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BoseSmart Soundbar

No separate subwoofer
Dolby Atmos

£499View retailers

Test score

Lowest available prices

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With no subwoofer or rear speakers, Bose is putting all the emphasis on the quality of its front-firing speakers to deliver all the bass, mid-range and treble. Bose does reckon its Smart Soundbar can create true surround sound anyway. It’s a costly bar that comes with a raft of features, but do they equal good sound or is your money better spent elsewhere? Read our expert review to find out.

pros

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cons

What's included?

What type of soundbar is it?
How does it sound for TV and film?
Will it help me hear my TV better?
How does it sound for music?
What’s it like to use?
How secure is it?
Should I buy it?

KEY TEST RESULTS
Sound quality
Ease of Use
Features

Dec 2024First reviewed by Which?
Oct 2024Released

The overall Which? test score is made up of the following star ratings, all determined by our rigorous lab tests.

How we test soundbars

8 Apr 2025

Sound quality

Overall
Movie
Speech
Music
Volume before distortion

How we test sound quality

The overall sound quality star-rating is based on the movie, speech, music and maximum volume sound quality scores. Movie: Our TV and film clips test a sound bar's ability to deliver rich and atmospheric audio while dialogue remains clear. Speech: We test speech on dialogue-heavy TV shows and movies to ensure voices are both clear and not overly harsh. Music: We test our soundbars with a variety of music tracks to ensure they do justice to your tunes no matter the genre. Volume before distortion: We turn a sound bar all the way up to its maximum volume and assess whether artificial-sounding distortion starts to creep in. A high score means you can achieve a good maximum volume without the sound quality deteriorating.

Ease of Use

Overall
Instruction manual
Set up
Everyday use

How we test ease of use

We rate sound bars's ease of use in three ways. First, how easy it is to setup. Second, we assess how easy the soundbar is to use for everyday tasks, such as switching on and adjusting basic settings such as inputs and volume. Finally, we also look at its advanced features - this final rating is for audiophiles who really want to tweak their sound options.

Features

How we test features

This score takes into account all the sound bar's various features including the number of audio inputs, its wireless connectivity and any added smart features. A higher score means more features, as detailed on the specifications page.

Power Consumption

Connections
Spotify
Number of HDMI ports	1
HDMI CEC	Yes
HDMI ARC present	Yes
3.5mm line input	No
Digital optical (Toslink)	Yes
Audio streaming	Yes
Wi-fi	Yes
Smartphone app	Yes
Multiroom
Chromecast
Voice assistants supported

Accessories
Digital optical cable supplied
HDMI cable supplied
Separate subwoofer	No separate subwoofer

General
Other sound formats supported
Type	Soundbar
Mounting method	1
Dolby Atmos	Yes
Controls on sound bar	Yes
Manufacturer guarantee	2-5 years
Manufacturer guarantee terms	Passive Bose sound bars have a five-year guarantee. Active models have a two-year guarantee.

Features
Speech enhancement	Yes

Display
Display on soundbar	Yes

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