Samsung's HW-Q990H soundbar system costs $1,999.99, the same price as last year's HW-Q990F, and PCMag's reviewer has named it the publication's new Editors' Choice, calling it the best-sounding soundbar system available right now.
The design barely changes from the Q990F. The soundbar, subwoofer and two rear satellites all come in a Titan Black finish with metal grilles, and PCMag's reviewer found build quality solid across all four pieces. The bar itself measures 2.8 by 48.5 by 5.4 inches and weighs 16 pounds, built for a 65-inch TV or larger. That's bigger on two dimensions than the Sonos Arc Ultra, which measures 2.95 by 46.38 by 4.35 inches, so PCMag's review warns buyers to check their TV stand has room before ordering.
The system runs an 11.1.4-channel layout across 23 drivers, 15 of them packed into the bar itself, including center, left and right tweeters plus up-firing and side-firing units. Each of the two satellites carries three drivers covering rear, height and side channels, and because each satellite only has one side channel, they're not interchangeable, left and right are labeled on the back. The Q990F matched this 11.1.4 configuration too, while the Arc Ultra runs a 9.1.4 setup.
On connections, the HW-Q990H has one HDMI eARC output plus two HDMI 2.1 pass-through inputs supporting 4K at 120Hz, VRR and ALLM, along with an optical input. PCMag's reviewer pointed out that's an edge over the Arc Ultra, which offers only a single HDMI eARC port. Format support covers Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X, FLAC and ALAC, and the bar also handles Samsung's own Eclipsa Audio format, though PCMag notes compatible content is still scarce outside some YouTube uploads.
Wireless options run deep too: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon, the last a rare inclusion among soundbars aimed at anyone with a serious local music collection. The bar doubles as a SmartThings hub and a Matter controller, with Zigbee and Thread support built in.
Setup, according to PCMag's review, took about fifteen minutes from unboxing to a playing movie, with the soundbar, subwoofer and satellites pairing automatically once connected to power. Owners can manage the system through either the Samsung SmartThings app or the separate Samsung Sound app, both of which PCMag's reviewer found handle firmware updates and EQ tweaks equally well. Voice control runs through Alexa or Samsung's own Bixby.
One feature, Q-Symphony, only activates with a Samsung TV, turning the TV's built-in speakers into extra center channels instead of muting them, a feature PCMag evaluated on last year's Q990F and found effective. The room-tuning tool, SpaceFit Sound Pro, is available regardless of TV brand.
The HW-Q990H is Samsung's flagship soundbar entry for the current lineup, and PCMag's review frames the price tag, unchanged at $1,999.99, as the only real catch against an otherwise expanded feature set.
GDFiled by The Gadgets Desk
Audio, wearables, cameras, tablets, chargers and every other device worth carrying or plugging in.
More from this desk →
Be the first to comment
Join the argument. No password, just your email or a passkey.