The best Samsung soundbars for 2024, as chosen by experts

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You’ll find no shortage of options when shopping for a Samsung soundbar. The company offers everything from high-end surround sound systems to more basic all-in-one soundbars designed to provide a serious audio upgrade when both space and budget are tight. While the flagship Q990D surround sound system reigns supreme over the Samsung lineup (and most other soundbars, for that matter) as our best overall, there are lots of options available. Here’s how to choose the one that’s right for you.

• Best overall: Q990D 11.1.4 ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar + Rear Speakers 
• Best stand-alone: Q900C 7.1.2 ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar 
• Best ultra-slim: S800D Ultra-slim 3.1.2ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar
• Best budget: S60D All-in-one 5.0ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar

How we chose the best Samsung soundbars

I have been reviewing TVs, home theater gear, and just about everything else in the consumer electronics world since before Friends ended its original run (or, to put it simply, 2004). For this buying guide, I’ve done extensive hands-on testing of some models (the individual reviews are linked in the text) and combined that with spec comparisons, user feedback, and editorial reviews to choose the best models for each use case. 

The best Samsung soundbars: Reviews & Recommendations

While I recommend the higher-end soundbars overall for their exceptional sound quality and feature sets, the more budget-friendly options also typically provide excellent performance for their price. It’s worth noting that almost all of these Samsung soundbars provide some extra features when used with modern Samsung TVs. Features like Q-Symphony (which integrates the TV’s speakers into the overall sound system) are exclusive to the company’s own TVs and add extra incentive to stick within the Samsung framework for your home theater hardware. 

Best overall: Q990D 11.1.4 ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar + Rear Speakers 

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The first thing I noticed during my review of Samsung’s flagship surround sound soundbar was the dialog. Watching the original The Fast and the Furious for the millionth time, I noticed the actor’s voices cutting through the sounds of revving engines and jangling wallet chains with surprising clarity. I, like many other people, struggle to pick up voices with some surround sound setups. Samsung has addressed this with AI for identifying and prioritizing dialog in the mix. Out of curiosity, I switched over to a much cheaper soundbar from a different manufacturer after spending a few hours with the Samsung. The cheaper bar’s diallog performance sounded muffled in comparison. It’s a stark difference and one of many reasons why this wireless surround sound system is the best splurge. 

Of course, you want more than clear dialog from a flagship soundbar. This system has a total of 11 front-facing speakers, a single subwoofer, and four up-facing drivers in order to create what Samsung calls a “dome” of sound. The bar itself creates a very wide soundstage thanks to its Dolby Atmos compatibility. Once the wireless rear speakers are in-place (which only requires a very simple wireless setup), it delivers what you’d expect out of a full-fledged surround sound system. During a viewing of the most recent Venom movie on Blu-ray, I truly felt as if cartoonish Marvel nonsense was going on all around me. The bass bumps (not booms, booming is bad) and the whole system provides a very clean, clear sound, even at high volumes. 

While this pick is fairly expensive, it’s even more worth it if you’re pairing it with a Samsung TV. Staying within the company’s own hardware gets you extra features. The Q-Symphony feature adds the TV’s built-in speakers to the audio fray. It’s like getting an extra free center channel speaker. Samsung TVs can also connect wirelessly to the Q990D and still maintain Dolby Atmos performance, which is something I haven’t seen before anywhere else. 

Overall, it’s an investment, but it delivers, which means you won’t need to worry about your home audio for years down the line. 

Best stand-alone: Q900C 7.1.2 ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar

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Rear satellite speakers are nice if you want the best possible surround sound performance. However, not everyone has the space to put them or the patients required to set them up. That’s where an all-in-one model comes into play. This 7.1.2-channel system comes with a single soundbar and a robust subwoofer, both of which combine to create a surprisingly immersive sound experience. 

This soundbar really shines when paired with a modern (mostly going back to the 2023 models) Samsung TV. You get the Q-Symphony compatibility, which essentially turns the TV speakers into extra surround channels. You also get wireless Dolby Atmos performance and access to all of the room calibration effects, which tweak the sound output specifically to your space. 

Features on paper are great, but how does it sound? Even without reach channels, the Q900C provides a very pronounced three-dimensional effect. Watching Starship Troopers on Blu-ray, it felt like I was on the battlefield blasting bugs for the misguided glory of my planet. Would you like to know more? It’s obviously not quite as convincing as a system with rear channels, but I also didn’t actively miss those rear inputs once I was immersed in the movie rather than thinking about criticisms to include in my review. The up-firing speakers help create that 3D surround effect, but if you have super-high ceilings, your results may vary. 

I also enjoyed the Q900C for music playback. The bass is punchy but controlled. The soundbar’s built-in speakers handle the rest of the frequencies well, even at high volumes. I was able to bother everyone in my house at once with Every Time I Die’s Y2K-era metalcore classic “Last Night in Town” without even cracking 80 percent on the volume scale. 

This soundbar isn’t cheap, especially for a system without rear satellites, but it earns a best-value tag with its robust feature set, very simple setup, and sound quality that punches beyond what you’d expect from a stand-alone system.

Best ultra-slim: S800D Ultra-slim 3.1.2ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar

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Soundbars take up less space than systems with discrete speakers, which makes them great for tight spaces. But, if you’re really looking to save space or you just want to embrace a minimalist design, go for an ultra-slim. The S800D is a 3.1.2 system, which means you don’t get as many built-in speakers as you would with a full-sized flagship soundbar, but you still get most of the fancy features. When paired with a Samsung TV, you get full Q-Symphony support to integrate your TV’s built-in speakers, as well as Wireless Dolby Atmos performance. When you’re buying the slickest-looking soundbar you can find, that wireless connectivity is a crucial element for keeping down cable clutter. 

With a bar like this, Samsung’s Adaptive Sound really comes in handy. The hardware analyzes sound in real-time in order to make sure that dialog stays audible, even when lots of other noise is happening. That’s crucial if you’re working with a smaller space in which the booms and bangs of explosions or even more banal noise can drown out people talking. 

The bar itself is still rather long at 45 inches, but it’s roughly 1.5 inches thick and deep. That makes it very easy to mount under just about any TV, or you can sit it on an entertainment stand and still have room left over to put your keys and wallet and other stuff that drives your partner up the wall. (Maybe that’s specific to me). The subwoofer is also relatively compact, measuring about nine inches cubed. Despite its relatively compact footprint, it still hammers out the rumbles when you need them. 

Best budget: S60D All-in-one 5.0ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar

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Subwoofers are great when you want maximum impact out of your sound system, but they don’t sense for every space or budget. Maybe you have downstairs neighbors you don’t want to hate you. Or perhaps you have a baby that would prefer to sleep instead of staying up to watch Commando with you for the 128th time. Or maybe you’re just sick of crummy TV sound, but don’t want to spend $800. That’s where an all-in-one comes in. 

This is a true five-channel system contained in a soundbar. There’s no subwoofer, so don’t expect it to blow your roof off, but that’s the point. At just 26 inches long, it’s easy to fit under smaller TVs or in tighter spaces. But, it has a total of seven speakers inside, including side-firing drivers to help create a surround sound effect. It’s compatible with Dolby Atmos, which you can even use wirelessly if you’re using a current-gen Samsung TV. That Samsung loyalty also gets you Q-Symphony support, which adds your TV speakers as a crucial extra element to the system. 

It’s a smaller form factor and lacks a sub (though you can add an optional bass bin if you want to upgrade down the line). Built-in Bluetooth and smart-home compatibility (Google Home, Google Assistant, Alexa, AirPlay) make it versatile enough to pull double duty as a home theater system and a music speaker. Yes, there are cheaper “budget” soundbars out there, but this one stands out in its performance, especially if you have a current-gen Samsung TV. 

Things to consider when shopping for the best Samsung soundbar

While we make specific suggestions for different models, we also like to provide some insight into the shopping process. Here are some features and specs to consider when you’re out there comparing models. 

Do you have a Samsung TV?

Samsung (like other major manufacturers) has really started to incentivize users to stick within one hardware ecosystem. Samsung offers a variety of features specifically to those with compatible Samsung TVs, Most of the features require a Samsung TV from 2022 or later to take advantage. 

Here are some of the common features exclusive to Samsung TV setups:

Q-Symphony

This integrates the TV’s built-in speakers into the soundbar’s overall array in order to add extra power and flexibility. This is particularly crucial for smaller and all-in-one bars that don’t have the sheer number of drivers found in the higher-end models. Here’s Samsung’s more robust overview.

Wireless Dolby Atmos

You typically have to connect a soundbar to a TV with an HDMI cable, but that can be annoying if you’re mounting the speaker on the wall or trying to hide your cords. Wireless Dolby Atmos enables full connectivity with surround sound performance without an HDMI cable. 

Space Fit Sound Pro

This feature allows the system to analyze your specific space and tune its performance for maximum efficacy. It can recognize issues and resolve them without requiring you to move hardware around the room. 

Rear channel speakers

Many soundbar systems include a bar and a subwoofer. You can get great performance out of that type of setup, but if you want really convincing surround sound, you’ll likely want a pair of rear-channel speakers. The Flagship Q990D offers a pair of wireless rear surround speakers with both forward- and up-firing drivers to create a full-room 3D sound effect. It’s great if you can stomach the extra cost, have the necessary room, and also have the outlets into which you need to plug them. 

Subwoofer

Most Samsung soundbar systems have a particular subwoofer with which they’re meant to work. If you buy a system that comes with a sub, you’re best just to use that one. Some, like the all-in-one systems, let you add a sub later, but make sure to check model compatibility before making a purchase. 

Final thoughts on the best Samsung soundbars

• Best overall: Q990D 11.1.4 ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar + Rear Speakers 
• Best stand-alone: Q900C 7.1.2 ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar 
• Best ultra-slim: S800D Ultra-slim 3.1.2ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar
• Best budget: S60D All-in-one 5.0ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar

If you’re using a Samsung TV right now and you want to expand your audio experience, then a Samsung soundbar is a no-brainer. The company offers a wide range of options, from its flashy flagship to the most basic all-in-one. While we recommend the Q990D if you can foot the bill, there are a ton of great options down the line. If you’re using a different model of TV, Samsung soundbars still offer solid performance, but you’ll be missing out on some of the exclusive features that make them worth the extra cost.

 

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