Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.
The best gear to upgrade your home theater setupAhead of your next gathering or Super Bowl 2026 party, these gadgets can give your living room setup a much-needed revamp.
EngadgetMon, January 26, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTCAdd Engadget on Google
Best home theater gear (XGIMI / Govee / Roku / LG)A good home theater setup goes beyond just having the right TV (although that certainly does help a lot). Getting the right sound for your space, the right lighting and making sure your streaming gear is up to date are all things that can go a long way to making your setup feel premium.And don’t think that just because you’re not hosting movie night every weekend that a good home theater setup is a waste. Whether your family is full of cinephiles, you love playing video games with your kids or you plan on hosting friends to watch Super Bowl 2026, the right home theater equipment can make your experience much better. We test a ton of that technology here at Engadget; if you’re looking to make some changes to your setup, we’ve collected some of our favorite home theater gear here to make your shopping list a bit easier to compile.
Quick Overview
Govee Smart LED Light Bars
$40 at Amazon
Roku Ultra
More options$78 at Amazon
XGIMI Halo+ GTV Portable Projector
$449 at Amazon
Lyrwihn Indoor TV Antenna
$19 at Amazon
TCL 55 Inch Class QM6K Series Mini LED QLED 4K Smart TV
More options$448 at AmazonSee 7 moreBest home theater gear
Govee
Govee Smart LED Light Bars
Govee’s smart LED light bars can shine bright in over 16 million colors, all customizable via Govee’s companion app. They can easily set the mood for a movie night, game night or party, and you can control the whole thing with Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands. There’s also a fun music-sync mode that changes the lights in time with whatever music they’re listening to. These can stand upright, be laid flat or even be mounted behind a TV to enhance your home entertainment setup, so there’s a good chance you'll find the perfect place for them without too much hassle. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor
$40 at Amazon
Roku
Roku Ultra
The set-top Roku Ultra is the best device Roku makes and one of our favorite streaming devices overall. It’s got all the features you’d expect from a premium streamer — comprehensive app support, 4K resolution with HDR10/10+, Dolby Vision and Atmos support, Ethernet, plus Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 6 capabilities, too. There’s even a USB port for playing local media. The updated processor makes it one of the fastest players we tested and Roku’s operating system is the most user-friendly interface out there. Also the remote is excellent with automatic backlighting, hands-free voice control and USB-C recharging. — Amy Skorheim, Senior Reporter
$78 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$80 at Target$91 at Macy's
XGIMI
XGIMI Halo+ GTV Portable Projector
If you're congregating with a big crowd or moving the party outside, a projector can be a good replacement for a TV. This one from XGIMI packs a ton of performance without the sky-high price tag you'll see on most other projectors. The company's Halo+ technology uses 700 ISO lumens to help create a bright 1080p image, and it has two built-in 5W Harman Kardon speakers for clear sound with good bass response. It's quite portable as well, so you can bring it to wherever the party is at, or on your next camping trip, and with its 59.454Wh built-in battery, you'll get about 2.5 hours of playtime before it needs more juice. — V.P.
$449 at Amazon
Lyrwihn
Lyrwihn Indoor TV Antenna
A TV antenna can give you access to a handful of channels without paying a subscription. This one happens to be the favorite of our friends at Yahoo Tech, who were surprised by its great performance and affordable price. Its design is pretty sleek, standing at just seven-inches high, and it has a magnetic base and an 18-foot connecting cord. While you can't wall-mount it, we think that's a small price to pay for its good reception and budget-friendly price. — V.P.
$19 at Amazon
TCL
TCL 55 Inch Class QM6K Series Mini LED QLED 4K Smart TV
The TCL QM6K is widely regarded as one of 2025's better TV bargains. For a TV that’s often priced below $500 for a 55-inch set, the QM6K should hold its own for the average viewer (especially if they don’t care about HDR). It's a 4K Mini LED set with Google TV built in and support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG. Its list of gaming features is surprisingly good as well: You get a 144Hz refresh rate with the ability to go up to 288Hz at 1080p, a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports (neither of which is an eARC port), ALLM, low input lag in its game mode and support for the major VRR formats. If you simply don't want to spend more than $500 on your next TV, there’s value here. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter
$448 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$498 at Macy's$448 at P.C. Richard & Son
ECHOGEAR
Echogear Wall Mount TV Bracket
Maybe you've been thinking about mounting your TV to the wall for a while. Well, now's a great time to do so and you don't have to spend a ton on a good TV mount. This one from Echogear can hold up to a 90-inch set (up to 135 pounds in weight) and has a three-step installation process. It even comes with pre-divided hardware and a drilling template, so you can do this yourself (maybe with the help of a partner) without needing professional installation. Once up on the wall, you can tilt your TV up to 10 degrees to get the best, glare-free viewing angle for your living room. — V.P.
$40 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$40 at Best Buy
YouTube TV
If you’re not interested in signing a contract for cable but still want to watch live sports, news and shows, you may want a live TV streaming service. After trying them all, our current favorite is YouTube TV. A series of price hikes (which every similar service has undergone) have pushed it to $83 per month, but it’s got the best mix of channel availability, customizable settings and nice-to-have perks. These include features like multiview for live sports and news, unlimited DVR, an easy-to-build library and an excellent search function. The interface is pretty smooth too, and will be familiar to anyone familiar with the regular YouTube app. — A.S.
$84/month at YouTube TV
Anker
Anker HDMI Cable (8K@60Hz, 6FT)
You're only as strong as your weakest link when it comes to streaming content in 4K. If you pay for any streaming services or live channels that broadcast in 4K, you'll want to make sure the rest of your setup is 4K-ready. That includes even the components we often overlook, like the humble HDMI cable. This one from Anker supports content at up to 8K 60Hz, but most people will likely use the 4K 120Hz support even more. Its design is capable of withstanding up to 1,000 bends, and it'll work with a bunch of devices other than TVs, including laptops, tablets, projectors and others. — V.P.
$9 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$9 at Best Buy
Samsung
Samsung Q990F soundbar + speaker set
Samsung has been iterating on the Q990F for several years now, constantly improving its flagship soundbar via new features and upgraded connectivity. It’s my top pick for soundbars thanks to the fact that it’s an all-in-one setup. The powerful, immersive soundbar comes with rear satellite speakers and a booming subwoofer in the box. Sound quality is warm and detailed for music and deep and enveloping for movies and TV. The Q990F is a great way to fill your living room with the sounds of the game. — B.S.
$1,698 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$1,698 at Macy's$1,698 at P.C. Richard & Son
Nathan Ingraham for Engadget
Sonos Era 100
I've had Sonos Era 100 speakers in my living and dining rooms for the past few years. They get used regularly and really shine when we're hosting and want floor-filling sound. I typically connect the pair in my living room with the pair in my dining room so the music truly feels immersive regardless of where you are on our first floor, and this is easy to do with AirPlay support from my iPhone. But a pair of these can also pull double duty as a home theater surround sound when connected to one of Sonos' soundbars, too. Whether you're using them for music or TV sound, they'll get a ton of play in your setup. — V.P.
$219 at Sonos
NEBULA
NEBULA X1 Triple Laser 4K Projector
Maybe you're building out your revamped home theater around a projector rather than a traditional TV. If that's the case, consider splurging a bit on the main piece of tech; we like the Nebula X1 for its excellent brightness and noticeably 4K clarity. It uses a triple-laser optical engine to deliver 3,500 ANSI lumens of brightness and 110% Rec. 2020 color. Contrast is also top-notch, and its optical zoom allows you to adjust the image size to fit pretty much any space without moving the projector itself. It also uses a feature called AI Spatial Adaptation to scan your projector surface and adjust the image to the best position, size and clarity so you can spend less time setting up your kit and more time watching movies, TV shows, sports and everything in between. — V.P.
$2,399 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$2,699 at Best Buy
LG
LG 55-Inch Class OLED evo AI 4K C5 Series Smart TV
The LG C5 is a great option if you're looking to get a high-end set. Its superb OLED panel produces the kind of deep contrast, super low input lag, clear motion and wide viewing angles expected from a good OLED TV. While it doesn’t have a QD-OLED screen like the Samsung S90F — and thus can’t produce the same level of vibrant colors — reviewers we trust say that it can actually get brighter with non-HDR content and that its black tones stay darker in a bright room.
This TV includes four full HDMI 2.1 ports, all of which can play 4K video at a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz, and it works with the big three VRR formats. It also supports ALLM and, unlike all Samsung TVs, Dolby Vision HDR. The latter is a nice bonus for Xbox players in particular. LG’s webOS software will show you ads, meanwhile, but it also includes built-in support for cloud services like Xbox Game Pass and NVIDIA GeForce Now. — J.D.
$1,197 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$1,147 at Macy's$1,147 at Best BuyAdvertisement- About our ads
