Bose · Updated July 2026
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar: price, specs & release date
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar, released 2023. Every price and spec below is linked to its source and dated — no guesses.
Source: bose.com verified ✓ corroborated verify in ledger
- Best for Wide, immersive soundstage with good sense of height and width from Dolby Atmos; Solid, well-built design with useful, responsive Bose Music app controls.
- Skip if Congested, harsh midrange and highs; underwhelming for music is a dealbreaker.
Price history
$299Is the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar a good buy?
At $299, the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar is #6 cheapest of the 17 soundbars we track, where the median is $999.
Evidence of Record
Our dataNo independent lab has measured this product yet. 2 outlets have it on record by mention only, with no hands-on measurements published to weigh its claims against — a gap in the evidence, not a verdict on the product.
Review consensus · sourced & dated
What reviewers say about the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar
Two whitelisted hands-on testers (Tom's Guide, What Hi-Fi?) reviewed this exact model; neither published lab bench measurements. Both praise the wide, immersive Dolby Atmos soundstage and solid build, but flag a congested/harsh midrange that undermines music and dialogue, and note the AI Dialogue mode can over-compensate.
Based on 2 reviews · 2 lab-tested · 2023-11-14–2024-01-29
Tested by Tom's Guide, What Hi-Fi
Consistently praised
- Wide, immersive soundstage with good sense of height and width from Dolby Atmos · 2 sources
- Solid, well-built design with useful, responsive Bose Music app controls · 2 sources
Commonly flagged
- Congested, harsh midrange and highs; underwhelming for music · 2 sources
- AI Dialogue mode can over-compensate and sound hard/forced, upsetting tonal balance · 2 sources
- Weak/overstretched bass that muddles or distorts on demanding action content
Where reviewers disagree Overall verdict splits: Tom's Guide calls it a solid pick and 'far more good than bad' for TV dialogue and Atmos, whereas What Hi-Fi? judges its audio quality clearly beaten by same-price rivals like the Sonos Arc (Sound scored 3/5).
The sources (2)
The soundstage is wide and dialogue is clear and easy to understand.
The sound tended to struggle with low frequencies in some movie soundtracks, though. The bass speakers sounded overstretched at times and I could hear audible protests with the speaker drivers rattling away when called on to deliver big action movies sound effects.
it didn't sound nearly as impressive with music over the Spotify and Apple Music streams I tried. Tracks like "Free Yourself" by Jessie Ware sounded confused with instruments and vocals fighting for attention
The Bose presents audio with an impressive sense of height and width.
The midrange of the Bose sounds somewhat congested and the highs feel harsh and scratchy at times.
the considerably better audio quality provided elsewhere at the same price cannot be ignored.
Specifications
| Price (US) | $299 — current on record (was $899) |
|---|---|
| Brand | Bose |
| Released | 2023 |
| Channels | 3.1.1 |
| Total watts | — |
| Dolby atmos | Yes |
| Dts x | No |
| Wireless sub | No |
| Rear speakers | No |
| HDMI earc | Yes |
| Voice assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
Source: bose.com (verified 2026-06-15) · corroborated by newegg.com. $899 launch MSRP (Sept/Oct 2023) per 9to5Toys launch coverage; later listed at $999. Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC, Alexa + Google voice control confirmed from Bose.com product page and Amazon/Best Buy listings. Bose describes 9 total transducers including up-firing dipole speakers for Atmos height virtualization (no discrete multi-channel physical array; 3.1.1 is an approximation of the up-firing virtual-height config). DTS:X not supported per Bose product line. No wireless subwoofer or rear speakers included; Bose Bass Module and Surround Speakers sold separately. Total watts not published by Bose. 2023 launch year.
Is the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar worth it vs cheaper soundbars?
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar against its closest cheaper and pricier soundbars on the specs that matter — every value sourced. See all 17 ranked
| Product | Price | Channels | Dolby atmos | Dts x | Wireless sub | Rear speakers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar this | $299 | 3.1.1 | Yes | No | No | No |
| Sonos Ray | $279 | 2.0 | No | No | No | No |
| Sonos Beam (Gen 2) | $499 | 3.0.2 | Yes | No | No | No |
Frequently asked questions
What do reviewers say about the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar?
Two whitelisted hands-on testers (Tom's Guide, What Hi-Fi?) reviewed this exact model; neither published lab bench measurements. Both praise the wide, immersive Dolby Atmos soundstage and solid build, but flag a congested/harsh midrange that undermines music and dialogue, and note the AI Dialogue mode can over-compensate. Praised: Wide, immersive soundstage with good sense of height and width from Dolby Atmos; Solid, well-built design with useful, responsive Bose Music app controls. Flagged: Weak/overstretched bass that muddles or distorts on demanding action content; Congested, harsh midrange and highs; underwhelming for music; AI Dialogue mode can over-compensate and sound hard/forced, upsetting tonal balance. (From 2 tester reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
How much does the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar cost?
The Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar has a US price of $299, as of 2026-07-28.
How does the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar compare on price?
At $299, the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar is #6 cheapest of the 17 soundbars we track, where the median is $999.
Has the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar's price dropped?
Yes — since 2026-06-27 the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar has fallen 66.7%, from $899 to $299.
What is the lowest price the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar has been?
The lowest we have recorded for the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar is $299 on 2026-07-28 — which is its current price.
Is now a good time to buy the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar?
At $299, the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar is at the lowest price we have recorded since 2026-06-27.
When was the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar released?
The Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar was released 2023.
What are the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar's key specs?
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar (Bose): channels 3.1.1, dolby atmos Yes, dts x No, wireless sub No, rear speakers No. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-15.
Price of record: $299 at bose.com, 2026-07-28. Other retailers may be lower — check the current price:
See Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar on Amazon As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.Similar soundbars
Nearest in price — swipe to browse. Every pick sourced and dated.
All soundbars ranked · Open data & methodology · Queryable via MCP
Compare with
Head-to-head
- Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar vs Sonos Arc Ultra
- Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar vs Samsung HW-Q990D
- Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar vs LG S95TR
- Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar vs Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9
- Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar vs Vizio Elevate
- Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar vs Denon DHT-S517
- Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus
Cheaper soundbars
- Sonos Ray $279
Step up
- Sonos Beam (Gen 2) $499
- Denon DHT-S517 $499
- Polk MagniFi Mini AX $499
- Sony HT-S2000 $499.99
- LG S90TY $799.99
- Sonos Arc Ultra $999
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