Soundbars / Bose
Bose Smart Soundbar
The best streaming integration under $600 — but budget for the bass module.
Overall score 7.4/10
Pros
- + Best streaming and smart-home integration in this price band — AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Connect together
- + A.I. Dialogue Mode is one of the better dialogue enhancers on the market
- + Alexa built in with a mic on the bar itself
- + Compact and well finished
Cons
- − Bass is weak without the separate Bass Module, which costs $500 to $800 more
- − A complete Bose system runs close to $1,400
- − No DTS:X
- − Reviewers describe the Atmos performance as inconsistent
- − Only power and mic-mute buttons on the bar itself
Bose Smart Soundbar review: what the specs say
The best streaming integration under $600 — but budget for the bass module. At $549, Bose's 2024 model sits in the middle of the range — the soundbars we compare run from $129.99 to $1,999.99. It scores 7.4/10 overall, calculated from published specifications across 8 categories rather than from a subjective impression.
Its strongest showing is Connectivity at 9.0/10 — HDMI inputs and passthrough, eARC, Wi-Fi and streaming protocol support. The weakest is Bass at 5.5/10, which is the trade-off to weigh before buying: if that is the specification you care about most, one of the alternatives below will serve you better.
Worth knowing before you buy: bass is weak without the separate Bass Module, which costs $500 to $800 more; and a complete Bose system runs close to $1,400. Every specification on this page comes from Bose's own documentation or a verified retail listing — where a figure is not published, the table says so rather than estimating it.
Specifications and price last verified . Report an error
Full Specifications
| Channels | 3.0.2 as measured independently; Bose publishes only a transducer count, not a channel spec |
| Total Power | Bose does not publish power ratings for any soundbar W |
| Subwoofer | Optional add-on — Bose Bass Module 500 or 700; there is no built-in subwoofer |
| Rear Speakers | Optional add-on — Bose Surround Speakers, or Bose Ultra Open Earbuds |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes |
| DTS:X | No |
| HDMI Ports | 1 ports |
| HDMI Passthrough | None — eARC output only |
| eARC | Yes |
| Wi-Fi & Streaming | Yes — AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in and Spotify Connect all supported |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 |
| Voice Assistant | Amazon Alexa built in; also works with Google Home |
| Connectivity | HDMI eARC, Optical, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect |
| Material | Metal grille over a plastic chassis |
| Warranty | 12 months |
Compare Bose Smart Soundbar With
Cheaper Alternative
Yamaha TRUE X BAR 50A (SR-X50A) — $499.95
Premium Alternative
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 7 (HT-A7100) — $869.99