Best Soundbars With HDMI Inputs for Consoles and Players (2026)

A soundbar with only one HDMI port forces a choice every time a new console or player arrives, while a bar with two or three inputs takes the whole setup at once. This guide compares seven best soundbars with hdmi inputs by input count, passthrough and price tier, and explains which sources to plug into the bar and which to leave on the TV.

Quick verdict: the best soundbars with hdmi inputs at a glance

If you want the short answer, buy the Polk MagniFi Max AX SR when you have three sources to connect, or the Samsung HW-Q990F when you want two HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K at 120Hz. The other five picks cover a single gaming input, a budget HDMI connection and a compact 5.1.2 system, so match the input count to your sources first.

Quick comparison table

The table below puts the decision in one place: how many HDMI inputs each bar offers, what its passthrough supports, and what comes in the box. Count your sources before you read it, because a bar with one input forces a choice that a bar with three inputs never asks you to make.

The Polk bar wins on input count alone, while the Samsung HW-Q990F wins on gaming passthrough at the top tier. The Sony HT-A7000 is the only other two-input bar here, and the remaining four picks all ask you to choose one source for the bar and send the rest to the TV.

How we selected the soundbars in this guide

Every model in this guide is a real product sold in the United States, with specifications from its manufacturer or from retailer listings of those specifications. We compared HDMI input count, passthrough resolution and refresh rate, HDR support, channel layout and included hardware, and left out models whose input count could not be verified.

This guide is based on published manufacturer specifications and independent review coverage. It does not claim testing of its own, and it does not rank products by review scores, because scores use different methods and change with each update. Instead, each pick earns its place for a clear reason: the most inputs, the best gaming passthrough, a second two-input option, the best single gaming input, the most affordable 5.1.2 input, the compact surround pick, or the lowest-cost HDMI connection.

The best soundbars with hdmi inputs, model by model

Seven bars cover very different setups, so the order below follows the input count first: three inputs, then two, then one. Each section states how many sources the bar can take, what its passthrough does to the picture, and which buyer should choose it over the others.

Polk MagniFi Max AX SR: three HDMI inputs for a crowded TV stand

The Polk MagniFi Max AX SR is the only bar in this guide with three HDMI inputs, and that is why it leads the list for a crowded TV stand. A console, a Blu-ray player and a streaming box can all connect through the bar at once, with one more cable running from the eARC output to the TV.

Three inputs remove the daily cable swap that a one-input bar forces on a household with more than one source. Polk lists the base bar as a 5.1.2 system and retailers list the SR bundle as 7.1.2, because the bundle adds wireless surround speakers to the bar and its 10-inch wireless subwoofer. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are both supported, so a Blu-ray collection and a streaming service are covered by the same bar.

Buy it if you have three sources and you want all of them routed through the soundbar. Skip it if you only own one source, since the extra inputs buy nothing then, or if you want a bar with a verified 4K at 120Hz passthrough, which Polk does not list for this model in the sources read.

Samsung HW-Q990F: two HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K at 120Hz

The Samsung HW-Q990F is the most complete system in this guide, and its two HDMI 2.1 inputs are the reason it suits a living room with two consoles. Both inputs pass 4K at 120Hz with variable refresh rate and auto low latency mode, so neither console has to give up smooth gaming.

Two HDMI 2.1 inputs mean a PlayStation 5 and an Xbox Series X can both connect through the bar at full speed, which is the setup a one-input bar cannot offer. The HW-Q990F is an 11.1.4-channel system with 23 speakers, a wireless subwoofer with dual 8-inch drivers and two wireless rear speakers, and it supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Q-Symphony can play the soundbar together with the speakers of a compatible Samsung TV from 2022 to 2025.

Buy it if you want a full surround system and two fast gaming inputs in one purchase. Skip it if your room is small, you do not want rear speakers, or your TV has no HDMI eARC port, since the highest-quality audio formats need that connection.

Sony HT-A7000: two HDMI inputs with 4K at 120Hz and 8K passthrough

The Sony HT-A7000 is the older flagship in this guide, and it still earns its place because it offers two HDMI inputs with 4K at 120Hz and 8K passthrough. That combination is rare even now, and it suits a buyer who already owns a PlayStation 5 and a second source that needs the same treatment.

Two inputs with 8K passthrough give this bar a longer useful life than a bar that tops out at 4K at 60Hz, even though the HT-A7000 is a previous-generation model. Sony and Crutchfield list a 7.1.2 virtual layout with two up-firing drivers, a built-in dual subwoofer, 500 watts of total power, and HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision passthrough. Optional rear speakers and subwoofers can be added later, since none are included in the box.

Buy it if you want two fast inputs and a single bar without a separate subwoofer box. Skip it if you want a current-generation model with a wireless subwoofer included, or if your TV is small, since the bar is about 51 inches wide.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9: one HDMI 2.1 input for a single console

The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 has only one HDMI input, but it is a full HDMI 2.1 input with 8K and 4K at 120Hz passthrough, variable refresh rate and auto low latency mode. One input is enough when a single console is the only source that needs the fastest connection in the room.

A single HDMI 2.1 input is a deliberate trade, not a weakness, when the second and third sources are a streaming stick and a cable box that can connect to the TV instead. Sony lists 13 speaker units in a 7.0.2 configuration, 13 amplifier channels and 585 watts, with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and IMAX Enhanced support, plus 360 Spatial Sound Mapping that creates phantom speakers around the room. No subwoofer or rear speaker is included, so the optional subwoofer and rears are sold separately.

Buy it if you own a Sony Bravia TV, you play console games at 4K and 120Hz, and you want one premium bar with both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Skip it if you have two consoles that both need 120Hz, or if you want a subwoofer in the box.

Samsung HW-Q800F: one HDMI input with 4K at 60Hz passthrough

The Samsung HW-Q800F takes one HDMI input and passes 4K at 60Hz with HDR10+, which is enough for a Blu-ray player or a streaming box but not for a console running at 120Hz. That limit is the key fact about this bar, and it decides whether it fits a gaming setup or a movie setup.

One input at 4K at 60Hz suits a household whose fastest source is a disc player rather than a console, because movies and shows rarely exceed 60Hz. The HW-Q800F is a 5.1.2-channel system with a wireless subwoofer that pairs a 6.5-inch active driver with an 8-inch passive radiator, and it supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Wireless Dolby Atmos and Q-Symphony with a compatible Samsung TV. Optional rear speakers can be added later to reach 7.1.4.

Buy it if your main source is a Blu-ray player or a streaming box and you want Atmos sound with a real subwoofer. Skip it if you play console games at 120Hz, since the passthrough will cap the refresh rate, or if you need two inputs.

Vizio M-Series 5.1.2 M512a-H6: one HDMI input in a compact surround set

The Vizio M-Series 5.1.2 M512a-H6 is the compact 5.1.2 pick in this guide, with one HDMI input beside its eARC connection and a wireless subwoofer in the box. It suits a buyer who wants real surround and one extra input without paying for a flagship system or a second HDMI 2.1 port.

One HDMI input plus eARC covers the common case: a single player through the bar and everything else through the TV. Vizio lists an 11-speaker 5.1.2 layout with two up-firing 3-inch height drivers, a 6-inch wireless subwoofer, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and a 45Hz to 20kHz frequency response. The rear speakers are wired to the subwoofer rather than fully wireless, so the subwoofer needs a spot near the seating.

Buy it if you want a complete 5.1.2 system with a real subwoofer and one HDMI input at a mid tier. Skip it if you need 4K at 120Hz passthrough, which Vizio does not list for this model, or if you want fully wireless rear speakers.

Samsung HW-B750F: the budget pick with one HDMI input

The Samsung HW-B750F is the budget pick in this guide, and it earns that place with one HDMI input and a wireless subwoofer at the lowest tier here. Its HDMI port is standard ARC rather than eARC, which fits its Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, but it also means Dolby Atmos is not on the menu.

One HDMI input on a budget bar is still a real upgrade over a bar with no HDMI at all, because it carries 5.1 surround from a player or a console to the bar. Samsung lists a 5.1-channel system with six speakers and a 6-inch wireless subwoofer, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Virtual:X, and optional rear speakers that can be added later. The bar is 40.6 inches wide and connects through HDMI ARC or optical, with Bluetooth for music.

Buy it if you want a complete bar-and-subwoofer package at the lowest tier in this guide and one HDMI input covers your sources. Skip it if you need Dolby Atmos, DTS:X or an eARC connection, or if you have more than one source that needs an HDMI input.

What to check before you buy a soundbar with HDMI inputs

A soundbar with HDMI inputs is a routing decision as much as a sound purchase, so the checks below matter more than the channel count on the box. Count the sources first, check what each one needs from the picture, and then decide which cable goes where before you spend anything.

What to plug into the best soundbars with hdmi inputs first

The fastest source in the household should take the best input on the bar, because only one or two inputs on most bars support the highest refresh rates. A console running at 4K and 120Hz belongs on an HDMI 2.1 input, while a Blu-ray player or a streaming box is happy on a standard HDMI input or on the TV itself.

Put the console first, the Blu-ray player second and the streaming box last, since a streaming box loses nothing by connecting to the TV and sending audio back over eARC. If the bar has only one input and the household owns two consoles, one of them must connect to the TV, and that console will still get its sound through eARC as long as the TV supports it.

Passthrough limits: 4K, HDR and 120Hz explained

Passthrough is the picture quality the soundbar lets through to the TV, and a bar that passes only 4K at 60Hz will cap a 120Hz console even when the TV can do more. The Samsung HW-Q990F and the Sony bars in this guide pass 4K at 120Hz, while the Samsung HW-Q800F passes 4K at 60Hz, so the gaming buyer and the movie buyer need different bars.

HDR support matters too, because a bar that cannot pass Dolby Vision or HDR10+ will strip the picture of the format the disc or stream was mastered in. Check the passthrough list for each input, not just the headline resolution, and remember that a source connected to the TV instead of the bar avoids the passthrough limit entirely.

eARC, ARC and optical: where the TV connection fits

The connection on the back of the TV decides which sound formats the soundbar can receive, so check it before you buy. HDMI eARC carries the highest-quality audio, including Dolby Atmos from Dolby TrueHD, while standard HDMI ARC carries compressed Atmos and Dolby Digital 5.1.

Every bar in this guide except the Samsung HW-B750F connects to the TV over eARC, which is why the HW-B750F is limited to Dolby Digital 5.1. Optical carries Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, but it cannot carry Dolby Atmos at all. If the TV has no eARC port, a premium bar loses its best formats, so the TV connection is worth checking before the input count.

Frequently asked questions about soundbars with HDMI inputs

The questions below cover the doubts that come up most often before a purchase, from whether a console belongs on the bar to what happens when a bar has no HDMI input at all. Each answer follows the same rule as the rest of this guide: it states what the specifications support, and it names the case where the answer changes.

Can I plug a game console into a soundbar HDMI input?

Yes, and a console is the best use of a soundbar HDMI input, because the bar passes the picture to the TV and plays the sound itself. Connect the console to an HDMI 2.1 input when the bar has one, so the picture keeps 4K at 120Hz, variable refresh rate and auto low latency mode.

Does an HDMI input on a soundbar improve sound quality?

An HDMI input does not improve sound quality by itself, because the sound depends on the formats the bar supports and the speakers inside it. What the input does is let a source send its best audio to the bar directly, instead of through the TV, which can matter when the TV downgrades the audio it passes along.

What if my soundbar has no HDMI input at all?

A soundbar with no HDMI input still works, because every source connects to the TV and the TV sends audio back over eARC. The Sonos Arc Ultra works this way, with a single HDMI eARC connection and no HDMI input, so it suits a household whose TV has enough ports for every source.

Conclusion

Start with the Polk MagniFi Max AX SR if you have three sources, or the Samsung HW-Q990F if you want two HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K at 120Hz. Count your consoles and players first, check the passthrough on the input you will actually use, and choose the bar whose inputs match the setup you already own.