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With a remarkably immersive Dolby Atmos 5.1 surround soundstage, the Samsung HW-Q80R ranks among the best soundbars for movies, music, and TV shows. It has smart features and boasts incredible audio enhancement, making it a great all-around option.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is the company’s premium 2019-model soundbar that boasts a 5.1.2 channel configuration built with home-theater-level movie enthusiasts in mind.
This system supports Dolby Atmos and has a great surround soundstage, ranking highly among the best-rated speakers today. It comes with a dedicated subwoofer and produces extraordinarily deep bass that will please movie and music devotees.
Users can stream audio via both Bluetooth or Wi-Fi with this soundbar, and it has two full HDMI inputs in addition to a shared HDMI ARC+Out and optical ports.
Music lovers can customize graphic equalizer and presets via the Samsung SmartThings app, and you can connect it to third-party voice assistants for effortless voice control.
The only flaw with this soundbar is that the audio latency is a bit high, and sensitive ears can notice a slight lag between the audio and video feeds.
Continue reading to learn more about the Samsung HW-Q80R, and be sure to check out our list of the highest-rated soundbars in the industry today.
Best For
Large Rooms
Consensus
our Verdict
Top experts love the surround sound performance and the Dolby Atmos performance of the Samsung HW-Q80R, endorsing it for movies, music, and TV shows.
Editors from Forbes were delighted by its flawless audio profile that produces movie-ready extended low bass. Reviewers from Forbes love its surround sound performance, praising its side-firing and up-firing configuration that give a realistic 3D soundstage.
This system has a a graphic equalizer and presets, so users can adjust the audio profile as needed. The sound system can get really loud, rivaling some large party speakers.
It has an excellent set of wired connectivity options and it also connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Through the mobile app, this system supports hassle-free remote control, and it supports third-party voice assistants too.
This soundbar is excellent for mixed usage (movies, music, and TV shows) thanks to its superbly neutral sound profile.
Excellent voice clarity
Accurate mids and a dedicated center channel ensure superior dialogue clarity and detail.
Satisfying bass response
The bass is satisfying for action movies, music, and video games because it has a well-extended range. And if it feels excessive, you can reduce it with the bass adjustment feature.
Great connectivity options and smart features
The soundbar has great connectivity options, including 2 x Full HDMI In and 1 x HDMI eARC. You won’t face audio lag because latency over Optical (67 ms) is good. But latency over eARC (85 ms) and Full HDMI In (89 ms) is among the highest tested and can result in audio lag. Your smartphone can control the bar with Samsung’s SmartThings app (Android and iOS). But if you need a model with a built-in Chromecast, see our Harman Kardon Enchant 1300 review
Satisfactory Atmos
The Atmos performance is satisfactory but feels slightly diffused, and the stereo soundstage is wide and immersive with precise sound placement.
Reason to Avoid
Poor surround performance
The surround performance is weak despite this being a 5.1.2 setup. The soundbar uses side-firing speakers to create a wider soundstage, but the sounds ricocheting off walls can lead to an inaccurate audio experience.
Limited app control and no voice assistants
Since you can’t switch sound profiles with the app, it is not an effective replacement for your remote. You also won’t get hands-free control because there are no voice assistants built into the soundbar. Check out our Apple HomePod mini review if you prefer a smart speaker.
Samsung HW Q80R Specs
Bluetooth Enabled
Yes
Depth
5.6"
Dialogue Enhancement Feature
na
Energy Star Certified
Yes
Equalizer Settings
Advanced
HDMI ARC
Yes
Height
3.3"
Number of Audio Channels
5.1.2
Subwoofer
Yes
Surround Sound Supported
Dolby Atmos, DTS Digital Surround, DTS:X
Voice Assistant
Amazon Alexa
Wall Mountable
Yes
Weight
18.7 lbs
Width
48.2"
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity
Yes
Works With
Amazon Alexa, Bixby
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Soundbars based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
Low End Roll Off (Hz)
35.125
High End Roll Off (Hz)
2,416.32
Max Volume Test (db)
100.4
Latency (ms)
85
THD @ 80dB
0.16
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The Samsung HW-Q80R is the company’s premium 2019-model soundbar that boasts a 5.1.2 channel configuration built with home-theater-level movie enthusiasts in mind.
This system supports Dolby…
The Samsung HW-Q80R is the company’s premium 2019-model soundbar that boasts a 5.1.2 channel configuration built with home-theater-level movie enthusiasts in mind.
This system supports Dolby Atmos and has a great surround soundstage, ranking highly among the best-rated speakers today. It comes with a dedicated subwoofer and produces extraordinarily deep bass that will please movie and music devotees.
Users can stream audio via both Bluetooth or Wi-Fi with this soundbar, and it has two full HDMI inputs in addition to a shared HDMI ARC+Out and optical ports.
Music lovers can customize graphic equalizer and presets via the Samsung SmartThings app, and you can connect it to third-party voice assistants for effortless voice control.
The only flaw with this soundbar is that the audio latency is a bit high, and sensitive ears can notice a slight lag between the audio and video feeds.
Continue reading to learn more about the Samsung HW-Q80R, and be sure to check out our list of the highest-rated soundbars in the industry today.
With a 5.1.2 set up the Samsung HW-Q80R provides a much wider Dolby and surround Soundstage and delivers a more immersive experience than the 3.1.2…
With a 5.1.2 set up the Samsung HW-Q80R provides a much wider Dolby and surround Soundstage and delivers a more immersive experience than the 3.1.2 channel Samsung HW-Q70T. It has a 100.4 dB maximum SPL, getting much louder than the 95.3 dB maximum SPL of the Samsung HW-Q70T. However, if you prefer the more affordable 3.1.2 soundbar, you may want to check out our Samsung HW-Q70T review today.
While both the Samsung HW-Q600A and the Samsung HW-Q80R are versatile soundbars, the Samsung HW-Q80R has an edge with movie content, thanks to a 5.1.2…
While both the Samsung HW-Q600A and the Samsung HW-Q80R are versatile soundbars, the Samsung HW-Q80R has an edge with movie content, thanks to a 5.1.2 configuration, delivering a more immersive 3D surround soundstage than the 3.1.2 HQ-Q600A. It also supports Wi-Fi, unlike the Samsung HW-Q600 A, which only streams through Bluetooth. However, if you need to learn more about the more affordable soundbar, see our Samsung HW-Q600A review today.
Thanks to the included satellite speakers, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 provides a much wider surround Atmos soundstage than the Samsung HW-Q80R, which lacks satellites….
Thanks to the included satellite speakers, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 provides a much wider surround Atmos soundstage than the Samsung HW-Q80R, which lacks satellites. The Bose Smart Soundbar 900. On the other hand, the Samsung speaker has full HDMI inputs and supports DTS content, unlike the Bose system.
