Entertainment setups are shrinking, TVs are getting much thinner, and the days of investing in a complicated budget speaker system are more or less over. That’s where soundbars come into the picture. With a compact form factor and easy plug and play setup, a good soundbar is an essential piece of technology for any entertainment setup.
Retailing at Rs 5499, the Portronics Sound Sleek IV is a well-built, powerful 2.1 channel soundbar that really impresses and for the asking price with its wide sound stage and clear vocals – a 120W soundbar for anyone no brain. Soundbars under Rs.6,000. But yes, there are a few minor issues that could have been prevented—with a little attention to detail. Here’s our full review of the Portronics Sound Sleek IV.
It sounds good. Really good for the price.
The Portronics Sound Slick IV soundbar features a twin 30W speaker setup with a 60W subwoofer – offering a combined power output of 120W, and while some of the most popular 120W and above soundbars cost upwards of Rs 7,000, Portronics doesn’t offer Looks just comparable but also offers better value for money.
For bass heads, listening to music is going to be a treat, with impressive performance when listening to music—using either the optical port or Bluetooth. The overall soundstage is also wide, and certainly enough to enjoy a variety of different genres of music, and of course movies and video games. The highs and mids are reproduced relatively well.
I played GranTurismo 7 on my PS5, and the audio experience was truly a treat—the sound of cars screeching, the soundtrack, the sound of tires and the clear separation between the car’s exhaust sound. Plus, the punchy bass helped make the overall experience quite punchy without overpowering the details. I clearly remember the racing exhaust from semi-racing for one of my in-game cars, and the sonic difference between the two was clearly reproduced, thanks to Sound Slick IV.
Additionally, I used a Bluetooth connection between the Samsung Frame TV and the Portronics Sound Sleek IV during my testing. The connection was quick, and there was no apparent delay between audio and visuals, even when gaming.
Solid design and good I/O
The overall build quality is excellent for the price. The plastic feels heavy-duty, and there’s no noticeable creaking when the unit is moved. And yes, the build, fit and finish might fool you into believing that the Sound Sleek IV is a soundbar a notch or two above its segment. No complaints here.
On the back, there’s a decent selection of ports—an AUX port, a USB A and an optical port. Yes, it lacks an HDMI eARC port, but with most TVs supporting Bluetooth nowadays, this shouldn’t be a deal breaker.
some complaints but no deal breakers
Attention to detail should be part and parcel of most products – not just those that cross the price range. So yes, the Portronics Sound Slick IV has some drawbacks.
First of all, the sound is unnecessary every time you turn the device on/off or pair it, and can get annoying after a while. While I know that most budget speakers and soundbars offer virtually the same sound, I think it’s time for brands like Portronics and BOAT to give it up for good.
Secondly, the button used to power on/off the soundbar is flimsy and constantly misses inputs. Ideally, holding down the button should turn the soundbar on/off, but more often than not, it fails to register the button press.
Verdict: Value for money concept is king
At Rs 5,499, the Portronics Sound Slick IV offers great value for money, sounds balanced, and feels like it’s built to last. The power on/off sound is certainly annoying, but it could easily be fixed in a future iteration, or perhaps ignored.
Overall, the SoundSleek IV delivers a refined experience and earns a solid recommendation from us.
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