The best soundbars for gaming in 2024

Choosing a soundbar for gaming won’t just affect your overall enjoyment, but it could make the difference between winning and losing. There are tons of great-sounding soundbars on the market at the moment, but they’re not all suited for the fast-paced action that comes with modern console or PC gaming. We’ve chosen the Samsung HW-Q990D as the best overall soundbar for gaming thanks to its bevy of features, low lag, and ample power. It’s especially appealing if you have a Samsung TV. Here are some options to fit just about any space, play style, and budget.

How we picked the best soundbars for gaming

I started covering and reviewing home theater gear when “Friends” was still in its original run on TV (which is to say 2004). For this test, I’ve subjected my ears to numerous soundbar systems in a variety of different settings, from company demo spaces to my own living room. I typically test audio systems with Ultra HD Blu-ray discs on a PlayStation 5, which is a very common way for most people to consume this kind of content if they want a high-end experience. 

For this test, we’ve chosen systems based on their overall performance, as well as their gaming-specific features. Several models include a “gaming mode,” which enables maximum surround sound effects and cuts down lag as much as possible to make the audio match the on-screen action. While the the best homwe theater setups (gaming or not) can get pricey, we recommend more budget-friendly soundbars when possible. 

The best soundbars for gaming: Reviews & Recommendations

Everyone has their own space, budget, and platform needs to think about, so we’ve made several recommendations to address as many as possible. Check out all of the options before making a purchase. 

Best overall: Samsung HW-Q990D

Specs

• Size: 5.4″D x 48.5″W x 2.7″H
• Channels: 11.1.4
• Subwoofer: Included wireless
• Connections: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI

Pros

• Fantastic overall sound
• Gaming mode for low latency
• Extra features for Samsung TV users
• eARC compatibility
• Automatically adapts to its space with calibration
• Very convincing surround sound

Cons

• Expensive
• Non-Samsung TVs miss out on some features

Once you get past the relatively hefty price tag on this system, it’s hard to find anything to complain about—as we found out firsthand. The box includes a sizeable soundbar, a pair of satellite speakers, and a wireless subwoofer, all of which connect seamlessly right out of the box. When assembled, the HW-Q990D provides an 11.1.4-channel experience that rivals some standalone speaker models I have tried. 

This is Samsung’s flagship soundbar, and it works best with Samsung TVs. Paired with a recent (2023 and after) Samsung TV, it has access to the company’s Q Symphony tech, which employs the TV’s built-in speakers for better centering and clarity when it comes to characters talking on screen. 

You don’t need to have a Samsung TV to appreciate the vast majority of its positive features, however. Set to Game Mode Pro, this soundbar provides extremely low latency. It’s difficult to measure it to an exact fraction of a second, but you can tell when it’s off. The Samsung did not suffer from that problem. 

The setup is fairly simple, as the rear satellites and subwoofer are totally wireless. The guided process allows the system to self-calibrate to provide the best possible sound for your specific space. The bar is big and so is its price, but it did everything I asked of it and more. 

Most versatile: Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.4 eARC SSE Max

Specs

• Size: 3″D x 45.5″W x 3.6″H
• Channels: 9.2.4
• Subwoofer: 2 Included, wireless
• Connections: Bluetooth, eARC HDMI

Pros

• Fantastic overall sound
• Powerful bass from the subwoofer
• Very convincing surround sound

Cons

• Pricey
• Includes satellite speakers, which complicate setup

This is a full-fledged surround sound system with a soundbar at its core. The system includes a soundbar, as well as a pair of wireless subwoofers and four wireless satellite speakers. With all that gear, setup isn’t the simplest process, but the reward is absolutely worth it. This system took our award for the best overall wireless surround sound system. Each two-way satellite speaker pumps out ample sound, while the soundbar has both forward and up-firing speakers to enhance the surround effect. A pair of subs provide very serious boom, which probably isn’t suitable for apartment living unless you have very understanding neighbors. 

Regarding connectivity, this high-end soundbar comes sporting an eARC HDMI and Bluetooth 5.0, which isn’t the absolute latest version, but it has all the important things you’d need. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for surround sound playback, and the chunky remote is difficult to lose. 

This setup doesn’t offer a ton in the way of gaming-specific features, but it does provide very low-latency and it won’t get in the way of your games. Plus, the over-the-top spatial audio performance will pull every last audio detail out of top-tier games. And if it’s rumble you crave, step up to the Nakamichi Dragon 11.4.6 or Nakamichi Dragon Dual 12-inch Subwoofers flagships. They cost $3,999 and $4,799, respectively, but can you really put a price on every landing, crash, point scored, etc., shaking the foundations and/or scaring the family?

Best for LG TVs: LG S90TR Soundbar

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Specs

• Size: 5.3″D x 49.2″W x 2.5″H
• Channels: 7.1.3
• Subwoofer: Included, wireless
• Connections: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, eARC HDMI

Pros

• Affordable considering its performance
• Rear satellites included
• Center up-firing speaker helps with surround sound
• Supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
• Bonus features for LG TVs

Cons

• Not expandable with other speakers
• Non-LG TV users will miss out on features

If you’re using an LG TV that’s newer than 2022, you can get some extra features out of this soundbar setup. Out of the box, this kit contains a soundbar, two wireless rear satellites, and a subwoofer. It connects easily with eARC HDMI. If you have a modern LG TV, you can connect wirelessly and still get Dolby Atmos sound in high resolution. That’s similar to the tech found in our top pick from Samsung. 

The WOW Orchestra feature integrates the TV’s built-in speakers in order to further expand the system’s soundstage and make dialog clearer. Also with an LG TV, one remote can control your screen and your speakers. Options for the soundbar show up directly on the TV menus so they’re easy to navigate. 

I got to compare this soundbar to several others in LG’s lineup earlier this year and found this to be the sweet spot in terms of price and performance. The spatial audio is very convincing and the overall output is plenty for even a large room. If you’re already using an LG TV, this bar will save you money and give you extra features compared to third-party options. 

Best for PCs: Razer Leviathan V2 Pro

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Specs

• Size: 23.64″D x 3.55″W x 4.49″H
• Channels: 2.1
• Subwoofer: Included
• Connections: USB

Pros

• Built-in lighting like true gamer gear
• Impressive head-tracking feature makes for very convincing surround sound
• Bluetooth 5.0 and a headphone jack for connectivity
• Loud

Cons

Most soundbars are made to sit under a TV, but this one is built to go under a computer monitor. The bar itself contains five forward-firing full-range drivers and a downward-facing woofer. The dedicated subwoofer sits on the floor under the desk to round out the sound. Even though you can use it without the subwoofer, I found the sound noticeably lacking without the extra help on the low end. 

The big draw for this high-end model comes in the form of the head-tracking tech. An infrared camera observes your head, and Audioscenic beam-forming AI technology guides positional audio directly to your ears to create a cinematic soundstage in front of your monitor. This makes the virtual surround sound performance truly impressive when you’re gaming. 

The built-in RGB lights are a given since this is a Razer product built for gamers, and it can pair with other Chroma peripherals. It does look cool once you get it set up, though controlling everything through the app can get a bit tedious. Once everything is glowing just how you like, however, this is the best desk-based setup we’ve tried. The bass-rich 3-D sound is punchy, snappy, and the adaptive sweet spot provides an excellent THX spatial audio experience. Time for studies or spreadsheets and want to use it for music? Got a roommate? Not a problem, thanks to Bluetooth 5.0 and a headphone jack.

Best budget option for PCs: BlueAnt Soundblade Under Monitor Soundbar

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Specs

• Size: 8.58″D x 23″W x 2.13″H
• Channels: 2.1
• Subwoofer: None
• Connections: USB, Bluetooth

Pros

• Sleek and flat on top so it’s easy to integrate into any desk setup
• Integrated woofer provides more low-end than expected
• Supports Bluetooth for wireless connection
• 3.5mm headphone jack

Cons

If you don’t have a ton of room on your desk but want big sound, this is a great option. You don’t get a ton of bells and whistles, but that makes setup very simple. Plug it in via USB-C and you’ll have audio without much muss or fuss. It’s available in five different colors, which more than makes up for the lack of gamer RGB lights onboard. 

Bluetooth connectivity allows for wireless playback, which adds versatility. Plus, it has a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can plug in a headset or headphones without having to get to the back of your computer or monitor. It’s a simple, great way to seriously upgrade the sound on your PC. 

Best soundbar alternatives

Best neck speaker: Sony BRAVIA Theater U Wireless Wearable TV Speaker

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Maybe you don’t want to wear a bulky headset with your PS5, but you can’t have a full-on system blasting away in your living room. Well, there’s still a way you can get an immersive audio fix. Sony’s clever BRAVIA Theater U Wireless Wearable TV speaker sits around your neck and creates a personal bubble of impressively high-quality surround-sound audio. It primarily connects via Bluetooth for regular streaming of movies and music, but you can switch over to a wired connection with your DualSense for low-latency performance if you want to game with it. 

The battery lasts up to 12 hours on a charge, and the sound stays remarkably local around your head. That means you’ll get a natural speaker experience without bothering everyone else in your space. It’s a clever setup that we really like. And if you’re looking to save space but not sacrifice soundscape, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better solution than this one. 

Best wireless home theater system: Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad

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This curious setup eschews the typical soundbar build and instead opts for four distinct panels that go around the perimeter of your space—either anchored to a wall or placed on a stand. When you set up the system, it automatically guides you through a process that tweaks each individual panel’s output to create a very effective and convincing surround sound system out of the Quad’s 16 total speaker drivers.

This is a high-end system that’s compatible with advanced surround sound technologies, such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and IMAX Enhanced. You can add subwoofers, satellite speakers, or even a dedicated soundbar to round out the system. It’s a truly unique setup—one that immediately impressed us when we were given an exclusive preview in March 2024—and it’s almost magical how it can save space and setup time yet sacrifice none of the fidelity of a traditional set of speakers. 

Response time

You want the audio you hear to match the action on screen. It seems like a simple request, but the process of getting everything to line up is fairly complex once you dig into it. Streaming devices and consoles send out audio and video signals that require decoding. The process of unpacking that audio only takes milliseconds, but that very slight delay can make a noticeable difference when paired up with video. Many TVs offer “gaming mode,” which tries to cut down on any possible delay with video and audio decoding, but that only goes so far. High-end soundbars, like most of the options on this list, typically pack more processing power than lower-level models, which typically results in faster overall performance. 

If you’re going with a more affordable option, however, don’t worry because you can usually fine-tune the timing yourself via menus. Here’s how to fix the audio delay between your soundbar and TV.

Versatility

You love gaming, but you probably do other stuff with your TV and sound system. The systems on this list are all fairly versatile, but if you’re going with another model, you’ll want to ensure that it supports your other activities. For instance, if you’re watching a lot of streaming content, you’ll likely want something that supports Dolby Atmos or some other form of surround sound tech. That makes a big difference when watching movies, especially if you’re going to be watching high-res Blu-rays or other Ultra HD content. 

You’ll also want to check on wireless connectivity for music connections. If music is particularly important, you can go with something like the Sonos Arc soundbar (or the even newer Arc Ultra), which ties into the company’s wireless music system. Bluetooth compatibility will also allow you to simply connect your phone or computer to the soundbar and use it like a speaker, which is often simpler than having to get the TV involved just to listen to Charlie XCX. 

Expandability

Some systems, including our best overall pick, combine a soundbar with satellite speakers. This can add a lot of dimension to your sound system. Some systems will allow you to add a sub-woofer (or sometimes more than one). If you’re planning to try and build a more robust system, make sure that it’s compatible with other speakers, or you’ll have to start over from scratch once you have the cash to upgrade. 

Brand compatibility

You’ll find that some TVs and soundbars work together when they share a brand. Samsung, for instance, offers a feature called Q Symphony, in which the TV’s built-in speakers work in concert with the soundbar, channel speakers, and subwoofer to make an even more robust soundstage. LG has a similar technology called WOW Orchestra. You don’t need to buy a soundbar from the same maker as your TV, but doing so can have benefits. 

Connections

The back of an AV receiver can look like a puzzle, but soundbars typically simplify things. Most popular models connect to your TV with an HDMI cable. The technology that allows this setup to work best is called ARC (or Audio Return Channel), and its most recent version is called eARC. If you connect an ARC-enabled HDMI port on your TV to an ARC-enabled HDMI port on your soundbar, then all of the devices attached to the TV will be able to take advantage of the soundbar output. This is great if you’re trying to avoid a true AV receiver (which you probably are since you’re looking for a soundbar). 

If you’re watching a lot of true high-res content, like 4K Blu-ray, you’ll want to look for eARC compatibility. The eARC standard debuted with HDMI 2.1 and provides much more bandwidth and speed than the regular ARC tech. As a result, eARC can handle higher bitrates, more audio channels, and advanced surround sound formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. If all of that sounds like nonsense to you, then don’t sweat it; just look for regular ARC.

Final thoughts regarding the best soundbars for gaming

Audio can have a profound effect on your gaming enjoyment and performance, and the best soundbars for gaming provide all the audio oomph you’ll need. While these soundbars may seem like a big investment, they’ll drastically improve just about everything you do on your home theater system, from zapping zombies to streaming Netflix. No one has ever said, “Wow, I wish all these awesome explosions didn’t sound so cool.”