Choose the best Samsung soundbar for you

What kind of sound do you want?

The whole point of a soundbar is to enhance the sound of your entertainment. So when you’re looking to buy a soundbar, the question is: how much do you want to enhance it?

Although every Samsung soundbar is awesome, there are some models that are truly next level. If you want the very best, you should get a soundbar with Dolby Atmos. The Dolby technology in these soundbars is used in movie theaters, so it's literally cinema quality. With Dolby Atmos you will experience sound around and even above you, as if you’re in the middle of the action. Now, Dolby Atmos soundbars do cost more, so they may not be the best option if you’re on a budget. For something less expensive that will still give you great sound quality, you should get a standard soundbar.

Horses in a desert scene on a Samsung TV with a soundbar

Is surround sound important to you?

On its own, a Samsung soundbar will help sound travel further, especially a Dolby Atmos edition. But if you want to be even more immersed in your movies or music, you should consider getting some surround speakers or a subwoofer.

The good news is that the majority of our soundbars come with a subwoofer!

As for surround speakers, there are only a few soundbars that include them: HW-Q990B, HW-Q950A, HW-Q90R and HW-N950. If you purchase any soundbar other than these, you'll need to purchase rear speakers separately if you want to add them to your setup. Remember to double-check if the rear speakers are compatible with your soundbar first, just in case.

A Samsung subwoofer sitting on the floor

Does the shape of the soundbar matter?

Just like TVs, soundbars come in all shapes and sizes. Some are big, some are small, some are straight, and some are curved.

As you can guess, curved soundbars go best with curved TVs because they’ll match and give you a little more space.

The majority of soundbars are straight, though. These soundbars come with wall mounting brackets, so you can hang them up. This is great for saving space, adding to your décor, or placing the soundbar right underneath your TV. Hanging it a little higher can also help the sound travel better, depending on your seating arrangement.

Do I need an HDMI port?

That depends entirely on your TV’s setup. Most newer TVs have at least one HDMI port, but older models may not. On the other hand, not all soundbars have an HDMI port. These models may have the option for an optical cable, an aux cable, or Bluetooth instead.

Check your TV’s and other devices' setup and ports before you purchase a soundbar, so you’ll know what kind of connections you can use.

Note: Most 2020 models and later support HDMI 2.1.