker’s small size, the system gives the impression of having no ceiling for treble sounds to butt up against and turn harsh, and no low-frequency floor for bass sounds to flatten off against.

The relatively hefty left and right speakers do most of the heavy low-frequency lifting without making deep sounds feel trapped in, hard edged or distorted. They’re reactive enough to serve sudden bass hits with impeccable timing, too, and have enough range in the low frequencies they can produce to stop rumbles becoming overwhelming or coarse.

This excellent bass performance is particularly welcome, given that bass has been a weakness of some of Sony’s current soundbars, and that the system is quite compact. Perhaps an even bigger worry is that Sony sells Sub 8 and Sub 9 external wireless subwoofer upgrades for the package, which always makes me wonder if there’s a weakness in the core system that such an add-on is required to fix.

The Trio can deliver hard, sudden impact sounds with proper venom and propulsion, while the soundstage remains balanced and authoritative even at high volumes, no matter how dense the content might be.

Sound systems that go as big and dynamic with film soundtracks as the Trio can aren’t always able to turn their hands effectively to music. The Trio, though, is at least as engaging with music as it is movies.

Even in native stereo mode, without any of Sony’s remarkable virtual surround processing in play, the trio of speakers deliver excellent stereo separation and vocal placement. Nothing sounds at all strained, no matter what type of music you’re playing or how dense a track gets. It retains its genuinely hi-fi feel, too, at higher volumes than you’ve probably ever heard your favorite albums before. And yet, at the same time, people with neighbors will be pleased to hear that its speakers are sensitive enough to deliver music compellingly even at low volumes, something many soundbars struggle with.

Dolby Atmos music sounds similarly refined. It's detailed without being forensic, but also enjoys a more three-dimensional presentation that includes height elements. And if you’re happy to take off your purist music hat, I’d also recommend you try stereo tracks — or, at least, relatively poppy or ambient stereo tracks — through its 360 Spatial Sound Mapping processing, which gives it a more spacious and surround sound feel. Certainly Sony’s ‘upmixing’ with this effect is much superior to similar modes attempted by most other home audio packages.

It’s a tough ask to find things I don’t love about Sony’s Trio system. But I’m paid to try, so here goes. First, for all its virtual speaker creating talents, it only creates a quite limited sense of sound coming from behind your seating position. This can be solved extremely well by adding Sony’s new Rear 9 extra wireless surround speakers — though, at $749.99 / £699 / $ 1,299 a pair, this upgrade isn’t cheap.

The left/right spread of stereo music strangely narrows slightly when playing music through the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping despite expanding in every other way. And finally — and possibly most frustratingly depending on how big your household is — the area you need to sit in after calibrating the Trio for the optimal 360 Spatial Sound Mapping effect is quite small. Though even outside of this sweet spot, it’s still gloriously easy to appreciate just how good the Trio’s overall sound is.

Sony Bravia Theater Trio (HT-A8) review: Price and release date

• Released: July 2026 (UK and Australia), May 2026 (US)
• $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$2,999

At first glance the Trio’s $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$2,999 price looks substantial for a three-piece speaker package. Samsung gives you a full surround soundbar package, the HW-Q990H, for just $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$1,499, after all. Once you’ve placed the Trio’s speakers wherever you want them to go, though, and run the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping system setup, the system reveals itself to be a pretty much separates-grade performer capable of partnering with a huge screen and even filling a big room.

Hitting almost $2,750 / £2,700 / AU$4,300 if you add the admittedly impressive Rear 9 speakers starts to look a bit of a stretch, but you could always add the rears later as funds allow. The out-of-the-box Trio won’t let you down in the mean time.

Sony Bravia Theater Trio (HT-A8): Specs

Should I buy the Sony Bravia Theater Trio (HT-A8)?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Sony Bravia Theatre Trio (HT-A8) review: Also consider

How I tested the Sony Bravia Theatre Trio (HT-A8)

• I used the Sony Trio as my main living room audio system for 11 days.
• Also tested in a second room with a different size and layout, and with a pair of optional Rear 9 surround speakers.
• Tested with 4K Blu-rays, CDs, streamed audio, and games, using all direct HDMI connection, eARC and wireless connection options

I tested the Trio as my main living room audio system for 11 days overall, as well as using it in a second room with a different layout for two further days. I also moved the left and right speakers (and the optional rears) to all sorts of awkward places to test the flexibility of the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping processing.

During the testing period, I fed the Trio system audio content from a wide range of sources, including movie soundtracks from streaming boxes and 4K Blu-ray players over HDMI; music from a CD player and the various music streaming services the system supports; and game soundtracks from an Xbox Series X. Key movies used were Blade Runner 2049, It Chapter One, Civil War, and Sinners.

• First reviewed: October 2026
• Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Though 2026 has been a tumultuous time for technology when it comes to price hikes and shortages, the tech that's reached us has been excellent — in fact, it's been a banner year in most areas, just with some downsides for your wallet.

We've already crowned the best tech of the year as chosen by you in our TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 — but this is where we let our experts have their say.

Our writers and editors chose their favorite products in nearly 100 categories, ranging across all the kinds of products we review. In some cases, we agree with the readers; in lots of cases, we don't. So read on to see which gadgets we rate as being the most impressive of the last 12 months.

Phones & tablets

Phone of the Year

Phone Brand of the Year

Phones Innovation of the Year

Best Value Phone

Best Mid-Range Phone

Best Folding Phone

Best Flip Phone

Best Camera Phone

Best Gaming Phone

Best AI Phone

Best Phone Accessory

Best Tablet

Best eReader

Cameras & drones

Camera of the Year

Brand of the Year

Camera Innovation of the Year

Best Beginner Camera

Best Mid-range camera

Best Professional Camera

Best Compact and Instant Camera

Best Action and Vlogging Camera

Best Camera Lens

Best Camera Accessory

Best Drone

Computing

Laptop of the Year

Computing Brand of the Year

Best Computing Innovation

Best Value Laptop

Best AI Laptop

Best Gaming Laptop

Best PC Gaming Handheld

Best Gaming Keyboard

Best Gaming Mouse

Best Gaming Monitor

Gaming

Gaming Device of the Year

Gaming Brand of the Year

Gaming Innovation of the Year

Best Console Accessory

Best Gaming Service

Best Gaming Controller

Best Gaming Headset

Best Gaming Chair

TV & home theater

TV of the Year

Home Entertainment Brand of the Year

Home Entertainment Innovation of the Year

Best Gaming TV

Best TV for Sound

Best OLED TV

Best Mini-LED TV

Best Value TV

Best Projector

Best Soundbar

Best Wireless Home Theater Speakers

Streaming

Streaming Service of the Year

Best for Movies

Best for Documentaries

Best for TV Shows

Best Free Streaming Service

Audio

Headphones of the Year

Audio Brand of the Year

Audio Innovation of the Year

Best Wireless Headphones

Best Wireless Earbuds

Best Open Earbuds

Best Value Headphones

Best Value Earbuds

Best Value Open Earbuds

Best Wired Headphones

Best Wired Earbuds

Best Bluetooth Speaker

Best Wireless Speaker

Best Portable Audio Player

Best Turntable

Best DAC

Best Stereo Speakers

Health & Fitness tech

Health & Fitness Device of the year

Health & Fitness Brand of the Year

Health & Fitness Innovation of the Year

Best Smartwatch

Best Running Watch

Best Fitness Tracker

Best Smart Ring

Best Electric Toothbrush

Best Connected Fitness Tech

Home tech

Home Device of the Year

Home Tech Brand of the Year

Home Tech Innovation of the Year

Best Home Light Tech

Best Home Security Device

Best Robot Vacuum

Best Vacuum

Best Air Fryer

Best Coffee Machine

Best Value Coffee Machine

Best Fan

It's been an excellent year for tech releases, with the arrival of everything from new TV panel developments, to groundbreaking drones, to awesome spatial audio speakers, to a new breed of AI-connected screenless fitness wearable.

It's also been a really difficult year in tech, though, due to the component crisis and rising prices across nearly all products. In the middle of that tension, it only makes sense for us to find out which companies navigated the challenges best by asking the community of tech lovers out there — and so here are the first TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards.

The results are in, so below we've listed the TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 winners winners in every category, all 100% voted by you!

Phones & tablets

Phone of the Year

Phone Brand of the Year

Phones Innovation of the Year

Best Value Phone

Best Mid-Range Phone

Best Folding Phone

Best Flip Phone

Best Camera Phone

Best Gaming Phone

Best AI Phone

Best Phone Accessory

Best Tablet

Best eReader

Cameras & drones

Camera of the Year

Camera Brand of the Year

Camera Innovation of the Year

Best Beginner Camera

Best Mid-range camera

Best Professional Camera

Best Compact and Instant Camera

Best Action and Vlogging Camera

Best Camera Lens

Best camera accessory

Best drone

Computing

Computing Brand of the Year

Best Computing Innovation

Best Value Laptop

Best AI Laptop

Best Gaming Laptop

Best PC Gaming Handheld

Best Gaming Keyboard

Best Gaming Monitor

Best Gaming Mouse

Gaming

Gaming Device of the Year

Gaming Brand of the Year

Gaming Innovation of the Year

Best Console Accessory

Best Gaming Service

Best Gaming Controller

Best Gaming Headset

Best Gaming Chair

TV & home theater

TV of the year

Home Entertainment Brand of the Year

Home Entertainment Innovation of the Year

Best Gaming TV

Best TV for Sound

Best OLED TV

Best mini-LED TV

Best Value TV

Best Projector

Best Soundbar

Best Wireless Home Theater Speakers

Streaming

Streaming Service of the Year

Best Streaming Service for Movies

Best Streaming Service for Documentaries

Best Streaming Service for TV Series

Best Free Streaming Service of the Year

Audio

Headphones of the Year

Audio Brand of the Year

Audio Innovation of the Year

Best Wireless Headphones

Best Wireless Earbuds

Best Open Earbuds

Best Value Headphones

Best Value Earbuds

Best Value Open Earbuds

Best Wired Headphones

Best Wired Earbuds

Best Bluetooth Speaker

Best Wireless Speaker

Best Portable Audio Player

Best Turntable

Best DAC

Best Stereo Speakers

Health & Fitness tech

Health and Fitness Device of the Year

Health & Fitness Brand of the Year

Health and Fitness Innovation of the Year

Best Smartwatch

Best Running Watch

Best Fitness Tracker

Best Smart Ring

Best Electric Toothbrush

Best Connected Fitness Tech

Home tech

Home Device of the Year

Home Tech Brand of the Year

Home Tech Innovation of the Year

Best Home Light Tech

Best Home Security Device

Best Robot Vacuum

Best Vacuum

Best Air Fryer

Best Coffee Machine

Best Value Coffee Machine

Best Fan

• Samsung TVs can report dog barks and baby cries to Samsung
• TVs can detect mics in soundbars and other devices
• It's not as sinister as it's being painted online

Update 10/29/26: Samsung has reached out to us with the following statement:

"Like many Smart TV providers, Samsung uses Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) to enhance the viewing experience, better tailor both the content, and if users consent, the advertising they see.

“Samsung Smart TVs do not enable ACR by default. Users must opt-in to the ACR service and can opt-out at any time. When a customer disables ACR, viewing information is not collected or transmitted.

“Samsung takes privacy very seriously, it's at the heart of everything we do, and is handled with the utmost care to ensure our viewers get the best experience while keeping their personal data safe."

The rest of this story remains as originally published.

Privacy has always been a hot-button topic online, and since the furore over LG TVs' data collection people have been paying particular attention to televisions and associated accessories.

So the latest news about Samsung TVs seems rather scary: according to a thread on Reddit, it has "on-device AI listening for your dog and baby, watching what you watch, and borrowing your soundbar's mic if the TV doesn't have one."

That sounds appalling, but when you look into the detail the picture becomes considerably less sinister. Some of the supposed spying Samsung is doing isn't secret: in some cases it's for features Samsung happily advertised as reasons to buy its TVs.

That doesn't necessarily mean that Samsung is doing everything with complete transparency, or that there might be more data collection and retention than you're aware of. But it does mean perhaps putting down the EVERYBODY PANIC! signs and looking at what the TVs are actually doing.

What are the claims about Samsung TVs?

According to an X user called log4j, they started digging into their Samsung TV's data use when the on-screen ads were getting very specifically targeted. And in the latest batch of data they've published, they found markers for dog-barking and baby-crying events, data on camera streaming duration, and a feature that can detect microphones in nearby devices.

Scary, right? But the AI baby crying detection was a feature Samsung advertised under the name Family Care as a key selling point: the idea was that if your TV detected a child's cries, it would send alerts to your connected mobile devices. And Samsung's already said that it is discontinuing the feature — 18 months after it launched — due to low usage and persistent false positives, for example because it was detecting on-screen crying as if it happening for real.

What about the dog barking? That's a related system, Pet Care, which is designed to do the same for dogs as it does for babies' cries. Both systems are designed to work when the TV is on standby.

It maybe be fair to criticize Samsung for not making it clear it reported such events to its own servers, and to ask why it needs to. We've asked Samsung for comment on the latter, though there's probably a clue in the fact that it's discontinuing the feature due to lack of use and its performance — it's standard for companies to collect some data on if and when features are used, so they can analyze and adapt them. In any case, Samsung was hardly hiding Pet Care and Family Care. Quite the opposite.

What about looking for external microphones? As far as I can see from the posts on X, the TV only looks to see if nearby devices have a microphone — there's no evidence that it uses them secretly. It's entirely possible that there's a simple reason for it, for example to enable karaoke apps or video calling apps, so that when you fire up those apps the TV already knows which microphones are available. Discovering nearby devices is not the same as accessing them; if it were, we'd be demanding a ban on Bluetooth.

Further data is promised from the Samsung TV software breakdown, and it might reveal that there are some dodgy deeds going on: the same hacker says that the TV loads a region-specific neural network to monitor your use of apps such as YouTube, and a detailed breakdown of what's going on there is apparently imminent.

But for now it seems that Samsung maybe more has a privacy policy issue, not a sinister snooping plan. If more data emerges and it demonstrates something more serious, I'll be as outraged as anyone else.

I think we're way overdue a big conversation about how much data TV hardware and accessory firms should collect, especially in the US where data protection hasn't been a massive legislative priority compared to places like Europe. But I don't think this particular story is as worrying as tales of TV makers telling advertisers that "we own the glass".

We've contacted Samsung for comment and we'll update this article if it responds.

I've long been a fan of Sonos and its approach to home audio. My apartment is already filled with the company's speakers, including two home theater systems for movies and TV, and a couple of stereo pairs for music. And while the ability to group speakers and play whatever I want, wherever I want, is already a major part of the appeal, I've always felt there was room to take things a step further.

So when Sonos announced the Beam Ultra soundbar earlier this year, alongside a new feature that would allow its portable Play speakers to double as rear surrounds, my interest was well and truly piqued.

I've already made my feelings about the Play perfectly clear, having previously claimed it could be the only speaker you really need. Its ability to perform just as well around the home as it does on the move makes it an incredibly appealing proposition.

And now, thanks to the new Sonos27 operating system, that versatility extends to home theater. Rather than committing a pair of speakers to permanent surround duties, you can simply pick one up, take it into another room and use it independently, before returning it to its original position and having it automatically rejoin the system.

It's a simple idea, but one that has the potential to fundamentally change how people use their Sonos speakers. And having now put the Beam Ultra and a pair of Plays through their paces, I think it's one of the company's most compelling developments in years.

Play it for me, Sonos

A pair of Sonos Play speakers can be used as rear surrounds with several of the company's soundbars, including the Arc, Arc Ultra, Beam (Gen 2) and Beam Ultra. Given the larger size and greater output capabilities of the Arc models, I'd argue the relatively compact Plays might be a slight mismatch, but it's good to know you're not tied to one particular soundbar.

Pairing them with the smaller Beam makes more sense to me, and in my bedroom, the combination is discreet enough not to draw attention, yet powerful enough to deliver a genuinely expansive sound that's a huge improvement over my TV's built-in speakers.

Of course, the real appeal of this setup is that the Plays aren't permanently tied to surround duties. Pick one up, carry it into another room and it should automatically disconnect from the home theater system, becoming an independent speaker ready for music playback. Return it to its original position, and it should seamlessly slot back into place.

Making this possible is some clever technology working behind the scenes. An accelerometer inside each Play detects when it's been picked up and moved, while Sonos Positioning Technology uses near-ultrasonic signals, picked up by the soundbar's microphones, to determine whether the speakers are in the same room and where they're positioned. It can even work out which speaker should act as the left or right rear surround, without you having to assign them manually.

At least, that's the theory.

When I first put this to the test, things didn't quite go according to plan. I carried one of the Plays from my bedroom into the living room, only to find it was still reproducing audio from the home theater system. The connection also became intermittent, with the sound cutting in and out rather than the speaker switching to standalone mode.

I eventually resorted to tapping 'Stop Using Surrounds' in the Sonos app, which allowed me to use the Play independently. But when I returned it to the bedroom, it didn't automatically reconnect either, requiring another trip into the app to select 'Start Using Surrounds'.

Not wanting to be deterred, I tried again a short while later. This time, after moving the same Play into the living room and waiting a few seconds, I heard an audible tone confirming it had disconnected from the home theater setup. Both Plays, including the one still in the bedroom, then appeared as standalone speakers in my AirPlay settings.

Returning the speaker to its original position was just as straightforward. A breathing white light indicated it was determining its position relative to the soundbar, followed by the same audible tone confirming a successful connection. Just like that, it was back to performing rear-left surround duties, without me having to touch the app.

And that's when the appeal of Sonos' new approach really clicked. Instead of a pair of speakers permanently committed to home theater duties, I could now move them around my apartment as needed, without manually reconfiguring the system every time.

Small system, big sound

To give the system a proper workout and find out just how much the Play surrounds contributed, I had to turn to the Penguin car chase scene in The Batman.

I started with the Beam Ultra by itself and was, quite frankly, blown away by its performance. Considering the soundbar's compact dimensions, the sheer scale of the sound it produced was remarkable. The rumble of the Batmobile's engine had impressive weight, while the soundfield extended well beyond the physical confines of the bar. In fact, it effectively disappeared, with sound filling the room rather than appearing to come from a single speaker beneath the TV.

Perhaps more impressive was that I wasn't using a separate subwoofer. In my bedroom, at least, I didn't feel an immediate need for one, such was the weight and authority of the bass. Admittedly, a larger living room could tell a different story, and anyone craving particularly deep, room-shaking bass would likely benefit from adding a Sub Mini.

With the two Plays connected as surrounds, and both the surround and height audio settings left at their default level of 0, the performance became even more immersive. As Batman and Penguin sped along the highway, the sounds of passing lorries and cars extended behind my listening position, creating a more convincing sense of being in the middle of the action.

Curious to see how much further the system could go, I increased both the surround and height audio settings to +5. The presentation became even more enveloping, with rear-channel effects such as blaring car horns becoming easier to distinguish. And when Penguin's car went into a roll, the system did a convincing job of following the chaos unfolding on screen, making me feel as though I was right there in the passenger seat.

Arc you pleased to see me?

The Beam Ultra and Play combination had replaced an Arc and two Sonos Ones in my bedroom, so I was keen to see how the newer system compared with its predecessor. I reinstalled the older setup, starting with the Arc on its own.

There was an immediately noticeable increase in sheer grunt, which wasn't entirely surprising given the Arc's larger dimensions and greater number of drivers. But the difference wasn't quite as dramatic as I'd expected, particularly considering how much smaller the Beam Ultra is.

It was also a reminder of how much easier Sonos has made the process of adding portable surrounds. With the Plays, I could simply select 'Use Surrounds' and, within seconds, they would connect and automatically establish their left and right positions. The Ones required a more involved setup process, including manually assigning each speaker to its respective channel.

Returning to the same scene from The Batman, this time with the Ones connected, revealed a more substantial difference between the two systems.

The Arc-based setup produced a bigger, more authoritative sound, particularly with the surround TV level increased to +5. Car engines had greater low-frequency weight, while the movement of vehicles along the highway was easier to follow as sounds travelled around the room.

Where the Beam Ultra fought back was in its reproduction of higher frequencies and dialogue. Voices sounded clearer and more distinct than they did through the Arc, while effects such as screeching tyres had greater bite and definition.

And while I maintain that the Beam Ultra doesn't necessarily need a subwoofer in a smaller room, the comparison demonstrated that the Arc has an advantage when it comes to outright bass weight.

Ultimately, both systems delivered thoroughly enjoyable and convincing surround sound experiences. The Arc-based setup had the edge in scale and low-frequency authority, but the Beam Ultra and Plays proved that a relatively compact system can still deliver a seriously cinematic performance.

A home theater system with a difference

At $1,297 / £1,297/ AU$2,097 for the Beam Ultra and two Plays, this certainly isn't the cheapest way to bring surround sound into your home. In fact, Sonos' own Beam Ultra and Era 100 surround package costs considerably less ($1,082 / £1,042 / AU$1,652), and as my comparison with the Arc and Ones demonstrated, a conventional setup can deliver a more substantial sound.

But I'd argue that focusing purely on the price of admission, or even outright surround performance, misses the point of what Sonos has achieved here.

Because when I'm not watching a movie or catching up on my favorite TV shows, I don't necessarily need two speakers sitting behind me doing nothing. With this setup, I can pick them up and take them wherever I please, whether that's into another room for some background music or outside for a gathering with friends.

And because the Plays offer both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, they're just as comfortable being part of a multiroom Sonos system as they are accompanying me away from home.

In effect, I'm getting two systems in one: an immersive home theater setup when I want it, and a pair of genuinely portable wireless speakers when I don't.

For me, that's where the real value lies. Sonos hasn't just made its home theater systems more flexible; it's made the speakers themselves more useful. And having experienced how seamlessly the two roles can work together, it's a feature I'd find difficult to give up.

Mini-LED vs OLED has been a battle in the TV world for a few years now. While mini-LED always provided more brightness and better bright room viewing and OLED delivered better black levels, thanks to its self-dimming pixels, that has changed in recent times, with both TV techs managing to cover more bases.

Both LG and TCL make some of the best TVs you can get, with the former delivering some of the best OLED TVs and the latter offering up some of the best mini-LED TVs. Both also deliver great value for the price you pay, especially TCL.

The LG B6 is one of the best OLEDs I’ve tested this year, offering great performance for a more affordable price. Now, the TCL C7L (this is the UK / AU model — the TCL QM7L is the US equivalent) has arrived in our testing lab so I thought I’d compare the C7L, the brand’s mid-range SQD mini-LED for 2026, against LG’s most entry-level OLED, as they’re available for similar prices.

Can the mini-LED hold its own against OLED? A quick note that we’re using the LG B6E, a cheaper B6 that performs the same other than missing some AI picture modes, and with a different back panel.

Brightness

Flagship and mid-range OLED TVs have seen a brightness boost over the years, with one example being the near 1,000-nit peak HDR brightness increase between the LG G4 (1,489 nits) from 2024, and its 2026 successor the LG G6 (2,475 nits). It’s taken until this year for entry-level OLED to get a brightness boost: and it’s not as significant as that.

The LG B6E measured 808 nits HDR peak brightness (10% window pattern) in Filmmaker Mode in my tests: a nice boost over the B5’s 668 nits. However, this 808 nits pales in comparison to the 2,083 nits peak HDR brightness achieved by the C7L in its Filmmaker Mode. Mini-LED has always been the brighter tech, but do these results reflect real-life?

In practically every scene I tested, the answer was a resounding yes. With both TVs set to Dolby Vision Filmmaker, in a scene where Lawrence and his guide are by a well in the desert in Lawrence of Arabia, the white sands and blue skies were much more impactful on the C7L, showing off the brightness advantage. The B6E did a good job with the picture, but next to the C7L it looked dim in comparison. Switching to the B6E’s Cinema Home mode did give it a boost in brightness, but still the C7L’s picture dazzled in comparison.

This was also apparent in HDR highlights in other movies. In Speed Racer, the brilliant white of the Mach 5 was much punchier on the C7L than the B6E, though the gap in luminance wasn’t quite as obvious as it had been in Lawrence of Arabia.

For bright-room viewing, neither TV was perfect, with both showing mirror-like reflections. The C7L did a better job in brighter conditions, thanks to that added brightness — it's the clear winner for pure brightness, and for visibility in strongly lit rooms

Contrast and dark scenes

OLED’s advantage when it comes to darker, more contrast-y scenes is its self-dimming pixels. As it doesn’t rely on a backlight and it can turn off individual pixels, this produces much deeper black tones that most mini-LEDs can achieve, and with precise borders between light and dark. However, more mini-LED TVs are demonstrating better backlight control and more impressive black tones.

In my time testing the C7L, I’ve been impressed with its black levels: especially for a mid-range mini-LED. Yes, there’s still some blooming going on, but it’s greatly reduced from the previous generations of TCL’s TVs I’ve tested before — not that long ago, this would've been premium performance. Still, when it comes to black handling, OLED is king.

Watching any space scenes from Project Hail Mary, the B6E clearly produces richer, deeper black tones that are consistently strong throughout. The C7L, while rendering strong black tones of its own, don’t quite have the same consistency, as some shots of the stars in space demonstrate blooming, a common occurrence with backlit TVs.

When it comes to contrast and shadows however, there’s a bit of give-and-take. Watching The Batman, with its array of contrast-rich scenes, the B6E clearly produces a more balanced image thanks to its deeper dark tones and well-handled bright tones. The TCL’s picture however is more impactful thanks to those punchier highlights. As Bruce works at his desk in the Batcave, the dark crevices and wood of the desk blend well with the lamps and monitors on both TVs.

In fact, some black tones can actually look crushed on the B6E, leading to a loss of shadow detail, such as the wall at the rear of a subway platform in The Batman. The same surface is much more legible on the C7L. Switching from Filmmaker to Cinema Home on the B6E does rectify this, without compromising significantly on dark tones.

The Batman has proven to be a challenge for backlit TVs in my time testing, due to its low brightness. While The C7L did a great job overall, occasional blooming would appear behind bright objects, which was more noticeable when viewed in dimmed conditions. For dark scenes and dark rooms, the B6E proved to be the better choice.

Color

Color is probably the most contentious subject when it comes to mini-LED vs OLED, as both tech can deliver great colors in their own way, and I found this to be true putting these two TVs side-by-side.

Watching The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, both TVs deliver vibrant, bold colors that accurately delivered the pop you’d want from this movie. The C7L’s colors were punchier overall, thanks to that higher brightness, but the B6E’s colors looked richer, with more depth. This was obvious whenever the Lumas were on screen, where they had more of a 3D-look on the B6E, but were much brighter on the C7L. Mario and Luigi’s overalls showed that both TVs delivered great colors, but the B6E’s looked that bit more 3D and solid.

Switching to Speed Racer, both TVs again captured the cartoon-ish, candy-colored aesthetic of the movie well. The C7L had the more shimmering colors, but the B6E’s were more true-to-life, as shown by the grass in Trixie’s flashback early in the movie. I also found that different colors looked better on different TVs, with reds and greens standing out more on the B6E, but yellow and orange looked better on the C7L.

One advantage that the C7L did have was in its color temperature accuracy. The B6E demonstrated a green tint in comparison, which can be an issue for some OLEDs. In isolated viewing this isn't so obvious, but next to the C7L, it was noticeable. In the subway scene in The Batman, the surroundings had a green hue to them on the B6E visible above, but the C7L’s cooler color temperature helped render more accurate gray tones.

This scene was the most obvious case of the B6E’s green tint I found during my testing, and it wasn’t legible in other movies such as Project Hail Mary and Speed Racer.

In terms of which TV delivers the better color, they both have their strengths and both have great color reproduction overall, but if I had to pick one, it would be the B6E purely because I prefer the richer color profile. But the C7L’s colors were very good.

The best buy

When it comes to value for money, both these TVs tick plenty of boxes. Both TVs have a feature set up there with the best gaming TVs, with 4K 120Hz, variable refresh rate, auto low latency mode and Dolby Vision gaming supported, although the B6E has four HDMI 2.1 ports to the C7L’s two — but they both have razor-sharp performance.

Picture quality comes down to preference, and both deliver adequate built-in sound, though both could benefit from one of the best soundbars.

When it comes to price, it's close in most places. For the 55-inch models I tested, you’ll be looking to pay $799 for both in the US, with the QM7L going for $100 cheaper in the larger 65-inch size. In the UK and Australia, the C7L is better value, with the 55-inch costing £899 / AU$1,495 while the 55-inch B6E costs roughly £1,099 in the UK (though it has dropped to £999 before) and the standard B6 costs £1,199 / AU$2,495.

Honestly, you can’t really go wrong with either TV. The TCL is the much better pick for bright rooms, while the B6E is the better choice for darker, cinematic viewing and I really am torn on which is the better pick, as this was such a close contest.

Purely from a price standpoint, the TCL is the winner (especially when you go beyond 65 inches — mini-LED's price advantage grows as sizes do), and is the more practical choice for a bright room.

But if you can get the B6E for a good price and you'll watch in a room with controlled lighting, then the better contrast and color depth make it my pick.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

JBL Bar 800MK2 review

The JBL Bar 800MK2 is the mid-range option in the audio specialist’s MK2 line, delivering surround sound though its main bar, detachable rear speakers, and mighty subwoofer. It comes with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, a wide range of connectivity options, and an expansive 7.1 channel configuration — but is it actually worth buying?

I’ve spent a bunch of hours testing the JBL Bar 800MK2 for myself, putting it to the test with 4K UHD Blu-rays as well as Dolby Atmos and stereo format music. Here’s whether I’d recommend it or not.

Let’s start by talking about performance, an area where this model certainly excels. Like a lot of the best soundbars, the JBL Bar 800MK2 produces beautifully expansive sound with powerful bass and clear dialogue, and it consistently impressed me during testing. It makes use of six full-range drivers and two tweeters in the main bar, two full rangers in each surround speaker, and a ten-inch bass unit in the sub, with a solid 780W maximum power output, so you’re really going to feel the action in every scene when watching movies.

For instance, when watching a 4K Blu-ray of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, I was blown away by the thunderous bass on offer as a UFO airlifted Peach’s Castle into the stratosphere, with a regimented, rippling sound emanating from the sub. As the chaos unfurled, crashing waves hit with tremendous impact, and as Toads jumped into the water, their movement was tracked with commendable precision. Similarly, the sound of Yoshi’s tongue flicking across the scene was mapped perfectly, making for an immensely immersive viewing experience, with the width of his motion far exceeding the limited confines of the soundbar.

The JBL Bar 800MK2 skips on dedicated up-firing drivers, so you’re not going to get the most convincing verticality while watching Atmos movies, but I was still seriously impressed with the virtual recreation of height effects. For example, in Top Gun Maverick, the sound of Tom Cruise flying a jet up and overhead sounded surprisingly life-like, and it genuinely seemed as if I could hear the upward trajectory. The low-end rumble of jet engines also shook our testing room to its foundations, but all the while, dialogue continued to come through clearly in the mix.

Speaking of dialogue, the JBL Bar 800MK2 is well equipped to deliver clear and concise speech at all times. That’s in part thanks to the PureVoice setting, which enables you to push vocals forward without ruining the fidelity of sounds elsewhere in the frequency range. I never felt like PureVoice made the movie’s audio seem unbalanced, and it proved to be super-effective, especially in more crowded, action-packed sequences where dialogue can sometimes take a backseat.

I was also really impressed with the sound quality coming from the detachable rear speakers. They sounded brilliantly balanced from where I was sitting, but you can easily change their volume level in the JBL One app to suit your room setup. They gave Dolby Atmos movies an ultra-expansive quality, and provided controlled highs and clear mids, making for stellar surround sound.

Even when it came to music, the JBL Bar 800MK2 performed fantastically well. With an Atmos mix of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees, the system whipped up a strikingly expansive presentation with articulate drums in the treble range, great vocal clarity, and warm bass that never sounded overly assertive. The rears also combined really nicely here, which was a relief as I’ve found that the surround channels on some rival models don't always seem cohesive with the rest of the system. Stereo music impressed me too, with deep and agile bass, detailed mids, and solid instrument separation.

So yes, despite lacking dedicated up-firing drivers, the virtual Atmos on the 800MK2 works very well, and it handles the fundamentals with ease too. But how does this model fare elsewhere?

In terms of features, this system is a strong all-rounder. On top of the PureVoice setting I mentioned, there’s a Night Mode that uses the detachable speakers only, voice assistant support, AirPlay and Google Cast support, EQ options, and much more. All of these features can be tapped into over on the JBL One app, which is intuitive and incredibly easy to use.

There are a few sound-related features I’d like to highlight too. The first is MultiBeam 3.0, which is intended to create a “wide, cinema-like soundstage”. This feature harnesses beamforming and digital processing to achieve its goal, and works a treat. There’s also a sound calibration option, which is quick and seamless, and provides optimized three-dimensional sound for your space, no matter how it’s set up.

The Bar 800MK2 also has a very solid set of connectivity options. You get the usual HDMI eARC, digital optical, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, but also Ethernet and an HDMI input (just one, rather than the three on the Bar 1300MK2). The HDMI input supports 4K passthrough, but only at 60Hz, so it's not the best option if you’re looking for peak-performance gaming or anything.

Before we wrap up, I also want to talk about design. On the one hand, the JBL Bar 800MK2 is ingenious. Its use of battery powered rear speakers makes it incredibly versatile. You can place these anywhere in your room for a flexible, wire-free setup, and the speakers can even function as standalone Bluetooth speakers. If they run low on charge, they can even be used while connected to a USB-C power cable. That alone is a huge plus.

But that’s actually where my praise runs dry. The JBL Bar 800MK2 looks quite cheap for the price you pay, with a plasticky one-note appearance. The sub is also very bulky — even more so than the more powerful alternative you get with the JBL Bar 1300MK2. But then again, what the system lacks in style, it certainly makes up for in substance.

When all’s said and done, is the JBL Bar 800MK2 worth the money? Well, its list price of £899 / AU$1,199.95 (about $1,200) may seem steep, but realistically, you’ll be paying less than £650 / AU$850 for it now. At that price, the Bar 800MK2 is well worth it. Despite its bulk and lack of up-firing drivers, it's an excellent performer with incredible virtual Atmos and low-end might, as well as a top-class feature-set and versatile connectivity options.

Want something more slim and stylish? Then I’d recommend scooping up the new Sonos Beam Ultra and building out a system at your own pace. But if you want a great value surround sound package, look no further than the JBL Bar 800MK2.

JBL Bar 800MK2 review: price & release date

• Priced at £899 / AU$1,199.95 (about $1,200)
• First released June 2025

The JBL Bar 800MK2 was released in June 2025 as part of the refreshed MK2 line, alongside the smaller Bar 300MK2 as well as the larger 1000MK2 and 1300MK2. The JBL Bar 800MK2 is priced at £899 / AU$1,199.95 (about $1,200), but can often be found on sale for less than £650 / AU$850. It appears that the soundbar system is still unavailable for purchase in the US, unfortunately.

JBL Bar 800MK2 review: specs

Should I buy the JBL Bar 800MK2?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

JBL Bar 800MK2 review: also consider

How I tested the JBL Bar 800MK2

• Assessed at our TV testing space at Future Labs
• Used 4K Blu-ray for movies and Tidal Connect to stream music
• One of more than 30 soundbars I’ve tested

I spent many hours using the JBL Bar 800MK2 for watching movies and listening to music. I judged its capabilities at our TV testing space at Future Labs, made use of all of the soundbar’s features, and tried it with multiple surround speaker configurations.

Most of the time, I used HDMI eARC to connect the LG G6 OLED TV, and watched 4K Blu-ray discs via the Panasonic DP-UB820 to assess the soundbar’s handling of Dolby Atmos movies. I did, however, also test the Bar 800MK2 with Netflix movies, and used Tidal Connect to stream music over Wi-Fi.

More generally, I’ve tested more than 30 soundbars during my time here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve reviewed everything from budget-friendly bars like the Sony HT-SF150 through to huge surround sound systems such as the Bar 800MK2’s big sibling, the JBL Bar 1300MK2.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: October 2026

Sony has discontinued its last UHD Blu-ray player in Japan. The UBP-X700 is out of stock on the Sony Japan online store, whose product listing now says "Out of stock. This item will not be restocked."

According to the Japanese Sony retailer and blog Kuntoku, as reported by FlatpanelsHD, sales in Japan end as of today, 22nd October.

As we said in our Sony UBP-X700 review, it's a brilliant budget player (in our view, the top budget player among the best 4K Blu-ray players) — so if you've been thinking about getting one, it might be wise to move quickly. Although there has not been any official announcement, if Sony no longer sells its sole dedicated 4K player in Japan, that doesn't look good for other markets.

I've checked big-name retailers and Sony's US and UK websites, and all of them currently have stock.

Is the end of the optical disc in sight?

If the player is discontinued elsewhere and you still want a 4K Blu-ray device from Sony you can buy a PlayStation 5 or a PS5 Slim. But even the best PS5 deals involve spending roughly twice what you'd pay for the UBP-X700, and the PS5 doesn't support Dolby Vision, HDR10+, or Dolby Atmos and DTS decoding for movies.

The discontinuation doesn't bode well for the PS6 either. Sony hasn't said the optical disc is fully dead in its future consoles, but if you take this alongside Sony's controversial plans to stop selling game discs and the lack of an optical drive as standard in the PS5 Pro it doesn't suggest a bright Blu-ray future for the next-next-gen console. And if you think the PS5 is pricey, the PS6 is likely to be significantly more expensive.

We've been reporting on Blu-ray since its debut two decades ago, and with manufacturers' interest in the format waning there's no sign of another format to replace it. As we said in our investigation into the future of 4K Blu-ray: "A successor wouldn't just need a better disc, there’d have to be a need to even build that better disc in the first place. Only then would studios create the content, manufacturers would build the players, TV makers would support it and consumers would decide if it was worth upgrading. But right now none of the experts could identify a good enough reason."

I don't think Blu-ray discs are dead — in fact, they're seeing a resurgence — but the players seem to be looking a little sick these days. so if you're keen to stick with optical media it would be wise to pick up one of the best Blu-ray players while you still can, even despite the recent price hikes to Panasonic's players.

I suspect that we'll see the movie market move to something similar to what we've seen in audio: ok-quality streaming subs for the mass market and very hi-res buy-to-own downloads for cinephiles with deeper pockets.

WiiM Bar review

In recent years, WiiM has emerged as a serious multi-room rival to Sonos, and now it’s looking to try its hand in the world of Dolby Atmos soundbars. Yes, the WiiM Bar is the company’s first ever soundbar, and is bringing Atmos, a unique screen-equipped design, and a big array of connectivity options to the table.

Just how good is the WiiM Bar, then? Can it truly compete with soundbars from the likes of Sonos? Here’s my view after hours of testing it.

If you want to compete with the best soundbars around, you better sound good — and luckily the WiiM Bar is a very solid performer. It’s a standalone 3.0.2 model, so it doesn’t come with a sub or surround speakers, but given these restrictions, it’s actually a very capable model indeed.

When watching Godzilla Minus One, the sound of a plane flying overhead was genuinely convincing, with the vertical movement tracked precisely. As the plane came into land, its descent was mapped brilliantly, sounding as if the audio was coming from beneath me. During a separate scene, I was also really impressed with the soundbar’s handling of dialogue — it was clean and well separated from the action, even when Godzilla appeared and some heavy bass entered into the mix.

I had a similar experience with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which features an excellent Dolby Atmos mix. Dialogue between the Toads in Peach’s Castle was phenomenally clear, and sounds like hammers being thrown and Yoshi’s tongue flinging across the screen were tracked beautifully, resulting in a truly expansive viewing experience.

If I was to be a bit critical, though, I’d say that the WiiM Bar doesn’t produce the most dynamic sound I’ve heard at this price-point. Sudden noises, like Godzilla’s almighty roar or the Castle being destroyed in each respective film sometimes lacked the sheer impact and bite I was looking for. The lowest frequencies can feel, at times, a touch subdued, so adding a sub to the WiiM bar is sure to make a world of difference, though this will come at quite the cost.

This isn’t to say that bass performance is poor, though. In Nosferatu, the eerie score came through with decent power, and the deep, spine-chilling sound of Count Orlok’s voice was replicated effortlessly. And once more, the WiiM Bar provided stunning width, with the disgusting sound of rats eating flesh sounding as if it was emanating from the corner of our testing room. It feels weird to describe that positively, but there you go.

In terms of musicality, the WiiM Bar is good, rather than great — which is pretty standard for a soundbar of this kind. When listening to First Night by Vitess, the low-end wasn’t the most regimented, meaning that pumping bass wasn’t as rhythmic as it could’ve been. However, darker frequencies still hit with decent weight and synths in the mid-range had really good presence and definition. Atmos mixes were also presented with plenty of width and depth, so you can expect solid, albeit imperfect music performance here.

Something else that impressed me with the WiiM Bar was its sheer loudness. A 135W maximum power output may not seem that high, but this thing can climb to seriously impressive volumes, which is ideal for filling a larger space with cinematic sound. On the other end of the spectrum, you can activate Night mode for a more low-key, softer listening experience, and this works really well.

On top of this, there’s a Voice mode, which is perfect for podcasts or bringing dialogue forward in TV shows and movies; Movie mode for the most cinematic audio possible; and a Music setting to use while blasting your favorite tunes. These can be selected with the included remote or through the WiiM app, which is overflowing with features.

Yes, I was seriously impressed by the WiiM app — it’s easy to use, well laid out, and incredibly feature-rich. Here, you can customize the soundbar’s display, edit EQ for each individual source (with both traditional and parametric options available), change voice assistant and streaming settings, and so much more. Arguably my favorite feature, though, was RoomFit. This provides a customized parametric profile to provide optimized sound for your space, with individualized EQ calibrations for the left, center, and right channels. I’ve never seen such a detailed calibration tool in my time testing Dolby Atmos soundbars, so this seriously impressed me.

Something else that the WiiM Bar excels in is versatility. It has a very solid range of connectivity options, including HDMI eARC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, digital optical, USB, and even RCA for devices such as turntables. In addition, it supports both the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats, which is great to see given that the latter isn’t found on models from the likes of Sonos. Combine that with the ability to pair compatible WiiM subs and surround speakers, and you’ve got a great entertainment hub.

One option that would’ve made the WiiM Bar even better, though, would be HDMI passthrough. This model only has a single HDMI eARC port to connect the bar to your TV, so you can’t connect a games console or streaming device up to this as well. Hooking up a soundbar already takes one precious HDMI port up, and if, like me, you have a lot of consoles at home, this could prove to be pesky. This is very common for a soundbar in this price and size-range, but it would’ve made a great addition all the same.

Another thing that’s missing is AirPlay 2 support, which may irk some iOS users. There is Google Cast, though, and Bluetooth is on hand for streaming media from iPhones, even if it won’t be as seamless or high-res as a Wi-Fi connection.

Right, it's time to talk about one of the most unique things about the WiiM Bar — its design. And, well, I’m pretty conflicted about this. The display functions well; it can show a clock with a customizable background, has some neat control options for different sound modes and such things, and can even display the album you’re listening to when streaming music. It's responsive and decently bright, so I do think it works overall.

The problem for me, though, is that it gives the soundbar a slightly awkward look. Even if you turn the display off, the raised center isn’t exactly svelte. Also, the plain black bar is just OK looking, but doesn’t exactly have that premium feel that Sonos soundbars exude. This is just my personal take, of course, and some may like the overall aesthetic and rounded center of the WiiM Bar — I just don’t think it's the most attractive.

One aspect of the WiiM Bar’s design that I like, though, is its remote. This feels really well made, has individual buttons for each sound mode, and even a built-in mic for voice controls. Of course, you can use the app to control the soundbar instead, but for a bundled remote, the quality is great.

Here’s the big question, then: is the WiiM Bar worth the money? For the most part, yes. At $479 / £449 / AU$769, it's in the mid-range category, and you get plenty of quality in return for that spend. Great Dolby Atmos, clear overall sound and dialogue, neat connectivity options, the option to expand it into a surround system… the list goes on. It’s not perfect, though and models like the pricier Sonos Beam Ultra surpass it in terms of sound and design. What’s more, an on-sale Samsung HW-Q800F will give you better bass depth.

But if you’re already invested in the WiiM ecosystem or want a solid single-box solution, I think you’ll be pleased with the WiiM Bar when all’s said and done.

WiiM Bar review: price & release date

• List price $479 / £449 / AU$769
• Released in October 2026

The Wiim Bar was released in October 2026, and is the very first soundbar that the multi-room specialist and Sonos rival has put out. It comes in at $479 / £449 / AU$769, placing it at a very similar price-point to the compact Sonos Beam Gen 2.

WiiM Bar review: specs