PhilipsTAB5109

No separate subwoofer

£79Typical price

Test score

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The Philips TAB5109/10 is a sub-£100, one-unit soundbar that the manufacturer says will produce ‘better sound for all of your entertainment’. That’s the bare minimum of what we’d expect from a soundbar but, if it delivers, it could be a great bargain. Read our review to see if this is a cheap device worth picking up.

pros

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cons

What's included?

What type of sound bar 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?

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KEY TEST RESULTS
Sound quality
Ease of Use
Features

Dec 2024First reviewed by Which?
May 2024Released

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

Close-up of three speaker drivers with metallic accents, featuring textured surfaces and a sleek, modern design.

How we test soundbars

3 Nov 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	Yes
Digital optical (Toslink)	Yes
Audio streaming	Yes
Wi-fi	No
Smartphone app	Yes
Multiroom
Chromecast

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

General
Other sound formats supported
Type	Soundbar
Soundbar type (channels)
Mounting method	1
Dolby Atmos	No
Controls on sound bar	Yes

Features
Speech enhancement	Yes

Display
Display on soundbar	Yes

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PhilipsTAB5109