10 great Father’s Day gifts for movie-loving dads: from OLED TVs to Dolby Atmos soundbars

AV gifts on yellow background
(Image credit: Future)

Father’s Day isn’t too long away now (it’s on Sunday, June 15, to be precise), and if you’re trying to hunt down the ideal gift for your AV enthusiast old man, we’re here to help. Whether you want to upgrade your dad’s sound system or make his day with one of the best TVs, the pieces of tech below will bring a beaming smile to his face.

The following gift guide spans not only televisions and soundbars, but also some of the finest headphones on the market and even a portable 4K projector. So, whether your father is obsessed with the best Amazon Prime movies or he loves reliving the music of his youth, you’ll find a top-tier AV product to make his day extra special below.

With awesome products from the likes of LG, Samsung and Sony, the following list of top 10 Father’s Day AV gift ideas is packed full of quality. Make the upcoming event a day your dad will never forget by following our present suggestions.

1. LG C5

LG C5 with AI Voice search on screen

(Image credit: Future)

An amazing OLED TV with incredible black levels

The new king of mid-range OLED TVs is an ideal Father’s Day gift for the poppa who appreciates outstanding picture quality. Packed with features and offering good value for money, the LG C5 is the successor to the LG C4, which we rate as one of the best OLED TVs for most people. Well, the C5 is even better. Bright and capable of serving up outstandingly detailed images, we measured an impressive peak HDR brightness of 1,198 nits in Standard Mode in our LG C5 review.

Motion handling on the C5 is generally very good, and we also appreciate this OLED’s new AI features and snappy Alpha Gen 8 AI Processor, which helps make this 2025 TV ever so slightly brighter than its predecessor. With amazing contrast, accurate colors and lifelike textures, you won’t find many TVs on the market that deliver the AV goods quite like the C5. You’ll make your dad’s year if you buy him the LG C5.

2. Panasonic DP-UB820

Panasonic DP-UB820 on white stand

(Image credit: Future)

A wonderful workhorse 4K Blu-ray player

The Panasonic DP-UB820 is the best 4K Blu-ray player you’ll find in 2025. Your dad might be a fan of the best Netflix movies, but if picture quality is paramount to him, nothing beats a good 4K Blu-ray. Images on this Panasonic player are simply outstanding, with the DP-UB820 supporting both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats. It also has endurance for days, so there’s no need for your pop to sweat it when he sticks in his favorite box set that is going to be playing for hours upon hours.

If your dad is really old school and still has a lot of DVDs kicking about his loft, he should be pleasantly surprised by just how good the Panasonic DP-UB820 makes non-4K discs look. That’s because the upscaling features on this player are highly effective, meaning you don’t have to own a massive library of 4K Blu-rays to enjoy this piece of kit. Audio is also strong on the DP-UB820, with Dolby Atmos reproduction sounding particularly good. If your dad is into physical media, we’re struggling to think of many better Father’s Day gifts.

3. Sony WH-1000XM4

Noise-cancelling headphones to delight dad

When it comes to the best noise-cancelling headphones, we can’t see past the Sony WH-1000XM4. If your old man is an audiophile, we reckon he’ll adore these noise-slaying cans. Though they’re getting on a little in age they still sound terrific, and because they’re an older model, they’ve never been more affordable.

You get a lot of features for the money, too. Multipoint pairing, conversational awareness, auto-play/pause and DSEE Extreme upscaling mean the Sony WH-1000XM4 not only sound great, they’re also super smart. As long as your dad isn’t planning to go for a swim with them (they aren’t water-resistant), and he doesn’t want to be disturbed by distracting ambient noises while listening to his favorite bangers, the WH-1000XM4 are at the top of the tree in the noise-cancelling headphones space.

4. Samsung HW-Q800D

A superb Atmos soundbar Father’s Day present

Samsung HW-Q800D

(Image credit: Future)

The best soundbar for most people (including your dad this Father’s Day), is undoubtedly the Samsung HW-Q800D. Sure, TVs come with better speakers than they used to, but even the finest ones can’t match a quality external soundbar, like this exceptional effort from Samsung. Dolby Atmos content sounds terrific on the Samsung HW-Q800D, and overall audio is pleasingly punchy thanks to a bundled subwoofer. With 5.1.2 channels backed up by 360W of power, this soundbar not only delivers the audio goods, but it’s also really good value for money. If your dad is hooked on the best Disney Plus shows, the HW-Q800D will make for a Father’s Day gift he’ll never forget.

5. Sonos Era 300

Sonos Era 300 in home

(Image credit: Sonos)

Introduce the old man to the new Spatial Audio

The Sonos Era 300 is the company’s top wireless speaker, and it’s the only one to support the Dolby Atmos music tracks found on Apple Music and other music streaming services. With forward-, side-, and upward-firing drivers, the Era 300 is designed to deliver spacious sound from a single speaker, and that’s something it does brilliantly. Like other examples of the best wireless speakers, the Era 300 connects to your home’s Wi-Fi and uses an app for streaming and control. It can also be controlled by voice, so dad doesn’t have to get out of his chair or fumble for his phone to change tracks or volume level, and it can be paired with a second Era 300 for stereo streaming or even a Sonos soundbar for Atmos surround sound. This is the perfect speaker for Spatial Audio, and we guarantee your dad will soon be hooked on it.

6. Sony HT-S2000

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar on TV stand

(Image credit: Future)

Brighten dad’s day with this budget soundbar

The budget Dolby Atmos soundbar we rate the most is the Sony HT-S2000. This mightily impressive all-in-one bar can produce surprisingly robust audio considering its compact size. If your dad’s entertainment center isn’t the biggest, then this punchy little soundbar should serve him well. The main reason the HT-S2000 hands in such immersive audio is thanks to Sony’s proprietary processing, which will ensure that whatever content your pop listens to should have clearly defined dialogue and well-defined bass. It may not be the best option for jamming to tunes on, but it’s a fantastic gift for that cinephile dad in your life.

7. LG CineBeam Q

LG Cinebeam Q projector held with carrying handle

(Image credit: Future)

This 4K projector is the ultimate dad's day gift

If you want to go big or go home this Father’s Day, look no further than the LG CineBeam Q. A somewhat ironic statement considering one of the best 4K projectors out there is actually a compact little unit. Affordable and ultra-portable, this projector can hit 500 ANSI lumens of brightness and is one of the most compact 4K-resolution models you can buy.

The LG CineBeam Q is also a handsome unit that rocks stylish design. Not only is this projector easy on the eyes, it serves up highly accurate images right out of the box in its Filmmaker Mode preset. Supporting HDR10 and sporting a commendable RGB laser DLP light engine, this highly compact projector will make for a somewhat extravagant but utterly excellent Father’s Day present.

8. Samsung QN90D

Samsung QN90D with mountains on screen

(Image credit: Future)

This classy mini-LED TV will make your dad’s day

Thanks to the trend of the tech getting more and more dimming zones, mini-LED TVs keep going from strength to strength. The Samsung QN90D is one of our favorites because it’s far brighter than most OLED TVs and is capable of black levels that aren’t a million miles removed from the “Organic Light-Emitting Diode” tech. If you’re looking for a great TV for your dad’s den this Father’s Day, you’ll be hard pressed to do better than the QN90D.

If your pop loves sports, he’s going to adore this mini-LED, as it handles motion with unwavering aplomb. Oh, and if your dad happens to own a PS5 or Xbox Series X, he’ll also find the QN90D is a predictably good gaming TV from Samsung. Though there’s a little backlight blooming and Dolby Vision HDR support is left on the cutting room floor, the Samsung QN90D remains one of our favorite mini-LEDs out there. Pick one up for your dad this June, and you’ll make his next ten Father’s Days.

9. Kaleidescape Strato V

Kaleidescape Strato V on glass table

(Image credit: Future)

The best alternative to a 4K Blu-ray player

Finally, a product from the AV masters at Kaleidescape that won’t obliterate your bank balance. The Kaleidescape Strato V is an amazing player that delivers wonderful video and audio performance thanks to a combination of the firm’s top-class hardware and server support. Wih a 960GB hard drive, your dad will be able to download around ten of his favorite 4K movies from Kaleiescape’s online movie store at any one time. And what an AV experience he’s in for, owing to the Strato V’s stunning 4K Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos performance with ultra-impressive, lossless audio. If you're looking to save some money, and are confident dad can live with lower onboard storage for movies, Kaleidescape has a new, lower-cost player, the Kaleidescape Strato E.

10. Samsung QN900D

Samsung QN900D showing 8K image of lizard

(Image credit: Future)

A future-proofed 8K TV dream for dad

While 8K content still isn’t exactly prevalent, the Samsung QN900D is such a good television that it also excels when displaying 4K movies and shows. We can heartily recommend this future-proofed TV as the ultimate tech-focused Father’s Day gift if you love your old man and money is no object. Not only does this set look gorgeous, it’s also packed full of AI features that do a great job of upscaling non-8K content.

In terms of black levels on a non-OLED TV, it doesn’t get much better than the Samsung QN900D. Thanks to hundreds of local dimming zones, the backlight on this superb mini-LED TV produces dark scenes that are almost “OLED good”. Almost. There’s very little backlight “blooming” like you get with more budget-oriented mini-LED TVs, and thanks to the unbelievable amount of on-screen pixels, pictures look sensationally crisp. Yes, it costs all the money, but if you win the lottery before Father’s Day, the best 8K TV should be near the top of your gift list.

Dave is a freelancer who's been writing about tech and video games since 2006, with bylines across GamesRadar+, Total Film, PC Gamer, and Edge. He's been obsessed with all manner of AV equipment ever since his parents first bought him a hideously garish 13-inch CRT TV (complete with built-in VCR, no less) back in 1998. Over the years he’s owned more plasma and OLED TVs than he can count. On an average day, he spends 30% of his waking existence having mild panic attacks about vertical banding and dead pixels. 

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