I've had a busy month checking out the latest and greatest TVs – from CES 2025 being utilised as the showground for the LG OLED G5 and Samsung S95F, to a more recent private Philips event that I attended, which revealed the brand's latest OLED 910 set and plenty more besides.
So it's not only the best OLED TVs that are making headway, as a surprise soundbar reveal at said Philips event was one that gave me an unexpected surprise. The Philips B8200 – which upgrades the older B6309 – is a super-slender soundbar that, to look at, I thought wouldn't be able to deliver much gusto at all.
But I was shocked when the new soundbar was put to the test – and perhaps it should be considered among the best soundbars after all. That's because this little audio strip is far, far more capable than I'd anticipated – and the included subwoofer really lifts the bass level. In a room of 12 people (and with a freestanding air-conditioner also running) it was easily able to cut through and deliver a considerable wall of sound.
Philips certainly does not describe the B8200 as an audiophile-grade soundbar by any means – but that doesn't prevent it from delivering big audio in contrast to its size. It features a pair of 30W drivers (2.25-inch mid-tracks), with 19mm tweeters to handle the higher-end output.
There's plenty of connectivity, too, with an HDMI eARC port, optical input for TVs with more basic connections, and Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity. I think the inclusion of HDMI is a critical one – and something that not even Sonos includes in its otherwise excellent Arc Ultra soundbar.
There's another rather brilliant 'trick', too, which is why I'd call this soundbar a specific upgrade for one of Philips' just-announced TVs, the OLED 850. This is an identical set to the OLED 810, except for its inclusion of a T-shaped stand – onto which the B8200 magnetically attaches and fits perfectly. Its 37mm height ensures it won't get in the way of the screen, while a cable hide structure keeps everything looking neat and tidy.
The Philips OLED 850 with B8200 therefore sounds (quite literally) like a match made in heaven – surprisingly so. But I am somewhat perplexed why anyone would otherwise buy the 850 TV on its own. Surely, wherever it's ranged – and it's still TBC for the UK – it'll come as a bundled offering. Sounds like the perfect pair!
