Sonos Beam (Gen 2) vs Sonos Era 300

The Sonos Era 300 wins overall: it is cheaper, better rated by owners, and the only one of the two with dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is still the right buy when you specifically need a soundbar under a television or want Google Assistant, which the Era 300 does not support.

How each one creates spatial audio. The Sonos Era 300 uses a physical array of upward and outward-firing drivers, so Dolby Atmos tracks gain real height and width. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) creates its Atmos effect by processing with side-firing drivers, which builds a bubble around the TV rather than true overhead sound.

Not directly. The Sonos Era 300 has no HDMI connection and does not sync with a TV remote, so it cannot sit between you and your television the way the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) does. What it can do is join a Sonos home theater as a rear surround speaker, which is one of the most common reasons people buy a pair.

The Sonos Era 300, thanks to Bluetooth alongside dual-band Wi-Fi and AirPlay 2. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) has no Bluetooth and only 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, so everything has to go through Wi-Fi or AirPlay 2, though it does include an Ethernet port that the Era 300 only gets through the Sonos Combo Adapter.

Buy the Sonos Era 300 if you want the most immersive single-speaker sound in Sonos' lineup, with true spatial audio, Bluetooth, dual-band Wi-Fi and the option to stereo pair or use two as surrounds in a home theater. It suits Alexa and Sonos Voice Control users who do not need Google Assistant.

Buy the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) if you want a compact soundbar that makes TV dialogue clear, mounts on a wall, works with your existing remote and connects over Ethernet. It is also the choice if Google Assistant matters, since it is the only one of the two that supports all three voice assistants.