Regardless, the Beam is clearly playing with a lot more horsepower that aids its second big upgrade: its processing algorithms. While this is the same spec found on the page for the Arc, Sonos would not confirm this is the same chip. The most significant change with the second-gen Beam is the chipset powering it - listed as a “1.4Ghz Quad Core A-53” processor on Sonos’ website. The little Beam is ready for the big leagues. The new Beam, just called “Beam (Gen 2),” isn’t just a better mainstream soundbar now it can stand toe-to-toe with the most expensive soundbars on the market today. It represented a meaningful step up from the popular stereo soundbars of the time, but never really scratched the itch for home theater nerds, even if you did drop the extra $1,100 needed to build a 5.1 system around it. Most importantly, it was reliable enough that you could confidently buy one for a less-than-savvy family member, set it up for them, and not have to worry about constant support calls afterward. It was small, well-designed, and made stereo and traditional surround audio sound good enough in an appropriately sized room. That soundbar was what I’d call the perfect “grandma” device. The original Sonos Beam released in 2018 for $399. We only include products that have been independently selected by Input’s editorial team. Input may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article. But, for most people in most spaces who want to have more immersive sound in their living room for under $500 or even under $1,000, the updated Sonos Beam should be first and last on their list. It comes with all the usual caveats you need to mention with any Sonos speaker. All for $50 less than the Sonos Arc by itself, which costs $900 now thanks to a supply chain spurred price increase. Here’s something I never thought I’d say when I started testing the Beam (Gen 2) though: If you spend the extra money to add rear speakers, $400 more for a total of $850, the new Beam transforms from a great Atmos bar for most people, into a wholly immersive system that convinced me, a day-one owner of Sonos’ high-end Arc soundbar, that it’s the new King of Atmos. You won’t find anything this good close to this price. If you can’t be bothered to do research, just want a simple-to-use, great-sounding Dolby Atmos soundbar to compliment your 4K HDR TV, and have a budget that will accommodate its $449 price tag, you should buy the new Beam right now.
The new Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is one of the most impressive soundbars I’ve ever used.
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