£26.34 for a 17-inch soundbar that’s hard to ignore

Saiyin’s 40W, 17-inch soundbar is worth buying if you want a cheap, compact TV audio upgrade with Bluetooth 5.3, optical and AUX input, and you do not expect cinema-level bass. At £26.34, it is sitting at its all-time lowest price, which makes the value proposition unusually strong for a product with 4.3/5 from 3,340 reviews and 500+ bought last month.

First impressions: small, simple, and made for tight spaces

The biggest selling point is the size. At 17 inches, this is designed for small to medium rooms, desktop setups, projectors, and TVs where a full-size soundbar would look oversized. Saiyin is clearly aiming at buyers who want better dialogue and fuller sound without taking up much space, and that is exactly where this product makes sense.

The package is also flexible: there are 4 variations available, and the unit can be placed on a desktop or wall-mounted with the included kit. That makes it easy to fit into a living room, bedroom, gaming corner, or office setup.

What do the features actually give you?

The headline feature is the 40W output from 2 full-range speakers. On paper, that is enough for more volume and a broader soundstage than most built-in TV speakers, especially in smaller rooms. The listing also promises a “loud and clear” presentation, which suggests the focus is on speech intelligibility and general everyday listening rather than deep bass.

Connectivity is a real strength here. You get Bluetooth 5.3, optical, and AUX, so it can work with modern TVs, older TVs, PCs, gaming setups, and projectors. That versatility matters at this price because many budget soundbars cut corners on input options. The remote-controlled EQ presets — Music, Movie, and News — are another useful touch, especially the News mode for dialogue-heavy viewing.

One practical note: the listing specifically says that for optical/SPDIF use, you need to set the TV audio output to optical and the audio format to PCM, and disable other processing. That is not unusual, but it does mean setup may take a little more fiddling than plug-and-play buyers expect.

How does it perform?

Based on the feature set and review score, this looks best as a value-focused upgrade for everyday TV watching. The 4.3-star average from 3,340 reviews suggests most buyers are happy with the sound improvement, and the 500+ monthly sales point to sustained demand rather than a one-off bargain.

The likely sweet spot is dialogue, streaming TV, news, YouTube, and casual music listening. The sound modes should help tailor the output, but the compact size and budget positioning mean you should not expect room-shaking bass or the wide, layered presentation of more expensive bars. If you want a more dramatic home cinema effect, you will need to spend more.

Build quality and setup

The design sounds straightforward rather than premium, but that is appropriate at £26.34. The compact chassis and included wall-mount kit make it easy to install, and that ease of setup is a big part of the appeal. For people replacing weak TV speakers, convenience matters almost as much as sound quality.

Is it good value for money?

Yes — exceptionally so at the current price. The list price is £30.99, so you are saving 15%, and the current price is also the lowest ever recorded. Against the competition, it undercuts the £35 indoor TV aerial and is far cheaper than the £19.93 Amazon Basics TV wall bracket or £18.99 VonHaus wall bracket, while offering an entirely different benefit: improved audio rather than TV mounting or signal reception.

That said, the comparison also shows where expectations should stay grounded. Those competing products have higher star ratings — 4.8, 4.6, and 4.5 — so Saiyin is not the most universally loved item in this group. It wins on price and function, not on reputation.

Who should skip it?

If you want deep bass, premium build quality, or a truly immersive soundstage for films and games, this is probably too basic. Also, buyers who dislike setup steps like changing TV audio output to PCM over optical should look for something more plug-and-play.

Bottom line on the numbers

A 4.3/5 rating from 3,340 reviews, 500+ monthly sales, and an all-time low price of £26.34 make this a very compelling budget buy. It is not the most polished soundbar you can buy, but for small rooms and low-cost TV audio upgrades, it looks like a smart spend.