I love these cheap Hisense and Sony soundbars, but which one’s better?

Hisense HS214 and Sony HT-SF150 on purple and gray background.

Hisense HS214

If you’re short on space but want an improvement on standalone TV audio, the Hisense HS214 is a fantastic budget option. It’s small-sized and supplies clear dialogue – just don’t expect it to deliver game-changing expansiveness.

For

• Tempting low price
• Conveniently compact
• Clear dialogue

Against

• Disappointing surround sound option
• Deep bass doesn’t quite boom
• Basic LED display

Sony HT-SF150

With a bunch of sound modes, clean audio quality and a sleek design, the Sony HT-SF150 is sure to impress. This 2.0 channel soundbar thrives with dialogue and offers solid width too. It can sometimes lean into a slightly muffled sound when things get busy on-screen, but given its low price, this soundbar is a great value for money option.

For

• Audio has solid clarity and width
• Excellent build quality
• Phenomenal low price

Against

• Not the best for listening to music
• Can’t manually adjust bass or treble
• Display can be unclear