Boasting clear vocal reproduction and a lively, bass-heavy sound signature, the budget-friendly Samsung HW-T450 offers good value for money for dialogue-oriented content and casual music listening. However, its slightly high latency, limited soundstage, and absence of Dolby Atmos contribute to diminished immersion during movies
The Samsung HW-T450 is a budget-end 2.1-channel soundbar that made its debut in 2020, and it boasts room-filling audio with little to no distortion for large living room setups.
Just like the best speakers on the market today, this soundbar doesn’t suffer from compression artifacts at the highest volume levels.
But unlike the top-rated soundbars, it does not have Dolby Atmos for an expansive soundstage. This soundbar also comes with a dedicated wooden subwoofer for thumping bass.
In terms of wireless connectivity, this soundbar only features Bluetooth 2.0 but lacks Wi-Fi, Chromecast, or Apple AirPlay. If you need Wi-Fi connectivity, you can also take a look at our Samsung HW-S60T review today.
And its wired connectivity consists of only one optical audio jack and a USB 2.0 port to play back audio files from thumb drives. If you need full-speed HDMI passthrough, make sure to visit our Samsung HW-R650 review.
Unfortunately, the audio latency over the optical audio port on this model is relatively high, which will cause problems for those sensitive to sound delay. If you are a gamer and need low audio latency, check out our Samsung HW-T550 review now.
Consensus
our Verdict
Inputs on the Samsung HW-T450 are restricted to an Optical cable and USB, with a wireless link-up for the subwoofer. While the audio remains clear, latency is relatively high (90ms via Optical), occasionally hindering smooth streaming.
The soundstage extends slightly beyond the bar, but the downmixed surround creates a front-focused auditory perception, which fails to immerse you in the movie’s action.
Dolby Atmos is missing, and although dialogue reproduction is fairly accurate for podcasts and the sound profile is bright and bass-heavy, the sub-bass is subdued.
There is also no dedicated center channel. You get an EQ-enabled remote, but the bar’s thin plastic construction doesn’t feel sturdy. While the swift response to commands and the 4 EQ presets are pluses, the bar lacks a mobile app for streamlined control access.
Reason to Buy
No unwanted noise
Bright and bass-heavy sound profile
Accurate dialogue delivery
4 EQ presets
Reason to Avoid
High latency
Narrow soundstage
No Dolby Atmos
Underemphasized sub-bass
Poor build quality
Samsung HW-T450 Soundbar Specs
Bluetooth Enabled
Yes
Depth
2.9"
Dialogue Enhancement Feature
No
Energy Star Certified
Yes
HDMI ARC
No
Height
2.1"
Number of Audio Channels
2.1
Subwoofer
Included
Surround Sound Supported
Dolby Digital, DTS
Voice Assistant
No
Wall Mountable
Yes
Weight
3.3 lbs
Width
33.9"
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth
Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity
Yes
Works With
Bluetooth, Remote Control
All Specs
Test Results
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Low End Roll Off (Hz)
62.586
High End Roll Off (Hz)
12,716.624
Max Volume Test (db)
93.3
Latency (ms)
THD @ 80dB
0.48
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The Samsung HW-T450 is a budget-end 2.1-channel soundbar that made its debut in 2020, and it boasts room-filling audio with little to no distortion for…
The Samsung HW-T450 is a budget-end 2.1-channel soundbar that made its debut in 2020, and it boasts room-filling audio with little to no distortion for large living room setups.
Just like the best speakers on the market today, this soundbar doesn’t suffer from compression artifacts at the highest volume levels.
But unlike the top-rated soundbars, it does not have Dolby Atmos for an expansive soundstage. This soundbar also comes with a dedicated wooden subwoofer for thumping bass.
In terms of wireless connectivity, this soundbar only features Bluetooth 2.0 but lacks Wi-Fi, Chromecast, or Apple AirPlay. If you need Wi-Fi connectivity, you can also take a look at our Samsung HW-S60T review today.
And its wired connectivity consists of only one optical audio jack and a USB 2.0 port to play back audio files from thumb drives. If you need full-speed HDMI passthrough, make sure to visit our Samsung HW-R650 review.
Unfortunately, the audio latency over the optical audio port on this model is relatively high, which will cause problems for those sensitive to sound delay. If you are a gamer and need low audio latency, check out our Samsung HW-T550 review now.
The Samsung HW-A450 is basically a newer revision of the Samsung HW-T450, and as both have a similar 2.1 channel speaker setup, they perform almost…
The Samsung HW-A450 is basically a newer revision of the Samsung HW-T450, and as both have a similar 2.1 channel speaker setup, they perform almost identically in all aspects. However, the A450 soundbar does have a flatter frequency response slope than the T450, which results in clearer dialogues, vocals, and high-pitched notes with a balanced and neutral audio output.
As both have a 2.1-channel speaker setup, the Samsung HW-T450 and the JBL Bar 2.1 perform remarkably similarly in almost all regards. However, the JBL…
As both have a 2.1-channel speaker setup, the Samsung HW-T450 and the JBL Bar 2.1 perform remarkably similarly in almost all regards. However, the JBL Bar 2.1 does have HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) and Wi-Fi support, both of which the Samsung soundbar lacks, and it can get much louder than the T450 with fewer compression artifacts at the max volume. The JBL Bar 2.1 also features a built-in microphone to support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant natively, but the Samsung soundbar doesn’t.
Both the Samsung HW-T450 and the LG SJ3 soundbars feature a similar 2.1-channel speaker setup, and as a result, both have similar performance in all…
Both the Samsung HW-T450 and the LG SJ3 soundbars feature a similar 2.1-channel speaker setup, and as a result, both have similar performance in all aspects. But, the LG SJ3 does have ethernet connectivity and features one of the later versions of Bluetooth (Bluetooth 4.0) that supports wireless streaming from multiple devices/sources, which the T450 soundbar lacks. On the other hand, the Samsung model features a built-in radio receiver, but the SJ3 doesn’t.
