Sonos Beam Gen 2 Black
Score: 62/100
Sonos Era 100
Score: 86/100Rankings
The Sonos Era 100 is a compact, AC-powered smart speaker that offers true-stereo sound, modern Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and deep integration with the Sonos ecosystem. It excels in sound quality and smart-home features but lacks Google Assistant and portability.
The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a compact 3-channel smart soundbar that adds Dolby Atmos, eARC, and robust voice-assistant integration, making it ideal for small-to-medium rooms and existing Sonos setups. While it delivers clear dialogue and immersive sound, it lacks Bluetooth, Android Trueplay, and deep bass without an additional subwoofer.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
— | 100 wattsbest | |
3best | 2 | |
| ↓ lower better | 2.8 kg | 2.02 kgbest |
1 countbest | — | |
1 yearsbest | 1 yearsbest | |
— | 1 countbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Physical Specs(1) | ||
Weight (kg) | 2.8 kg | 2.02 kg |
Connectivity(1) | ||
Ethernet | true | false |
Audio Performance(2) | ||
Channels | 3 | 2 |
Supported Audio Formats | Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, Multichannel PCM, DTS Digital Surround | Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo |
Design & Build(1) | ||
Finish | Black | semi‑matte |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers praise the Beam's premium sound quality, clear dialogue, and effective Dolby Atmos implementation, while noting drawbacks such as the absence of Bluetooth, limited Android support for Trueplay, and lack of DTS:X support.
Everyday users overwhelmingly appreciate the Beam's clear dialogue, easy HDMI ARC setup, reliable Wi-Fi and AirPlay 2 streaming, and sleek design, though they complain about missing Bluetooth, Android Trueplay limitations, occasional eARC issues, and modest bass without a subwoofer.
Professional reviewers rate the Era 100 highly, praising its dual tweeters, larger woofer, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 and Trueplay tuning, while noting the missing Google Assistant and modest bass.
Everyday users love the rich stereo sound, easy setup and Sonos app, but frequently mention the absence of Google Assistant, limited bass and the need to buy adapters separately.
“Love the Sonos Beam... Great quality sound in a small package... I have them on both my big screen TVs.”
“Expensive but worth it”
“Best sound I've heard from a single compact speaker”
