Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3

Impressively detailed and spacious performance ; Sharp and clear delivery of music ; Sleek, slim looks ; Slick Music companion app

Lacks consistency with dialogue ; No DTS support ; No HDMI inputs ; No upgrade path for adding speakers

Bowers & Wilkins’ entry into the Atmos fray with the Panorama 3 is a largely impressive effort, delivering plenty of naturalism with films, TV and music. It has its faults, lacks a few features that home cinema enthusiasts would enjoy, and it can be...

Exceptionally powerful Elegant design Amazon Alexa built-in Hi-res audio compatibility Strong low-end bass Stirring performances for movies

Not expandable No HDMI inputs No room correction No height channel adjustments

“The Panorama 3 is a visceral performer with a few missing features.”

Full-blooded, confident and absorbing movie sound Dextrous and convincing with music Ample control options

Doesn’t quite scale the Dolby Atmos heights No wireless surround option No HDMI passthrough

The Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 has much more than most soundbars to recommend it, but you'll need to temper your Dolby Atmos expectations slightly. It delivers all the scale and punch you could want from a one-box soundbar, and is the best bar for...

Practical and beautiful design ; Superb build quality

No video switching ; Limited rear channel effects

Soundbars may be a limited tech, but great sound quality make this a prime example of how to make them desirable

Full-scale, precise and engrossing sound with movies Genuinely adept with music Nice selection of control options

Dolby Atmos could be more effective Waiting for multi-room capability Fierce competition

The Panorama 3 is the best soundbar Bowers & Wilkins has made so far, and by extension among the best soundbars you can buy.

Sleek low profile design Weighty bottom end Self-contained

Voices lack clarity Not a particularly expansive soundstage Tonally inconsistent

The Panorama 3 has a room-filling sound with an impressive low end, but overall it’s a touch uneven, with dialogue that lacks clarity and sparkle

Room-filling delivery ; Attractive design and great build quality ; High-quality speakers ; Equally adept with movies and music

No DTS:X support ; Only one HDMI connection ; No expansion options

As a single-unit solution, the Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 is adept at delivering a soundstage with scale, solid bass and a good degree of immersion. It handles Dolby Atmos with skill and is also very capable with music. Its delivery is understandably...

Built-in Alexa support. Bass and treble adjustments. Gets loud.

Soundstage isn't very wide. Disappointing Atmos performance. No dialogue enhancement mode. Lacks low-bass.

The Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 is fair for mixed usage. It's a premium-looking standalone bar that offers Dolby Atmos support, but unfortunately, it doesn't sound as good as it looks. Its default sound is dark and muddy due to its recessed treble and...

Wide but low-profile design ; AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth with atpX Adaptive support ; Built-in Alexa ; Dynamic, exciting sound

Built-in woofers supply adequate but not deep bass ; Can’t be upgraded with a subwoofer or surround speakers ; Bare minimum of audio adjustments ; No DTS decoder

The all-in-one Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 is simple to use and packs high-end features, but at $1,000, its inability to be upgraded is a tough pill to swallow.