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What are the best soundbars for gaming?

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The Best 1 of 3 OptionsWhy?

3 Options ConsideredPriceWeightFrequency Response
Excellent
Creative SoundBlasterX Katana
17.6 lbsNA
Philips Fidelio B5
4.18 kg20 Hz - 20 kHz
Sony HT-CT390
6.17 lbsN/A
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Excellent

Creative SoundBlasterX Katana

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Francisco
Top Pro

Capable of overwhelming sound levels

•••
While the device seems small, it can actually get really loud, without distortion. It uses good quality speakers and external components to maintain this quality. The soundstage is quite good and the subwoofer provides a deep rumble.
Francisco
Top Pro

Has a programmable RGB lighting system

•••
This soundbar has a programmable lighting system called Aurora Reactive, which features 16.8 million colors.
Francisco
Top Pro

Handy companion software

•••
If the soundbar is connected with a USB cable, you can use the downloadable SoundBlaster Connect software to tweak with some sound enhancing settings. You can choose from different presets or manually control the equalizer. The soundbar's RGB lighting is fully controllable via the app, letting...
Francisco
Top Pro

Wide variety of PC-oriented ports

•••
As a PC-oriented soundbar, the Katana has an optical input, a USB input for external storage, a micro USB port, and a microphone and headphone port.
Francisco
Top Pro

PC soundcard bypass

•••
To take full advantage of this soundbar's capabilities, when it is connected to a PC via USB, it bypasses the computer's onboard soundcard.
Francisco
Top Con

Soundstage tapers off with distance

•••
Since it’s designed to be used up close, the Katana's soundstage tapers off as you sit farther.
Francisco
Top Con

Subwoofer cable is too short

•••
The subwoofer's cable is only 2 meters long, which can be too short for some setups.
Francisco
Top Con

Software is Windows-only

•••
The Katana's companion software only works with Windows operative systems.
Francisco
Top Con

No HDMI support

•••
The Katana doesn't support HDMI.
Francisco
Top Con

Subwoofer isn't capable of handling low frequencies well

•••
Due to its small size, this soundbar's subwoofer doesn’t handle the lowest frequencies very well.
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2 Other Options Considered

Philips Fidelio B5

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Francisco
Top Pro

Impressive audio performance

•••
This Philips soundbar is a stunning performer with an overall clear and balanced sound coming from its high quality speakers. The subwoofer can produce deep, rumbling bass and the highs and mids are well balanced and sound natural.
Francisco
Top Pro

Loud enough for a large living room

•••
With 210W of power (90W just for the subwoofer), its capable enough to use in a large living room.
Francisco
Top Pro

All the importation information is conveniently visible

•••
A dimmable front display provides all the necessary information regarding input, sound mode, volume, and sound levels.
Francisco
Top Pro

Near listening mode

•••
The Fidelio B5 has a near listening mode where you can place the surround speakers near you and sound will play only from them, disabling the main unit.
Francisco
Top Pro

Convenient Bluetooth connectivity

•••
Both the soundbar itself and each detachable speaker can be connected to other devices via Bluetooth. The soundbar supports NFC for easy Bluetooth connection and aptX standard that allows high-bitrate audio streaming using this protocol.
Francisco
Top Pro

Easy to set up and use

•••
The system is easy and quick to set up, since the rear speakers and the subwoofer are wireless. You only need two power cords and a signal wire to connect to your TV. The easy-to-use remote lets you easily calibrate everything, as well as change the sound properties, sound modes, sync time and rear...
Francisco
Top Pro

Suitable for hanging on the wall

•••
The soundbar comes with included wall mounts. The rear speakers are completely wireless and have holes in the back that allows them to be easily hung on the wall.
Francisco
Top Pro

Detachable speakers can act as wireless rear surround speakers

•••
On each side of the soundbar there are removable speakers that, once detached, can act as rear wireless surround speakers, allowing you to enjoy real surround sound. The speakers can work wirelessly for 8 hours and they take about 2-3 hours to fully recharge. Each of the rear speakers can be used s...
Francisco
Top Pro

Full surround effect

•••
The separate rear surround speakers create a full surround cinematic effect that is much better than the virtual surround created from soundbars without rear speakers.
Francisco
Top Pro

Dust and liquid resistant and stylish surface finish

•••
This unit has a cloth finish that is dust and liquid resistant, with a brushed metal stripe in the center that gives it a premium finish look.
Francisco
Top Pro

Automatic calibration depending on speaker placement

•••
It’s possible to automatically calibrate the soundbar, depending on speaker spatial placement, with just the press of a button, on the remote.
Francisco
Top Pro

Using the remote control is easy and intuitive

•••
The remote is easy to use and clearly labeled. It has convenient dedicated buttons for each input.
Francisco
Top Pro

Variety of input options for connecting most devices

•••
This soundbar has HDMI, optical connection, coaxial, a 3.5mm jack and an RCA input to choose from, so the vast majority of devices can be connected using at least one of these inputs.
Francisco
Top Pro

Wide bass response

•••
The subwoofer has a 6.5-inch downwards firing woofer that can produce frequencies between 20hz and 150hz, allowing for a much wider bass response than many of its competitors.
Francisco
Top Pro

Easily updatable via USB

•••
Philips provides software updates that can be installed via USB.
Francisco
Top Pro

Clear dialogue and accurate positioning, despite not having a central speaker

•••
It doesn’t have a central speaker, but it can emulate it pretty well, for clear dialogue and accurate positioning.
Francisco
Top Pro

Useful signal processing features

•••
Signal processing offers many enhancements including treble and bass control, auto volume level, listening modes, and voice clarification.
Francisco
Top Pro

HDMI 1.4a and ARC support

•••
The Fidelio B5 has two HDMI 1.4a inputs that can passthrough signal to the TV, and one HDMI ARC output that can receive sound and remote commands from the TV.
Francisco
Top Pro

Automatically switches between surround and stereo modes

•••
The soundbar automatically switches between surround and stereo modes, depending on the speakers being detached from the rest of the system or not.
Francisco
Top Pro

Comes configured with preset modes for different use case

•••
This soundbar comes with preset modes for listening to music or watching movies. There's also a night mode that decreases the overall loudness for when you don’t want to disturb the neighbors.
Francisco
Top Con

Takes up a lot of space

•••
The main unit takes up a lot of space, as it is longer and wider than most of the soundbars. The subwoofer is considerably taller compared to those of competitors.
Francisco
Top Con

Insufficient surround standards support

•••
Even though this soundbar supports Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS sound standards for surround sound, it does not support the latest DTS:X and Dolby Atmos standards.
Francisco
Top Con

No companion app

•••
The Fidelio B5 doesn't come with a smartphone or tablet companion app.
Francisco
Top Con

No HDMI 2.0 support

•••
This soundbar has no HDMI 2.0 support, so it cannot passthrough more modern formats, such as 4K HDR.
Francisco
Top Con

Only controllable via remote

•••
The soundbar has no control buttons on the unit itself, only a power button on the main unit and Bluetooth/surround buttons on the detachable speakers.
Francisco
Top Con

No input or setup information displayed on the TV

•••
It does not display any input or setup information on the TV screen, via HDMI.
Francisco
Top Con

Rear speakers sound quality is only average, when used separately

•••
The rear speakers, when used separately from the rest of the system, offer only average sound quality. They're only suitable for things like quiet ambient music or podcasts.
Francisco
Top Con

No Wi-Fi connectivity

•••
This soundbar doesn't support Wi-Fi connectivity.
See 26 more Pros & ConsSee 26 more Pros & Cons

Sony HT-CT390

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Francisco
Top Pro

Can help avoid disturbing the neighbors

•••
There is a Night Mode that softens the overall sound, to prevent disturbing the neighbors.
Francisco
Top Pro

Sleek and compact design

•••
Measuring 35 x 2 x 5 inches, this soundbar is thin and doesn’t take up a lot of space in front of your TV. The slim profile makes an especially good fit when mounted to the wall as it will not seem much thicker than an average TV.
Francisco
Top Pro

Wall mountable

•••
This soundbar comes with easy to install wall mounts included.
Francisco
Top Pro

Very well suited for dialogue

•••
This soundbar's excellent central channels ensure spoken dialogue will always sound clear and well distinguished. This makes the HT-CT390 especially well suited for content with a lot of dialogue, such as talk shows, news or sports.
Francisco
Top Pro

Good wired connectivity

•••
The soundbar has an HDMI ARC port, an optical port and an analog connection on the back. The inputs slots are easy to reach even when the soundbar is mounted on the wall. There is a USB port on the side of the soundbar that allows you to play music from an external USB storage.
Francisco
Top Pro

Wireless subwoofer

•••
The included subwoofer is wireless and can be placed horizontally or vertically.
Francisco
Top Pro

Bluetooth support

•••
This soundbar supports Bluetooth, so you can stream music wirelessly.
Francisco
Top Pro

Controlable via smartphone

•••
You can download a smartphone app called Songpal that allows you stream music and control the soundbar.
Francisco
Top Con

No Wi-Fi support

•••
The HT-CT390 has no Wi-Fi support.
Francisco
Top Con

Remote control is easy to lose

•••
The included remote is small and easy to lose.
Francisco
Top Con

It noticeably lacks power

•••
While its overall sound is clear and distinguishable, you may feel that this soundbar does not provide sufficient power and sound depth. Because of its slim speaker design, it struggles with mid-lows. Despite having a subwoofer, it still sounds subpar and lacks the power needed for a fully enjoyab...
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30 Community Recommendations

Onze
Francisco
Lysander
Izem Lavrenti
Chipester
MicaCeci
Georgia
Hloja
Bryan
Peele
MomoIshida
+9
Request recommendations from the community
LovelyIxtab
LovelyIxtab
Contributor for 5 months
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Creative SoundBlasterX Katana
Recommended 5 months ago
Very crispy clear audio I say toooo good man go for it may Jesus be with you
Pro
 Capable of overwhelming sound levels
Pro
 Handy companion software
Pro
 Has a programmable RGB lighting system
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Currently displaying 1 out of 30 total recommendations.
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