Audio & Headphones · Head-to-head
Vizio 2.1 Soundbar SE vs Samsung HW-B650D
Which should you buy? Here's the honest call, pulled from our full Best Budget Soundbars: Real-World Picks for Bigger Sound Without the Splurge comparison.
The Vizio 2.1 Soundbar SE wins on value, pairing a true wireless subwoofer and Atmos/DTS:X decoding with clean HDMI control for the lowest outlay. The Samsung HW-B650D is the upgrade to consider when dialogue clarity and all-round polish matter more than saving every dollar.
Vizio 2.1 Soundbar SE
Buy itA compact 30-inch bar with a genuine wireless subwoofer and modern HDMI simplicity for the least money.
- Separate wireless subwoofer delivers punchy, room-filling bass instead of thin built-in thump
- Decodes Dolby Atmos and DTS:X with a convincing DTS Virtual:X width mode
- Single HDMI eARC cable handles audio plus volume via your TV remote, and slim QuickFit cabinet fits under small TVs
- No remote in the box, so you rely on the TV remote or the Vizio app
- No optical input, ruling out older TVs without HDMI ARC; only Movie and Music EQ presets
Samsung HW-B650D
Buy itA 3.1 system whose dedicated center channel makes dialogue cut through busy scenes cleanly.
- Dedicated center channel gives the clearest dialogue in the group
- Wireless subwoofer plus Adaptive Sound Lite auto-tunes levels scene to scene
- Q-Symphony pairs the bar with a compatible Samsung TV's speakers, and it keeps both HDMI and optical inputs
- Priciest of the two buy picks
- Q-Symphony's biggest benefit only lands if you already own a recent Samsung TV
Side by side
| Vizio 2.1 Soundbar SE | Samsung HW-B650D | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Someone who wants genuine subwoofer bass and modern HDMI simplicity on the smallest possible budget. | Buyers who watch a lot of dialogue-heavy TV and can stretch slightly past entry level. |
| Price tier | $ · budget | $$ · mid-range |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Vizio 2.1 Soundbar SE - A compact 30-inch bar with a genuine wireless subwoofer and modern HDMI simplicity for the least money. Choose the Samsung HW-B650D instead if buyers who watch a lot of dialogue-heavy TV and can stretch slightly past entry level.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete Best Budget Soundbars: Real-World Picks for Bigger Sound Without the Splurge.