TechRadar highlights budget-friendly Dolby Atmos soundbars that deliver immersive audio experiences, showcasing models from Sony, Hisense, and Samsung that challenge the notion that premium sound demands high-end prices.
Dolby Atmos can make television sound feel less flat by placing effects and voices in a more convincing three-dimensional space, and TechRadar says that does not have to mean paying premium prices. In its latest guide to Atmos soundbars, the site highlights a handful of models across different budgets, including two low-cost standouts that also appear in its testing notes: Sony’s HT-S2000 and Hisense’s AX5125H.
Sony’s HT-S2000 is the most compact of the three and, according to RTINGS and Tom’s Guide, it is built around a simple 3.1-channel layout with a built-in subwoofer that helps keep dialogue clear and bass respectable for the size. TechRadar’s testing praised its vocal clarity and convincing Atmos effect, but noted that its wireless streaming options are limited and that it offers only one HDMI port alongside an optical input. Tom’s Guide says it launched at $499 in the US and £399 in the UK, though it has sold for less.
The Hisense AX5125H offers a more involved 5.1.2 setup with real upward-firing speakers, a subwoofer and two satellite speakers, which helps create a broader, more room-filling presentation. RTINGS says it is an affordable Dolby Atmos package that streams over Bluetooth, while TechRadar found it particularly strong on clarity, balance and immersion, even if it can sound strained when soundtracks become aggressive and it lacks the refinement of pricier rivals. What Hi-Fi? described it as a sharply priced alternative to the Sonos Beam Gen 2, with the Hisense system undercutting the Sonos package by a wide margin in the UK and US.
The third model in the original roundup, the Samsung HW-Q700C, sits a little higher up the ladder than the other two, but it adds features that may justify the extra cost for buyers who want more flexibility. The system supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2 and Tidal Connect, while also handling higher-resolution audio files and offering Samsung extras such as Q Symphony and SpaceFit Sound. TechRadar’s broader 2026 guide now places Samsung’s newer HW-Q800F at the top overall, but the Q700C remains a sensible option for viewers who want a more feature-rich Atmos setup without moving into flagship pricing.
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