- Philips launches new soundbars: one full-size and two compact
- A choice of 3.1.2, 2.1 or 2.0 models
- The high-end model has a 4K 120 Hz passthrough
Philips has revealed three new soundbars, and one of them could be a particularly tempting upgrade if you have an older gaming TV with a limited number of HDMI 2.1 ports.
The Philips B8301 could be the perfect cheap Dolby Atmos soundbar for gamers, as it’s a full-size soundbar featuring HDMI eARC with 4K 120Hz passthrough. This means you can get full-quality audio and video from a single HDMI connection on your TV.
Tons of people have a TV with two HDMI 2.1 ports, and one of those ports is the HDMI eARC port – so if you have one of the best soundbars connected to one of those, that leaves only one port with 4K 120Hz support, and you might have more than one 4K 120Hz device that you want to connect.
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There are 4K 120Hz soundbars, like the Samsung HW-Q990F and Marshall Heston 120, but they tend to be expensive. The Philips B8301 is incredibly cheap at €329 (around $379 / £284 / AU$535).
There are a total of three new soundbars in the lineup: the full-size 3.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos B8301; the more compact 2.1-channel B5601; and the simple 2.0-channel B5201. Pricing for even more affordable models has not yet been confirmed. All three models will go on sale in June 2026.
Philips 2026 soundbars: main features and prices
The B8310 measures 32.5 inches wide and offers a 3.1.2-channel configuration with dedicated left, center, and right channels, as well as two top-firing speakers and a separate two-driver subwoofer. The total system power is 190 W RMS.
In addition to the aforementioned eARC with 4K 120Hz passthrough, it supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X + Virtual X. It also has Bluetooth 6.0 with LE Audio compatibility.
The B8310 also features an “AI-powered Intellisound engine” which Philips says automatically optimizes the sound profile for movies, music and games. It also offers voice amplification and expansion adjustments as well as custom spatial audio settings.
The B5601 is smaller at 30 inches wide, and Philips suggests pairing it with 48- to 55-inch TVs. This is a 2.1 configuration with 145 RMS of power, distributed between 80 W for the main soundbar and 65 W for the subwoofer. There is once again AI sound adjustment, Dolby Atmos and DTS: Virtual X. Bluetooth is 5.4 with LE Audio compatibility.
The baby of the range is the B5201, which again measures 30 inches wide but delivers 80W of power and doesn’t include a subwoofer. It has AI optimization and DTS: Virtual X compatibility but the Dolby here is Dolby Digital rather than Atmos. Bluetooth is 5.3 and again it supports LE Audio.
The best soundbars for every budget
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