Dolby Atmos soundbars have been around for a few years but remained a relatively niche product until now. Major companies such as Sonos and JBL, have only just announced their first Atmos models in 2020, while other brands simply offer Dolby "compatibility". The Sony HT-G700 is unusual in this respect -- it's able to decode Dolby Atmos from compatible devices but not able to physically recreate it. This is a strictly 3.1-channel soundbar, with no actual rears or height speakers and no ability to add them later. Instead it simulates both height and surround effects from the Atmos stream, and does a damn fine job.

Sony's Dolby Atmos soundbar is excellent for home theater and music even though it lacks "true" height effects.

Excellent sound with movies and music; Dual HDMI inputs, one with eARC; Wireless subwoofer;

Relatively expensive; Can't recreate true Atmos effects; No expandability; Lacks Wi-Fi streaming;

Sony’s 3.1-channel soundbar delivers TV and movie sound respectably, and music averagely. It’s not class-leading at the price, and the claims for delivering virtual height and surround are overstated, but it’s a nice little soundbar that will perfectly complement Sony TVs in particular.

Compact Atmos/DTS:X bar; Immersive AE for lesser signals; Bluetooth for TV and music

No dedicated height/surround drivers; Height/surround claims overstated

Sony has tasked its new soundbar with achieving the near-impossible: Creating the immersive experience of a home theater, without the many speakers that typically work in unison to deliver that kind of sound. To add to the challenge, Sony attempted to do so at a reasonably affordable price point. With the HT-G700, the company nearly nailed it. While the 3.1-channel soundbar has its physical limitations, it’s got some impressive technology under the hood that not only allows Sony to claim the ability to re-create surround sound and even Dolby Atmos, but also helps this bar deliver big sound in a budget package. Typically, there’s a lot to unpack with these soundbar systems, but not so with the HT-G700. The entire system is, quite simply, just the soundbar and a wireless subwoofer; there are no rear speakers to unbox and no speaker wires to unravel. Aside from included accessories like a remote control, HDMI cable, quick setup guide, and instruction manual, there’s not much else to it. F...

Simple setup; Compact design; Stellar sound for music; Effective virtual Dolby Atmos;

Lacks Wi-Fi connectivity; Not quite as immersive as true surround sound;

“The Sony HT-G700 stays competitive thanks to its compact design and virtual surround sound.”

Simple setup; Compact design; Stellar sound for music; Effective virtual Dolby Atmos

Lacks Wi-Fi connectivity; Not quite as immersive as true surround sound

Sony’s HT-G700 sounds quite good, offering a surprisingly expansive soundstage for everything from music to Dolby Atmos content . It offers future-proofing features like eARC, and supports every sound format you could want, all in a decidedly small form factor.

Clear; detailed sound; Slim and simple design; Impressive Dolby Atmos virtualization

Not upgradeable; No WiFi; Lack of height speakers limits Atmos immersion

The Sony HT-G700 delivers a cinematic experience that's hard to pull yourself away from, no matter the source. It's the best mid-price soundbar available right now, and is well-designed and thought-out, too.

Remarkable spatial sound; Great audio quality overall; No-effort setup; 4K HDMI passthrough; Suitable for 43-inch TVs and up

Not good with music; Not as dynamic as fancier soundbars; Not real surround and height

Sony HT-G700 Soundbar has a tough task list—to create an immersive home theater experience, complete with Dolby Atmos and the height as well as surround sound effects. It is priced at Rs 39,990 and is significantly less expensive than the Bose Soundbar 500.

If you don't have the space for a full surround sound system, the HT-G700 is a smart way of bringing Atmos to the home with a smaller footprint. It isn't the surround sound experience Sony suggests it is, but the Vertical Surround Engine works brilliantly in creating height channels without the aid...

Atmos for a compact space; Vertical Surround Engine is clever; Tight; punchy bass; Enjoyable music performance; Suited to compact spaces

Overcomplicated menu system; Claims of virtual surround sound is overstated; Squashed aspect to the sound at times

The HT-G700’s $500 price tag might sound enticing given its array of 3D audio functionality, but it’s missing a huge feature: Wi-Fi connectivity.

Support for virtual 3D modes from Dolby; DTS; and Sony; Crisp; punchy sound; Easy setup; Night and voice enhancer modes

Virtual 3D modes sound harsh at times; No Wi-Fi support; Remote is tricky to use

Atmos for a compact space ; Tight, punchy bass ; Enjoyable music performance ; More suited for compact spaces;

Overcomplicated menu system ; Virtual surround sound claims overstated ; Soundstage can sound squashed;