Sonos Beam (Gen 2) vs Sonos Era 100

The Sonos Era 100 wins overall on value and connectivity: it costs less, supports dual-band Wi-Fi rather than 2.4GHz only, and includes Bluetooth. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) wins if you need a soundbar, since it is built for TV audio, syncs with your remote and supports Google Assistant, which the Era 100 does not.

Form and role. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a 651 mm soundbar meant to sit under or on a wall behind a television, handling processed Dolby Atmos and dialogue clarity. The Sonos Era 100 is an upright bookshelf-style smart speaker for music in any room, with wider stereo separation than the Sonos One it replaced.

Only the Sonos Era 100, which adds Bluetooth alongside dual-band Wi-Fi and AirPlay 2. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) streams over Wi-Fi or AirPlay 2 only and is limited to 2.4GHz, though it does have an Ethernet port built in, whereas the Era 100 needs the Sonos Combo Adapter for a wired connection.

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2), because it offers Alexa, Google Assistant and Sonos Voice Control. The Sonos Era 100 supports Alexa and Sonos Voice Control but not Google Assistant. Both work with Google Home, Apple HomeKit and Home Assistant as controllable speakers, and both have a physical microphone switch.

Buy the Sonos Era 100 if you want premium compact sound for music in a bedroom, kitchen or office, with Bluetooth for direct streaming and dual-band Wi-Fi for a stable connection. It pairs in stereo with a second unit and can serve as rear surrounds later if you build a Sonos home theater.

Buy the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) if the goal is better television audio in a small or mid-sized room. Its center tweeter and speech enhancement make dialogue clear, it wall mounts, it works with your existing TV remote, it takes Ethernet, and it supports Alexa, Google Assistant and Sonos Voice Control.