The Sony HT-SF150 is the best soundbar under £100 in the UK. At £85 to £95 it includes HDMI ARC, Dolby Digital, and a clear centre channel that delivers a genuine improvement in dialogue intelligibility over built-in TV speakers. Three strong alternatives exist depending on room size and use case.
Best Soundbars Under £100 UK — Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Sony HT-SF150
2.0ch · 120W · HDMI ARC · Optical · Dolby Digital · approx. £85–£95
The Sony HT-SF150 delivers the most balanced performance under £100, with clear mid-range reproduction that lifts dialogue above background music and effects — the most common complaint about built-in TV speakers. The 120W output handles a room up to 25m² comfortably. HDMI ARC provides single-cable connectivity and remote volume control via your TV remote. The slim 90cm profile fits below most 43-inch and larger screens without blocking the IR sensor.
Best for Bass: Azatom Pulsar PR500
2.1ch with external subwoofer · Dolby Atmos · DTS:X · approx. £99
The Azatom Pulsar PR500 is the only soundbar under £100 in the UK that ships with an external subwoofer and supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The wireless sub adds genuine low-end extension below 80Hz that no slim 2.0 soundbar at this price can replicate. Action film fans and bass-heavy music listeners will find it represents outstanding value at this price. The soundbar itself measures 90cm and includes Bluetooth, optical, and USB inputs alongside Dolby Atmos decoding.
Best Budget Pick: Majority Naga 60
2.0ch · 60W · Bluetooth · Optical · HDMI ARC · approx. £60–£70
The Majority Naga 60 delivers a substantial improvement over TV speakers at a price that undercuts most alternatives. The 60W output suits rooms up to 18m² and Bluetooth connectivity covers wireless music streaming alongside HDMI ARC for TV use. At this price point you accept less bass extension and a narrower sound stage than the Sony — but the dialogue improvement over TV speakers is still significant. A sensible choice if £85 is more than you want to spend.
Best for Gamers: Razer Leviathan V2 X
2.0ch · 30W · USB-C · Bluetooth 5.0 · Chroma RGB · approx. £85–£90
The Razer Leviathan V2 X is built for gaming desks rather than TV lounges. USB-C connectivity suits PC and console setups and Bluetooth 5.0 handles simultaneous audio from a second device. The 30W output is lower than the Sony, but the positioning — designed to sit on a desk at ear level — compensates for the lower power. Chroma RGB lighting matches Razer peripherals. Unsuitable as a primary TV soundbar; well-suited to gaming monitor use.
What to Expect from a Soundbar Under £100
A soundbar under £100 will not reproduce the sound of a dedicated home cinema system. What it reliably delivers is the improvement most people actually want: clearer dialogue, wider stereo separation, and more volume headroom than the 5–10W speakers built into a flatscreen TV.
The clearest limitation at this price is bass extension. Without an external subwoofer, most sub-£100 soundbars roll off significantly below 80–100Hz. Film soundtracks and music with strong bass lines — action films, hip-hop, electronic music — will sound thinner than you might expect. The Azatom Pulsar PR500 is the exception at this price; the included subwoofer extends down to approximately 50Hz.
Spending below £50 increases the risk of dissatisfaction. At that price point, driver quality, cabinet construction, and DSP processing all deteriorate to a point where the improvement over TV speakers is marginal. The £60–£100 range is where meaningful performance gains begin.
Connectivity: What to Prioritise
Every sub-£100 soundbar offers at least one input. The input you use matters more than the input options listed on the box.
| Connection | Audio quality | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HDMI ARC | Best | Single cable; TV remote controls soundbar volume; supports Dolby Digital. Use this if your TV has an ARC port. |
| Optical (TOSLINK) | Good | Supports Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS. Requires separate volume control. Reliable fallback when ARC is unavailable. |
| Bluetooth | Acceptable | Compressed audio; no Dolby or DTS passthrough. Fine for music streaming; not ideal for TV audio. |
| 3.5mm / AUX | Adequate | Stereo analogue only. No surround decoding. Use only if no digital input is available on your TV. |
Check your TV's rear panel before purchasing. Most TVs manufactured from 2016 onwards include an HDMI ARC port (labelled ARC on the HDMI ports). Using HDMI ARC also enables control via the TV remote for most models, removing the need for a second remote. For guidance on where to position your soundbar once connected, see our soundbar placement guide.
Room Size Guide
| Room size | Recommended wattage | Recommended pick |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15m² (bedroom, small living room) | 40–80W | Majority Naga 60 |
| 15–25m² (standard living room) | 80–150W | Sony HT-SF150 |
| 25m²+ (large open-plan) | 100W+ with subwoofer | Azatom Pulsar PR500 (subwoofer included) |
| Gaming desk setup | 20–40W (near-field) | Razer Leviathan V2 X |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a soundbar worth buying under £100?
Yes, provided you spend at least £60. Soundbars in the £60–£100 range deliver a genuine improvement in dialogue clarity and stereo width over built-in TV speakers. The improvement is most noticeable on speech-heavy content: drama, news, and sport commentary. Below £50 the improvement is marginal and often not worth the cable management.
Do soundbars under £100 support Dolby Atmos?
The Azatom Pulsar PR500 (£99) supports Dolby Atmos decoding. The Sony HT-SF150 supports Dolby Digital but not Dolby Atmos. Most sub-£100 soundbars handle standard Dolby Digital 5.1 passthrough — this covers the majority of TV broadcasts and streaming services. Full Dolby Atmos with height channel simulation is generally a feature of £150+ models.
Will any soundbar under £100 work with my TV?
Any soundbar with an optical input is compatible with any TV manufactured in the last 20 years. Most modern TVs include an optical output alongside HDMI ARC. Check your TV's connectivity panel: if it has a TOSLINK (optical) port or HDMI port labelled ARC, any soundbar on this list connects without an adapter.
Can a soundbar under £100 beat TV speakers?
Reliably, yes. Modern flatscreen TVs are extremely thin — the speakers are either rear-facing or downward-firing and limited to 5–15W. Any soundbar on this list provides forward-facing drivers at greater power, better frequency response, and wider stereo separation. The improvement in dialogue clarity alone justifies the cost for most people.
How long do budget soundbars last?
A soundbar from an established brand — Sony, Panasonic, Majority — typically lasts five to eight years in regular use. Unbranded budget units often use lower-grade capacitors and drivers that degrade within two to three years. Buying a known brand at £70–£100 rather than an unknown brand at £30 generally provides better longevity as well as better sound from day one.
Should I get a soundbar with or without a subwoofer under £100?
With, if bass matters to you. The Azatom Pulsar PR500 includes a wireless subwoofer at £99 and extends bass response to approximately 50Hz. Without a subwoofer, the Sony HT-SF150 and similar 2.0 soundbars roll off below 80–100Hz. If your primary use is films, gaming, or bass-heavy music, the Azatom provides noticeably more impact. If your primary use is dialogue clarity for TV programmes, a 2.0 soundbar like the Sony is sufficient.
