10

Samsung HW-Q950T Review

Nathan Rizzuti Avatar
Updated Dec 20, 2023 11:30 AM

True Score

85
87
7

Experts

89
264

Consumers

Product Awards

Top 10

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

The Samsung HW-Q950T offers impressive sound quality and immersive features, making it a worthy upgrade for those seeking enhanced audio. However, the product has a few connectivity and control-related hiccups that might require some patience to manage.

Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The Samsung HW-Q950T is a high-end 2020 model 9.1.4 channel soundbar that delivers an exceptionally broad soundstage with Dolby Atmos for both home theaters and living room setups.

Just like the highest-rated speakers on the market, it boasts a dedicated center channel speaker that offers exceptional vocals. And it touts a dedicated wireless subwoofer for thumping bass, similar to some of the highest-ranked soundbars out today.

In terms of wireless connectivity, this soundbar offers Bluetooth and Wi-Fi but lacks Chromecast or Apple AirPlay for easy audio streaming from Android and iOS.

If you need Apple AirPlay 2.0, make sure to visit our Samsung HW-Q990B review. And in terms of wired connectivity, this model touts two full-speed HDMI passthrough ports to double as an HDMI hub and an optical audio jack, and the wired audio latency is okay for the most part.

Rankings (recommended in)

Best For

  • Dialogue

  • Large Rooms

Consensus

our Verdict

The Samsung HW-Q950T has low latency, tested for 46 ms, and many wireless playback options, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatibility, but it lacks support for Apple AirPlay and experiences occasional connectivity issues with wireless speakers, where the subwoofer and surround speakers lose connection, requiring a manual reset.

It boasts a balanced and neutral sound profile, suitable for movies, TV shows, and music. The soundstage is wide and accurate, though not artificially expanded, and Atmos support enhances the movie-watching experience.

However, the lack of room correction and auto-volume/night mode is another downside.

Build-wise, the subwoofer feels sturdy with its wooden construction, and the main unit and satellites are made mostly of plastic and fabric. The soundbar’s remote control has many functions that would benefit from a more intuitive design.

ReasonS to Buy

  • Balanced and neutral sound profile
    • Whether it’s music, movies, or TV, the soundbar’s neutral profile and loud sound excel for mixed content. To level up sound quality for high-def content, the bar supports Dolby Atmos, comes with a graphic EQ, and presets for customization.

  • Balanced and neutral sound profile
    • Whether it’s music, movies, or TV, the soundbar’s neutral profile and loud sound excel for mixed content. To level up sound quality for high-def content, the bar supports Dolby Atmos, comes with a graphic EQ, and presets for customization.

  • High-quality surround sound
    • The bar delivers great surround sound, as it has two discrete speakers and an impressive frequency response that’s accurate and neutral. This means no frequency overpowers the other, making it great for a range of content.

  • Impressive vocal clarity
    • The soundbar features a strong center channel and a dialogue enhancement feature for clear vocal content, whether it be TV shows, streaming podcasts, or audiobooks.

  • Accurate and deep bass
    • The bass booms and provides a deep rumble for action scenes, even at loud volumes.

  • “Robust smart features and wireless connectivity “
    • Samsung offers users the ability to connect the soundbar to the SmartThings App, where users can control sound levels and EQ. It also has a wide range of wireless connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Spotify, and Apple.

Reason to Avoid

  • Latency issues
    • Unfortunately, the soundbar experiences some audio/visual lag, given its tested latency of 46 ms. Its latency sits slightly below average for the category and is noticeable during scenes with quick dialogue.

  • poor display design
    • The small display sits on the bar, meaning users can only view the screen by standing over it to check volume levels and settings.

Samsung HW-Q950T Specs

Bluetooth EnabledBluetooth EnabledYes
DepthDepth5.4"
Dialogue Enhancement FeatureDialogue Enhancement FeatureYes
Energy Star CertifiedEnergy Star CertifiedYes
Equalizer SettingsAdvanced
HDMI ARCHDMI ARCYes
HeightHeight2.7"
Number of Audio ChannelsNumber of Audio Channels9.1.4
SubwooferSubwooferIncluded
Surround Sound SupportedSurround Sound SupportedDolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS Digital Surround, DTS:X
Voice AssistantVoice AssistantAmazon Alexa
Wall MountableWall MountableYes
WeightWeight46.5 lbs
WidthWidth48"
Wireless ConnectivityWireless ConnectivityBluetooth
Wireless Subwoofer ConnectivityWireless Subwoofer ConnectivityYes
Works WithWorks WithAmazon Alexa, Remote Control, SmartThings

All Specs

Test Results

Low End Roll Off (Hz)34.621
High End Roll Off (Hz)13,867.577
Max Volume Test (db)101.1
Latency (ms)46
THD @ 80dB0.18

Like what you’re reading? Get trustworthy, transparent product reviews and the latest tech news delivered to your inbox every morning.

[convertkit form=7210482]

Product Comparison

Samsung HW-Q950T Review

True Score

85
88
86
79

Ranking

#

10

/

149

#

1

/

149

#

6

/

149

#

77

/

149

Market Context

The Samsung HW-Q950T is a high-end 2020 model 9.1.4 channel soundbar that delivers an exceptionally broad soundstage with Dolby Atmos for both home theaters and…

The Samsung HW-Q950T is a high-end 2020 model 9.1.4 channel soundbar that delivers an exceptionally broad soundstage with Dolby Atmos for both home theaters and living room setups.

Just like the highest-rated speakers on the market, it boasts a dedicated center channel speaker that offers exceptional vocals. And it touts a dedicated wireless subwoofer for thumping bass, similar to some of the highest-ranked soundbars out today.

In terms of wireless connectivity, this soundbar offers Bluetooth and Wi-Fi but lacks Chromecast or Apple AirPlay for easy audio streaming from Android and iOS.

If you need Apple AirPlay 2.0, make sure to visit our Samsung HW-Q990B review. And in terms of wired connectivity, this model touts two full-speed HDMI passthrough ports to double as an HDMI hub and an optical audio jack, and the wired audio latency is okay for the most part.

The Samsung HW-Q950A soundbar is essentially a newer revision of the Samsung HW-Q950T, and it sports a much more comprehensive 11.1.4 channel speaker setup to…

The Samsung HW-Q950A soundbar is essentially a newer revision of the Samsung HW-Q950T, and it sports a much more comprehensive 11.1.4 channel speaker setup to deliver a more expansive soundstage with better Dolby Atmos performance. The HW-Q950A also boasts many sound enhancement features (e.g., room calibration, auto volume, etc.), which the HW-Q950T soundbar lacks. To learn more about the revised model, check out our Samsung HW-Q950A review today.

Thanks to its much broader 9.1.4 channel speaker setup, the Samsung HW-Q950T soundbar delivers a much wider soundstage and Dolby Atmos performance than the Sonos…

Thanks to its much broader 9.1.4 channel speaker setup, the Samsung HW-Q950T soundbar delivers a much wider soundstage and Dolby Atmos performance than the Sonos Arc. The former model also has a much more approachable GUI (Graphic User Interface) based EQ menu that is easy to navigate, unlike the Sonos Arc soundbar.

Despite featuring a meager 5.1.4 channel speaker setup, the JBL Bar 9.1 delivers much better immersiveness, balanced and neutral audio, and a better stereo soundstage…

Despite featuring a meager 5.1.4 channel speaker setup, the JBL Bar 9.1 delivers much better immersiveness, balanced and neutral audio, and a better stereo soundstage than the Samsung HW-Q950T, thanks to its much tighter frequency response slope. The JBL soundbar also features a much better build quality than the Samsung model and has a built-in Chromecast module and Apple AirPlay.

Bluetooth Enabled

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Depth

5.4"

5.4"

4.56"

4.7"

Dialogue Enhancement Feature

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Energy Star Certified

Yes

No

No

No

Equalizer Settings

Advanced

Advanced

n/a

HDMI ARC

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Height

2.7"

2.7"

3.43"

2.4"

Number of Audio Channels

9.1.4

11.1.4

5.0.2

Dig Deeper

Samsung HW-Q950A Review →

Sonos Arc Review →

JBL Bar 9.1 Review →

Score Card

E

Expert Score

87

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

89

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

85

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Scores

  • Rtings
    101.4

    Category Trust Rating

    82
    The Samsung HW-Q950T is great for mixed use. Whether you’re watching movies or listening to… Read More

    By:

    John Panoryios
  • Which?
    59.2

    Category Trust Rating

    NR
    This sound bar is among the most expensive we’ve tested, but it comes with wireless… Read More

    By:

    Unknown
  • Trusted Reviews
    57.5

    Category Trust Rating

    100
    Samsung’s HW-Q950T premium Atmos/DTS:X soundbar delivers a thrilling performance. Showcasing a spacious soundstage, it’s capable… Read More

    By:

    Kob Monney
  • Techradar
    39

    Category Trust Rating

    100
    The Q950T sees Samsung retain its place at the top of the 3D audio soundbar… Read More

    By:

    John Archer
  • Pocket Lint
    49.1

    Category Trust Rating

    100
    The Samsung HW-Q950T is a state-of-the-art soundbar system, one that not only supports the Dolby… Read More

    By:

    Steve Withers
  • T3
    31

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    The Samsung HW-Q950T does almost everything you want a soundbar at this sort of money… Read More

    By:

    Simon Lucas

Customer Scores