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Research · 5.1.2-channel soundbar

Samsung HW-Q800H: what the testing says

The HW-Q800H is the mid-price bar to beat. RTINGS calls it great for mixed use and excellent for dialogue, credits its sub with deep bass, and it was $697.99 at Amazon.com on October 26. It doesn't play DTS, and without rears it's less immersive for movies than the Q990H.

By The WhichTVShouldIBuy editorsUpdated Released Apr 2026
Samsung HW-Q800H soundbar with its wireless subwoofer, three-quarter view
Image: Samsung (official product page, opens in a new tab)

Our take

The short version

Samsung's 2026 Q800H is a 5.1.2-channel bar with center, side-firing, and up-firing drivers, plus a wireless subwoofer in the box. RTINGS calls it 'great for mixed usage' and 'excellent for dialogue-heavy content', and says the sub gives it 'deep low-frequency extension'.

Where it gives ground is movies. RTINGS rates it good there, not great, because there are no rear speakers and only two up-firing drivers for Atmos height. You can add Samsung's SWA-9500S rear kit later. It also drops DTS support entirely: Samsung doesn't list it, and RTINGS confirms it's gone, so if you play DTS discs, look at the Q990H or a Sony.

The rest is generous for $697.99: an HDMI input with 4K passthrough, eARC, optical, Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Chromecast, and Samsung's room calibration. On a Samsung TV from 2022 or later you also get Q-Symphony and Wireless Dolby Atmos. At 43.7 inches wide it fits under a 55-inch screen.

Pros and cons

What we like

  • RTINGS: great for mixed use, excellent for dialogue
  • Wireless sub in the box with deep bass, per RTINGS
  • HDMI input with 4K passthrough, plus Wi-Fi, AirPlay, and Chromecast
  • Fits under a 55-inch screen

Trade-offs

  • No DTS of any kind
  • No rears in the box; Atmos height is modest, per RTINGS
  • Passthrough tops out at 4K 60Hz

Who it's for

Buy it if…

  • Samsung TV owners who want Q-Symphony without paying for the Q990H
  • Anyone who watches a lot of talk-heavy TV
  • 55- and 65-inch TVs on a stand or wall

Skip it if…

  • DTS disc collectors: it can't play DTS
  • Anyone who wants rears now: the Hisense AX5140Q includes them for less
  • Screens under 55 inches: it's wider than a 48-inch picture

Your TV

TVs it fits and syncs with

At 43.7 in (1,110 mm) wide, the HW-Q800H fits under a 55-inch screen, whose picture is 47.9 inches wide, and anything bigger. It's wider than the picture on a 48-inch screen or smaller. Our rule: a bar fits when it's no wider than the picture, since every TV is a little wider than its picture and the bar then won't overhang it. Check the gap under the screen too: the bar is 2.4 inches (61 mm) tall.

Samsung names these features for Samsung TVs. Any other TV still works with it over HDMI eARC.

  • Samsung TVs: Q-Symphony, Wireless Dolby Atmos, SpaceFit Sound Pro

    Q-Symphony plays the TV's speakers together with the bar, and Wireless Dolby Atmos drops the HDMI cable on select Samsung TVs. SpaceFit Sound Pro tunes the sound to the room with sensors in the bar. Samsung names 2022 or later Samsung TVs. Samsung's page (opens in a new tab)

TVs we cover that it fits under

Sizes are the ones each TV is sold in. A sync feature is listed where Samsung names one for that TV's brand and model year.

Spec sheet

HW-Q800H specs

Samsung HW-Q800H specifications
Channels5.1.2
Drivers11 speakers in the system, including center, side-firing, and up-firing
Audio formatsDolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Atmos Music, Eclipsa Audio; no DTS listed
HDMIeARC to the TV, plus 1 HDMI input
HDMI passthrough4K at 60Hz, HDR10+
Optical1 optical input
WirelessWi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Roon Ready
Voice / micsAlexa built in; works with Google Home
SubwooferWireless subwoofer included
Rear speakersOptional: Samsung SWA-9500S rear kit
Bar dimensions43.7 x 2.4 x 4.7 in (Samsung gives inches only; about 1,110 x 61 mm)
Bar weight11.2 lb (bar)
Room calibrationSpaceFit Sound Pro, with sensors in the bar
Dialogue / night modesActive Voice Amplifier Pro; Voice Enhance; Night mode; Auto Volume; Sound Elevation
Also notableGame Mode Pro

From the manufacturer sources listed below. “Not specified” means those sources don't state it. Model number: HW-Q800H/ZA.

Published testing

What the testing says

Other outlets tested the HW-Q800H; we didn't. Each finding is theirs, with the page and its date.

Cross-shop

Alternatives to consider

  • Samsung HW-Q990H soundbar with its wireless subwoofer and two rear speakers, three-quarter view
    Image: Samsung (official product page, opens in a new tab)

    Samsung HW-Q990H

    Channels
    11.1.4 Atmos
    Approx. price
    ~$1,497.99
    In the box
    Bar, sub, and rears
    Fits under
    65" and up
    TV sync
    Samsung
    Width
    48.5 in

    A full 11.1.4 system in one box: bar, sub, and two rears, with RTINGS' top verdicts for movies and dialogue.

    Pros

    • Pro: Sub and two rears in the box: true 11.1.4 with nothing to add
    • Pro: RTINGS: amazing for mixed use and dialogue, impressive for movies
    • Pro: Two HDMI inputs with 4K 120Hz passthrough

    Trade-offs

    • Trade-off: 48.5 inches wide: fits 65-inch screens and up
    • Trade-off: RTINGS calls it largely unchanged from the Q990F

    Top fit scores

    Movies
    5 out of 5
    Dialogue
    5 out of 5
    Bass
    5 out of 5

    Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published testing and specs, not our own measurements.

    Check price

    Affiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.

    Read the breakdown: Samsung HW-Q990H
  • Hisense AX5140Q soundbar with its wireless subwoofer and two rear speakers, three-quarter view
    Image: Hisense (official product page, opens in a new tab)

    Hisense AX5140Q

    Channels
    5.1.4 Atmos
    Approx. price
    ~$399.99
    In the box
    Bar, sub, and rears
    Fits under
    48" and up
    TV sync
    Hisense, Roku
    Width
    40.1 in

    A 5.1.4 system with sub and up-firing rears for $400; RTINGS' best budget soundbar.

    Pros

    • Pro: Sub and two up-firing rears in the box for $399.99
    • Pro: RTINGS: great for mixed use, dialogue, and movies; its best budget soundbar
    • Pro: Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, with an HDMI input

    Trade-offs

    • Trade-off: No Wi-Fi: Bluetooth only
    • Trade-off: Passthrough tops out at 4K 60Hz

    Top fit scores

    Movies
    4 out of 5
    Dialogue
    4 out of 5
    Bass
    4 out of 5

    Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published testing and specs, not our own measurements.

    Check price

    Affiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.

    Read the breakdown: Hisense AX5140Q
  • LG Sound Suite H7 soundbar, front view from slightly above
    Image: LG (official product page, opens in a new tab)

    LG Sound Suite H7

    Channels
    5.1.3 Atmos
    Approx. price
    ~$849.99
    In the box
    Bar only
    Fits under
    55" and up
    TV sync
    LG
    Width
    47.2 in

    LG's 2026 standalone bar: very good for music and great for dialogue, with LG speakers you can add later.

    Pros

    • Pro: RTINGS: great for dialogue, very good for music
    • Pro: Strong bass for a bar with no sub
    • Pro: Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify and Tidal Connect

    Trade-offs

    • Trade-off: No sub in the box; the W7 is $599.99
    • Trade-off: No HDMI input; latency a bit high, per RTINGS

    Top fit scores

    Dialogue
    4 out of 5
    Music
    4 out of 5
    Movies
    3 out of 5

    Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published testing and specs, not our own measurements.

    Check price

    Affiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.

    Read the breakdown: LG Sound Suite H7

Sources

Manufacturer specs

Published testing

Manufacturer specs and published testing, researched October 26, 2026. The Amazon price is the buy-box price for a new unit that day ($697.99, sold by Amazon.com). We didn't test this soundbar ourselves; findings credited to an outlet are that outlet's.