Audio & Home

Samsung Soundbars: Q Adds Height, B Lists No Atmos

From Samsung’s US spec pages, read 22 Oct: channels, up-firing drivers, what’s in the box and list price for 13 Q, S and B bars.

Samsung’s soundbar series, step by step, from Samsung US product pages read 22 October 2026; prices are Samsung list prices. B-Series: 2.0 to 5.1 channels, a subwoofer in the box on 3 of 4 models, no Dolby Atmos on the spec sheets, no Wi-Fi, $139.99 to $499.99. S-Series: 3.0 to 5.0 channels, and the S800D at 3.1.2; Atmos on the S800D and S60D; up-firing on the S800D; $279.99 to $999.99. Q-Series: 3.1.2 to 11.1.4 channels, up-firing on all 6 we read, rear speakers in the box on the Q990H and Q990F, $699.99 to $1,999.99. Up-firing drivers: every Q-Series bar we read, plus the S800D.
Illustration: bitcritiq
Reading mode

If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. It never affects our verdicts or scores — how that works. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Samsung’s US soundbars step up in three series: the B-Series is a bar and subwoofer with no Dolby Atmos on its spec sheets, the S-Series is a single slim or all-in-one bar, and the Q-Series is where up-firing speakers appear on every model we read. Rear speakers come in the box on the 11.1.4-channel Q990H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab), and Samsung’s listing names them for the Q990F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) too.

Samsung’s store mixes 2024, 2025 and 2026 models across the three, so the year in the listing matters as much as the series letter. The B-Series lists no Atmos, and the 2026 Q-Series pages list no DTS format at all.

The series side by side

From Samsung’s US spec tables, read 22 October 2026. “Sub” and “Rears” mean included in the box.

Model (year on listing) Channels Up-firing Sub Rears Dolby Atmos DTS, as listed 4K pass-through
Q990H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) (2026) 11.1.4 Yes Yes Yes Yes None listed 120Hz
Q900H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) (2026) 7.1.2 Yes Yes Page disagrees Yes None listed 120Hz
Q800H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) (2026) 5.1.2 Yes Yes No Yes None listed 60Hz
QS90H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) (2026) 7.1.2 Yes No No Yes None listed 60Hz
QS700F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) (2025) 3.1.2 Yes Yes No Yes Virtual:X mode 60Hz
Q600F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) (2025) 3.1.2 Yes Yes No Yes Virtual:X mode 60Hz
S800D (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) 3.1.2 Yes Page disagrees No Yes DTS 5.1ch, Virtual:X —
S60D (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) 5.0 No row No No Yes DTS 5.1ch, Virtual:X —
S50B 3.0 No row No No Not listed DTS 5.1ch, Virtual:X —
B750F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) (2025) 5.1 No row Yes No Not listed Virtual:X mode No
B630F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) (2025) 3.1 No row Yes No Not listed Virtual:X mode No
B550F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) (2025) 2.1 No row Yes No Not listed Virtual:X mode No
B400F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) (2025) 2.0 No row No No Not listed None listed No

A dash means the sheet has no pass-through row. The S801D and S61D are listed with the S800D’s and S60D’s figures; the S61D is the white version.

List prices on Samsung’s store

Samsung’s list price is the “was” figure beside a sale price, or the only price where no sale showed. Read 22 October 2026.

Model Series List price Samsung sale, 22 Oct
Q990H Q $1,999.99 $1,499.99
Q990F Q $1,999.99 $1,599.99
Q900H Q $1,499.99 $999.99
Q800H Q $1,099.99 $699.99
QS90H Q $999.99 —
QS700F Q $799.99 $599.99
Q600F Q $699.99 —
S800D S $999.99 $649.99
S60D S $399.99 $279.99
S50B S $279.99 —
B750F B $499.99 $299.99
B630F B $329.99 —
B550F B $229.99 —
B400F B $139.99 —

Sale prices cross the series lines: on 22 October the B750F’s sale price sat below the B630F’s list price, and the QS700F’s below the Q600F’s.

B-Series: a bar, a sub, no Wi-Fi

The four B-Series bars run from 2.0 to 5.1 channels. Three of them ship with a wireless subwoofer; the B400F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) instead has what Samsung calls a “built-in woofer”. None lists Atmos: their Dolby rows read Dolby 5.1ch on the B630F and B750F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) and Dolby 2ch on the two cheapest. All four list Bluetooth 4.2 and “Wi-Fi: No”, and none passes 4K video through. The B550F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) and B400F have no center speaker; the B630F and B750F do.

S-Series: one bar, two with Atmos

The S-Series bars ship without a separate box on their spec sheets, with one exception in dispute below. The S800D, which Samsung also files under Ultra Slim, is 3.1.2 with up-firing speakers. The S60D is 5.0 with Wireless Dolby Atmos and side-firing speakers, but no up-firing row. The S50B is 3.0, lists Dolby 5.1ch and no Atmos. All three list the DTS 5.1ch format, which the 2026 Q-Series pages do not. Whether you need a separate sub at all is a question our explainer on soundbar subwoofers answers from the makers’ own figures.

Q-Series: height on every bar we read

All six Q-Series sheets we read list up-firing speakers, so each carries a height number in its channel label; our guide to what 3.1.2 and 5.1.2 mean explains the third digit. Within the 2026 Q-Series, the step up adds speakers, wide-firing drivers and, at the top, rear speakers. The Q800H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) lists 11 speakers and no wide-firing drivers; the Q900H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) 17, with wide-firing; the Q990H 23, with rears in the box.

The QS90H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) is the odd one out: 7.1.2 from 13 speakers in a single bar Samsung calls all-in-one, with no subwoofer in the box. Of the sheets we read, the Q990H and Q900H alone list 4K pass-through at 120Hz, and the Q990H lists two HDMI inputs. The 2025 Q600F (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) is the one Q-Series bar we read that lists “Wireless Dolby ATMOS: No”, and its sheet also says no to Chromecast, AirPlay and Spotify Connect. Whatever bar you pick, the TV end matters: Samsung ships its TVs with eARC switched off, as our eARC explainer sets out.

Samsung also sells the 2025 Q990F, listed with the same channel count and list price as the Q990H; we did not open its page. Outlets’ recommendations split between the two, as our shortlist of the best-reviewed soundbars found.

Where Samsung’s pages disagree

  • Q900H rears. The spec table says “Wireless Rear Speaker Included: yes”. The product title says “7.1.2 ch | Subwoofer”, and the same table lists the SWA-9500S rear kit as compatible.
  • S800D subwoofer. The page title is “Soundbar with Subwoofer” and the sheet gives a 14.1 lb subwoofer weight and “Compatible wireless Subwoofer: inbox”, but its “Wireless Subwoofer Included” row says No.
  • The buying guide’s channel counts. It calls the S800D “3.2.1 Ch” where its product page says 3.1.2, and the S50B “5.0 Ch” where its page says 3.

Ask Samsung what is in the box before you order either of the first two. LG’s range splits differently, by model number rather than series letter; how LG’s soundbars differ sets it out. Sony’s splits by what comes in the box: what separates Sony’s Bravia Theater soundbars. Vizio’s splits by height channels, which only its Elevate bars list: which Vizio soundbar is which.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between Samsung Q-Series and S-Series soundbars?

Height channels and size of system. Every Q-Series bar we read lists up-firing speakers, and most add a wireless sub. The S-Series is single-bar: the S800D is 3.1.2 with up-firing drivers, the S60D is 5.0 with Atmos but no up-firing row, and the S50B is 3.0 without Atmos.

Do Samsung B-Series soundbars have Dolby Atmos?

Not on Samsung’s spec sheets. The B750F and B630F list Dolby 5.1ch, the B550F and B400F Dolby 2ch, and none mentions Atmos. They offer a DTS Virtual:X sound mode instead, apart from the B400F.

Which Samsung soundbars come with rear speakers?

The 11.1.4-channel Q990H and Q990F. The Q900H’s spec table also says rears are included, but its title names only a subwoofer and it lists the SWA-9500S rear kit as compatible, so confirm with Samsung. The Q800H, QS90H and S800D list that kit as an add-on.

Do Samsung soundbars support DTS:X?

None of the 13 spec sheets we read lists DTS:X. The S800D, S60D and S50B list DTS 5.1ch, several bars offer a DTS Virtual:X sound mode, and the 2026 Q990H, Q900H, Q800H and QS90H pages mention no DTS format at all.

Which Samsung soundbar has no subwoofer?

On Samsung’s spec sheets: the QS90H, S60D, S50B and B400F. Samsung says the B400F has a built-in woofer, and the S50B lists the SWA-W510 as a compatible add-on sub. The S800D’s page contradicts itself on whether a sub is in the box.

What is the difference between the Samsung Q800H and Q900H?

The Q900H lists 7.1.2 channels from 17 speakers, adds front wide-firing drivers and passes 4K at 120Hz. The Q800H lists 5.1.2 from 11 speakers, no wide-firing drivers, and 4K at 60Hz. Both include a wireless subwoofer and up-firing speakers.

How we researched this

No one at bitcritiq has handled this product. Everything here comes from published sources, listed below.

What this cannot tell you
We read one listing and the spec table of each model, not Samsung’s manuals, so a feature a sheet leaves out may still exist. Samsung’s pages disagree with each other in four places, set out in the article; where they do, we quote both. We did not open the HW-Q990F’s page, so how it differs from the HW-Q990H is not covered here. Samsung’s store showed sale prices on 8 of the 14 bars, and those move weekly before Black Friday. We have not used any of these soundbars; nothing here is a review, a ranking or a score.
How we chose this, and what we did
Why this subject
Search Console shows bitcritiq’s best-soundbars page drawing searches for “best soundbar for music”, “best soundbar” and “best sounding soundbars” at around position 85, and Black Friday falls on 27 November. Our soundbar posts set out Sonos’s range, explain Atmos channel labels and subwoofers, and shortlist outlets’ picks, but none lays out Samsung’s own series, which Samsung’s store mixes across 2024, 2025 and 2026 models.
How we looked at it
Read Samsung’s US All Sound Devices listing (22 results, prices and series filters), its Soundbar Buying Guide with the series and TV-pairing tables, and 13 Samsung US product pages on 22 October 2026: HW-Q990H, HW-Q900H, HW-Q800H, HW-QS90H, HW-QS700F, HW-Q600F, HW-S800D, HW-S60D, HW-S50B, HW-B750F, HW-B630F, HW-B550F and HW-B400F. Specs come from each page’s spec table; list prices are the “was” figure beside the sale price, or the single price where no sale showed. The HW-Q990F, HW-S801D and HW-S61D appear only as the listing describes them. The DTS checks searched each page’s full text for “DTS”: the Q990H (textContent), Q900H, Q800H and QS90H returned none, against the control that each sheet has a “Dolby” row listing Atmos and Dolby TrueHD. The B-Series Atmos absence rests on each sheet’s Dolby row, which reads “Dolby 5.1ch” or “Dolby 2ch”; the B750F and B630F pages had no “Atmos” anywhere in their text.

What this rests on

6 claims, all official. Nothing here was measured by bitcritiq — see how we test for why. Open a claim to read the source it came from.

  • Every Q-Series spec sheet we read lists an up-firing speaker; none of the four B-Series sheets lists Dolby Atmos.Official

    HW-Q990H, Q900H, Q800H, QS90H, QS700F and Q600F: “Up-firing Speaker: Yes”. HW-B750F and B630F: “Dolby: Dolby 5.1ch”; HW-B550F and B400F: “Dolby: Dolby 2ch”.

  • Rear speakers are in the box on the 11.1.4-channel bars; the Q800H, QS90H and S800D list Samsung’s SWA-9500S rear kit as compatible instead.Official

    HW-Q990H: “Wireless Rear Speaker Included: Yes”; listing: “HW-Q990F 11.1.4 ch Subwoofer & Rear Speak…”. HW-Q800H and HW-QS90H: “Wireless Rear Speaker Included: No… Wireless Rear Surround Speaker Ready (Compatible): SWA-9500S”; HW-S800D: “Compatible Rear Speaker: SWA-9500S”.

  • The Q900H’s spec table says rear speakers are included, while its product title names only a subwoofer and the same table lists the SWA-9500S rear kit as compatible.Official

    Samsung US HW-Q900H: listing and page title “7.1.2 ch | Subwoofer | (2026)”; spec table “Wireless Rear Speaker Included: yes… Wireless Rear Surround Speaker Ready (Compatible): SWA-9500S”.

  • The S800D’s page calls it a soundbar with subwoofer and lists a subwoofer weight, while its spec row says no wireless subwoofer is included.Official

    Samsung US HW-S800D: page title “S-Series 3.1.2 Soundbar with Subwoofer HW-S800D”; spec table “Wireless Subwoofer Included: No… Compatible wireless Subwoofer: inbox… Subwoofer Weight (lbs): 14.1”.

  • The 2026 Q990H, Q900H, Q800H and QS90H pages list no DTS format; the older and cheaper bars list DTS 5.1ch or the DTS Virtual:X sound mode.Official

    No “DTS” in the page text of HW-Q990H, Q900H, Q800H or QS90H; each lists “Dolby: ATMOS Music, ATMOS, Dolby 5.1ch, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD”. HW-S800D, S60D, S50B: “DTS: DTS 5.1ch”; QS700F, Q600F and B750F sound modes include “DTS Virtual:X”.

  • Of the sheets we read, the Q990H and Q900H alone list 4K 120Hz video pass-through; the other Q-Series sheets list 60Hz, and the B-Series sheets list none.Official

    HW-Q990H and Q900H: “4K Video Pass: 120 Hz”. HW-Q800H, QS90H, QS700F, Q600F: “4K Video Pass: 60 Hz”. HW-B750F, B630F, B550F, B400F: “4K Video Pass: No”.

Sources 15

  1. All Sound Devices — Samsung US (listing)Officialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  2. Soundbar Buying Guide — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  3. Q-Series Soundbar HW-Q990H — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  4. Q-Series Soundbar HW-Q900H — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
Show 11 more · 11 official or standards
  1. Q-Series Soundbar HW-Q800H — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  2. Q-Series Soundbar HW-QS90H — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  3. Q-Series Soundbar HW-QS700F — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  4. Q-Series Soundbar HW-Q600F — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  5. S-Series Soundbar HW-S800D — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  6. S-Series Soundbar HW-S60D — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  7. S-Series Soundbar HW-S50B — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  8. B-Series Soundbar HW-B750F — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  9. B-Series Soundbar HW-B630F — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  10. B-Series Soundbar HW-B550F — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026
  11. B-Series Soundbar HW-B400F — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 22, 2026

Pass it on

Know someone weighing this up? Send them the answer.

bitcritiq.com/mg9f

The link is permanent: it opens this article for good, even if the title changes.

read next

HDMI-CEC: what your TV calls it, from each maker’s support pages, read 12 November 2026. Turn it on at both ends. On the TV: Samsung, Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC). LG, Simplink (HDMI-CEC). Sony, BRAVIA Sync control. Vizio, CEC. Roku TV, Control other devices (CEC). TCL Google TV, HDMI CEC. On the source: PS5, Enable HDMI Device Link. Xbox Series X|S, HDMI-CEC. Apple TV 4K, Home Theater Control. Switch 2, Match TV Power State. Separate power-on switches: Xbox, Sony and TCL Google TV. Turning it off stops a device waking the TV, and the one-remote control with it.
Audio & Home · Guide

To Use One TV Remote, Turn On HDMI-CEC at Both Ends

Samsung calls it Anynet+, LG Simplink, Sony BRAVIA Sync, Vizio CEC. Consoles, Apple TV and Switch 2 have their own switch.

7 TV makers say some of their sets take AirPlay, with no Apple TV box needed, from each maker’s support pages read 12 November 2026. Samsung: 2018 to 2025 models, Settings, then Connection or General, then Apple AirPlay Settings. LG: 2018 to 2024 models, Input, Home Dashboard, AirPlay. Sony: models named but no years, no switch named, Input then the AirPlay menu. Vizio: years not stated, SmartCast Home, Extras, Smart Home Settings. Roku: model numbers but no years, Settings, Apple AirPlay and HomeKit. TCL: years not stated, System, AirPlay and HomeKit Settings. Hisense: years not stated, Settings on Google TV, Roku OS on Roku TV. On the iPhone, open Control Center and tap Screen Mirroring, or use the AirPlay button in an app; phone and TV must be on the same Wi‑Fi network, per Apple Support.
Audio & Home · Guide

7 TV Makers Build AirPlay Into Some Sets, No Apple TV Needed

Samsung lists 2018–2025 sets and LG 2018–2024. Switch AirPlay on in the TV’s settings, then use Screen Mirroring in Control Center.

Where the motion smoothing setting lives, from each TV maker’s own support pages, read 11 November 2026. Samsung: Auto Motion Plus, also called Picture Clarity, set to Off. LG: TruMotion, set to Off. Sony: Motionflow, Mode, Off. Roku TV: Action Smoothing, Off or Low. TCL Google TV: Motion Clarity. Hisense: Motion Enhancement. Filmmaker Mode, by the UHD Alliance’s specification, turns motion smoothing off.
Audio & Home · Guide

Soap Opera Effect: Set the TV’s Motion Setting to Off

Samsung calls it Auto Motion Plus, LG TruMotion, Sony Motionflow, Roku Action Smoothing. Filmmaker Mode switches it off where offered.

On 4 of 5 TV platforms, antenna and HDMI need no account, from each platform’s own support pages, read 11 November 2026. Google TV: skip the account and internet at setup; antenna, inputs and some built-in apps still work. Roku TV: skip both on some models; antenna, cable box and HDMI work, no apps. Samsung: skip the Samsung Account; antenna and HDMI work, per Samsung’s New Zealand page. Vizio: skip the Walmart sign-in; HDMI and antenna work, no apps or updates. LG: apps need an LG login; what works without it is not stated in LG’s guide. Without internet, Google TV gets no security updates. Fire TV sets are not included: Amazon’s setup help is on a site we do not use.
Audio & Home · Guide

4 of 5 TV Platforms: Antenna and HDMI Work Without Sign-In

Google TV’s basic mode needs no account or internet. Vizio and Samsung let you skip signing in; on Roku it depends on the model.

Specifications