Our top pick in this guide costs just under $100, which we consider the baseline when shopping for the best budget soundbar. However, if you're picky about sound, you'll want to consider investing at least $200 to $300 for beefier audio performance. If you want more advanced features and support for Dolby Atmos, expect to spend even more, but you can still get a great experience for under $550.

The best budget soundbars often get discounts during big sales like Prime Day and Black Friday.

In short, yes. While some of the best TVs can offer audio quality that competes with cheap soundbars, for the most part, the best budget soundbars will deliver a notable upgrade over TV sound. This is due to various factors, including a soundbar's location in front of the screen, its size and acoustic properties, and dedicated amplifiers and drivers. For these reasons, we recommend shoppers add a soundbar (or full-fledged speaker system) to their TV setup for an improved experience.

If you're shopping for a new TV to pair with your soundbar, check out our various TV buying guides:

• Best smart TVs
• Best 4K TVs
• Best OLED TVs
• Best sports TVs
• Best frame TVs
• Best budget TVs
• Best TVs under $500
• Best Sony TVs
• Best TCL TVs
• Best LG TVs
• Best Samsung TVs
• Best Roku TVs
• Best 100-inch TVs
• Best 85-inch TVs
• Best 75-inch TVs
• Best 65-inch TVs
• Best 55-inch TVs
• Best 50-inch TVs
• Best 43-inch TVs

Yes, our guide includes budget-friendly soundbar models with Dolby Atmos support. However, not all soundbars that say they support Dolby Atmos are created equal.

For instance, though the Vizio SV200M is technically capable of playing Dolby Atmos tracks, it lacks the hardware needed to take advantage of Atmos' benefits. If you're buying a soundbar with Dolby Atmos in mind, we recommend focusing on models that have built-in upfiring audio drivers, like the Bose Smart Soundbar.

For more information on Atmos technology, check out our guide to all the ins and outs of Dolby Atmos.