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Best Samsung Soundbars

Updated December 2023
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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Samsung Q910C Soundbar
Samsung
Q910C Soundbar
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Best for Everyday Use
Bottom Line

This wireless sound equipment collection is perfect for your home theater setup.

Pros

It comes with most of the pieces you need to get surround sound up and running, including two subwoofers and a rear speaker kit. It also comes with wall mount gear if that’s your preferred situation.

Cons

It takes some time to get everything up and running.

Best Bang for the Buck
Samsung B650 Soundbar
Samsung
B650 Soundbar
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Bargain Pick
Bottom Line

This small soundbar set is capable of Dolby Atmos.

Pros

The bar is capable of multi-directional sound and also has a bass boost to get you feeling the sound in your chest. A center speaker helps with dialogue clarity. It comes with a subwoofer.

Cons

Some settings audiophiles would want are missing, such as an equalizer.

Samsung S50B Soundbar
Samsung
S50B Soundbar
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Simple Yet Solid
Bottom Line

This all-in-one sound bar is a great fit for the average television setup.

Pros

Included in this single soundbar are two woofers, three tweeters and a central speaker, all of which help to create an even soundscape. It’s capable of Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Virtual X.

Cons

The power cord is a little short, which can limit your installation options.

Samsung The Terrace Outdoor Soundbar
Samsung
The Terrace Outdoor Soundbar
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Complete Your Outdoor Setup
Bottom Line

This outdoor soundbar steps up your patio TV game.

Pros

It’s meant to sync up with the Samsung Terrace TV for a complete outdoor entertainment experience. It’s got an IP55 rating, meaning it can withstand extreme temperatures and some average weather conditions. It’s got distortion-cancelling tech.

Cons

Some had issues with the WiFi connectivity.

Samsung S800B Soundbar
Samsung
S800B Soundbar
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Feature-packed
Bottom Line

This high-end soundbar combo is also capable of Dolby Atmos.

Pros

The bar uses a long, slim design that makes it easier on the eyes and easier to blend in with the right TV setup. The included subwoofer is powerful. It uses Bluetooth to sync audio, so there’s no ugly HDMI cord dangling anywhere.

Cons

Some struggled during the setup phase but got it working eventually.

HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

52
Models
Considered
96
Consumers
Consulted
8
Hours
Researched
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Buying guide for Best Samsung soundbars

Samsung, the largest TV manufacturer in the world, is known for its world-class TV sets. Their 4K models set the standards that every other manufacturer looks to beat. When it comes to TV home audio, however, like most TV makers, the company counts on viewers to bring additional solutions to make their favorite shows and movies sound great.

Fortunately, Samsung makes some of the industry’s best soundbars, too, and they’re worth looking into for anyone who wants to add a little “oomph” to their TV – even if that TV isn’t a Samsung.

At BestReviews, we’re on a mission to provide our readers with the most unbiased and comprehensive product guides on the internet. That means we’re dedicated to sharing insights about the features and models you’ll need to make a strong purchasing decision. Read on for our take on the best from the company.

Samsung soundbar mounted on wall under a tv
Samsung products often work using the same remote control frequencies, so if you have a Samsung TV, you’ll likely be able to use your TV remote on your soundbar.

Surround sound formats

Two-channel soundbar

2.1 audio features two primary speakers — a left and right channel — and one subwoofer. Sometimes abbreviated as a 2ch soundbar, these are ideal for music but sometimes struggle with producing quality dialogue that’s meant to have its own channel. Models with 2.1 audio are affordable and great for small spaces.

Three-channel soundbar

3.0 audio includes three main speakers: left, right, and center channel. This is excellent for TV and movies. The center speaker is dedicated to dialogue. The zero indicates there is no subwoofer, so these models are light on bass.

Surround sound

5.1 audio supports left, right, and center channels, two rear speakers, and a subwoofer. It is the most common native format of movies and TV. With 5.1 audio, you hear everything you’re supposed to.

Soundbars and surround sound

Soundbars are capable of pumping out impressive, high-quality audio, but there’s some debate about how well they handle surround-sound tracks from TV and movies. Most handle “surround” effects — the audio that is supposed to come from behind you or from the sides — in one of two ways:

External satellite speakers

Samsung sells an expansion kit with two wireless rear speakers. While not cheap, it solves one of the major shortcomings of soundbars: it reliably places secondary audio in the right place. If you don’t have much room but want the immersive audio, buy one that supports the wireless rear speaker kit.

To use the convenient Tap Sound app, be sure to download the Smartthings app.

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Simulated surround through upfiring speakers

Many soundbars include speakers that push audio upward to bounce it off walls so it sounds like it’s coming from behind. The speakers use local acoustics to create a sonic stage, but sound quality depends on the room itself.

With this in mind, remember the majority of audio from your TV will come from the left, center, and right channels. For dialogue-heavy content, you may not see much benefit from external satellite speakers or built-in upfiring speakers.

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Staff Tip
To stream music from your smartphone to a Samsung soundbar, buy a model with Bluetooth support. They are perfect for pulling double duty as a TV speaker and a wireless jukebox.
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Samsung soundbar prices

Samsung offers a wide range of price points for their soundbars. You can find models for as low as $100 or as much as $1,500.

Low-end

Offerings between $100 and $249 typically support 2.1 or 3.0 audio and have limited connectivity. If you want something for a dorm room, look no further.

Mid-range

You’ll find Samsung’s best values in the mid-range, between $250 and $799. Here, you’ll see wireless subwoofers and support for 5.1 surround sound. On the high end, expect perks like WiFi audio streaming or support for high-resolution audio formats. On the low end, options still offer an impressive sound experience while skimping on some luxuries. In the middle, a choice of note is the Samsung HW-Q70T with DTS:X and Dolby Atmos.

High-end

For the cream of the crop, expect to pay between $800 and $1,500. These soundbars include the kitchen and then some: satellite rear speakers, support for high-end formats like Dolby Atmos, and enough power to shake your living room. Samsung released its Q series for 2021, and we’re enamored with the outrageous quality of the HW-Q950A. (If you want to spend a little less on a Q series, check out  HW-Q900T.)

If you are interested in creating the effect of surround sound in your living room, consider connecting some wireless speakers to your Samsung soundbar.

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Tips

  • Consider a bundle. If you also need, say, a wireless rear speaker, look for a deal that combines it with a soundbar. We like this combination offer of Samsung’s HS-A550 and wireless rear speaker kit.
  • Q series soundbars with Q-Symphony technology pair well with QLED TVs. Q-Symphony creates “spatial audio” that makes you feel as if your living room is a concert hall. If you are also in the market for a QLED TV as well, we invite you to check out our review of them. One of our favorites is Samsung’s UHD Frame TV.
  • Remember other great brands. If you don’t find what you are looking for here, don’t forget brands like Bose, Sony, and Sonos that also put out great soundbars. Two of our favorites are the Sony X900F with Dolby Atmos and the Bose 3.1 Home Theater Set bundle that includes a speaker system and, of course, an impeccable soundbar with Dolby Audio.
Samsung soundbar under a TV mounted on the wall
Some soundbars are heavy. If you plan on mounting yours, make sure to secure it in wall studs.

FAQ

Q. What happens if I try to play a movie audio format my Samsung soundbar doesn’t support?

A. Most TV and movie audio formats are backward compatible to work with older soundbars. If you try to play a movie or TV show with an unsupported soundtrack on a Samsung soundbar, it will default to the compatibility track and play that.

Q. How do soundbars simulate surround effects without rear speakers?

A. In addition to front-facing speakers, some have speakers that fire up at an angle. Upfiring speakers “bounce” sound off the walls, floor, and ceiling, creating the effect that sound is coming from various angles. The quality of simulated surround varies by soundbar and room acoustics.

Q. Can I listen to music on a Samsung soundbar?

A. Absolutely. All Samsung soundbars can connect to an audio source and play back music. Many with multiple speakers let you play your tunes in surround mode, where the audio is processed across multiple channels.

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