Samsung HW A450 Review
True Score
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Consumers
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With a remarkably neutral sound profile, the Samsung HW-A450 is great for music and TV shows, and it’s also okay for movies. However, the lack of a dedicated center channel and poor surround sound limits its performance with movies.
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our Verdict
Reviewers were delighted with the balanced sound profile of the Samsung HW-A450, approving it for music, TV dialogue, and basic movie watching. Experts from Which? were delighted by its natural sounding profile, which is great for all music genres.
Editors from Consumer Reports praise its built-in graphic EQ and presets, which enable fine-tuning the sound profile as needed. That said, the speaker doesn’t produce that extended low bass that adds the wow factor to action movies, although it has a dedicated subwoofer.
It gets remarkably loud, producing deep room-filling audio. Connectivity options are limited to optical and USB, and the system can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth only.
It has very low latency, so the audio and video feeds during dialogue sync perfectly. However, reviewers has bemoaned the lack of smart features like a mobile app and a built-in voice assistant.
This system downmixes surround sound to stereo and doesn’t support Dolby Atmos, so it’s not the best choice for movies.
See our Roku Streambar review for a unit that supports Wi-Fi and Airplay.
Reasons to Buy
- Excellent neutral profile is good for music and podcasts
- Speaker gets remarkably loud, making it a good option for small parties.
- Graphic equalizer and presets enable simple customization
- Equipped with a USB port
Reasons to Avoid
- Doesn't support surround sound or Dolby Atmos, so it's not very immersive during movies
- Lacks HDMI ports, limiting connectivity options
- Doesn't have Wi-Fi, Chromecast, or Airplay.
- Poor extended low bass
Specifications
- Bluetooth Enabled–
- Depth–
- Dialogue Enhancement Feature–
- Energy Star CertifiedYes
- HDMI ARC–
- Height–
- Subwoofer–
- Surround Sound Supported–
- Wall Mountable–
- Weight23.2 pounds
- Width–
- Wireless ConnectivityWireless
- Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity–
- Works With–
Overview
The Samsung HW-A450 is an entry-level 2.1-channel soundbar released back in 2021, promising immersive sounds for televisions. This system comes with a dedicated subwoofer, although the bass is not deep enough for electronic music and movies.
You can find more feature-rich devices on our list of the finest speakers today. Equipped with Samsung signature features like a graphic EQ and presets, this device is easy to customize, and it’s good for music, thanks to a neutral-sounding sound profile.
It has only optical and USB ports, so it’s not as equipped as other systems with HDMI ports. However, this system gets remarkably loud, failing larger rooms.
Movie enthusiasts will be disappointed that it doesn’t support Dolby Atmos and has mediocre surround soundstage performance. This speaker connects wirelessly only through Bluetooth and lacks advanced features like a mobile app and a built-in voice assistant.
Continue reading our Samsung HW-A450 review and check out our list of the best 10 soundbars on the market today.
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Product Comparison
 |  |  | ||
| True Score | 73 | 75 | 75 | |
| Market Context | – | Featuring a full HDMI input and an HDMI ARC connector, the Samsung HW-A550 is more versatile than the Samsung HW-A450, which doesn’t have these ports. The HW-A550 also supports virtual surround sound, providing a more immersive experience than the Samsung HW-A450 which lacks this feature. Check out our Samsung A-550 Soundbar review to learn more. | Although the Samsung HW B-450 is the successor to the Samsung HW-A450, the Samsung HW-A450 is better in most departments. Unlike the newer Samsung HW-B450, the Samsung HW-A450 has a graphic EQ and a more neutral out-of-the-box sound profile. If you need a soundbar for TV, check out the best soundbar for Samsung TV in our detailed article. | Featuring a 3.1 setup, the Polk Audio SIGNA S4 provides a more immersive three-dimensional soundstage than the Samsung HW-A450, which has a 2.1 setup. It also supports Dolby Atmos, unlike the Samsung device. However, the Samsung soundbar has a much lower 34 ms ARC latency compared to the 84 ms latency of the Polk Audio speaker. Be sure to check out our Polk Audio SIGNA S4 review if you need the SIGNA speaker. |
| Voice Assistant | ||||
| Surround Sound Supported | ||||
| Wireless Connectivity | ||||
| Bluetooth Enabled | ||||
| Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity | ||||
| Dig Deeper | – | Read Review → | Read Review → |
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Score Card
E
Expert Score
*.75
We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores
C
Customer Score
*.25
We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores
True Score
Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews
Expert Score Breakdown
Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight
ATrust Score
70The Samsung HW-A450 is decent for mixed usage. It’s a 2.1 bar, so it’s designed… read more- B
Trust Score
48In our soundbar testing experience, we’ve found that you can give your home theater a… read more - D
Trust Score
NRThe Samsung HW-A450 soundbar sits firmly at the budget end of the price spectrum. But… read more - F
Trust Score
NRThe Samsung HW-A450/ZA is part of the Soundbars test program at Consumer Reports. In our… read more - F
Trust Score
80I am happy with the final result. It is connected to a Samsing 65″ QLED… read more
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