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Producing deep extended low bass and boasting music enhancement features, the Samsung HW-Q800T is a good soundbar for music, movies, and TV shows. However, it has subpar surround and Atmos performance, and it’s not the best device for truly immersive movie content.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
The Samsung HW-Q800T is a mid-range 3.1.2 channel soundbar released back in 2020, touting built-in Alexa and Dolby Atmos for movie buffs. Although it uses Samsung’s Acoustic Beam technology, the surround and Dolby performance are not very immersive, so this model is not the ideal option for 3D movie and gaming content.
You can find more immersive soundbars on our list of top speakers today. The Q800T has a huge range of connectivity options that include a shared HDMI ARC+out, optical port, and full HDMI in. It also connects wirelessly via both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and boast decent latency over the RCA and optical ports With a top 95.2 dB SPL, this soundbar is remarkably loud.
Music lovers will love its graphic equalizer and presets for fine-tuning settings. A wireless subwoofer produces heavy rumbling low bass, enhancing the audio of music and movies. Continue reading this review and see how the Samsung HW-Q800T compares to the best-rated soundbars on the market today.
Best For
Large Rooms
Consensus
our Verdict
Top product testers were delighted with the equalizer and balanced sound profile of the Samsung HW-Q800T, endorsing it for music, movies, TV shows. Editors from Digital Trends were delighted by its neutral sound profile and a dedicated subwoofer that produces thumping bass, bringing out the best in movies and music.
Critics at What Hifi love this system’s huge selection of wired and wireless connectivity options. Although it supports Dolby Atmos, the performance of its height channels and surround content is disappointing, and reviewers noticed a narrow 3D soundstage that will not please seasoned movie buffs. However, the system has decent audio latency over most ports. And it has built-in Alexa and a mobile app for hassle-free control.
The center channel produces crispy voices, making it a good option for TV shows. However, if you need a more advanced 9.1.2 soundbar, check out our Samsung HW-Q900A review now.
ReasonS to Buy
Superb neutral sound
This soundbar is superb for music and TV shows, thanks to its excellent neutral sound. The stereo soundstage is good, and the sounds feel precisely placed.
Great voice clarity
Its dedicated center channel guarantees detailed and accurate dialogue.
Extended low bass
The extended low bass results in satisfying rumbles in bass-heavy music, and you can customize it with the graphic EQ.
Good connectivity and smart integration
The HW-Q800T offers useful connectivity options, like 1 x Full HDMI In, 1 x HDMI eARC, and 1 x Optical audio. Ranking in the top third of our tested products, latency across Optical (40 ms) and eARC (41 ms) is low and won’t cause any audio lag. Latency over Full HDMI In is a bit higher (77 ms), but it also doesn’t cause lag. You can control the bar with your smartphone and Samsung’s SmartThings app (iOS and Android), and it has built-in Alexa.
Reason to Avoid
Poor surround and Atmos performance
This 3.1.2 setup downmixes surround sound to stereo, so sounds don’t feel like they’re placed around you. The upward-firing speakers attempt to create the illusion of height, but the effect isn’t convincing. For a more immersive surround experience with a 9.1.2 soundbar, check out our Samsung HW-Q900A review.
Limited app control
Since you can’t adjust the center level of the sound system with your app, it is not a reliable backup in case you lose your remote.
Samsung HW Q800T Specs
Bluetooth Enabled
Yes
Depth
4.5"
Energy Star Certified
Yes
Equalizer Settings
Advanced
Height
2.4"
Number of Audio Channels
3.1.2
Subwoofer
Yes
Surround Sound Supported
Dolby
Voice Assistant
Amazon Alexa
Weight
36.6 lbs
Width
4.5"
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity
na
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)
95.2
Latency (ms)
41
THD @ 80dB
0.76
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Product Comparison
Samsung HW Q800T Review
True Score
81
NR
NR
NR
Ranking
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30
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149
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Market Context
The Samsung HW-Q800T is a mid-range 3.1.2 channel soundbar released back in 2020, touting built-in Alexa and Dolby Atmos for movie buffs. Although it uses…
The Samsung HW-Q800T is a mid-range 3.1.2 channel soundbar released back in 2020, touting built-in Alexa and Dolby Atmos for movie buffs. Although it uses Samsung’s Acoustic Beam technology, the surround and Dolby performance are not very immersive, so this model is not the ideal option for 3D movie and gaming content.
You can find more immersive soundbars on our list of top speakers today. The Q800T has a huge range of connectivity options that include a shared HDMI ARC+out, optical port, and full HDMI in. It also connects wirelessly via both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and boast decent latency over the RCA and optical ports With a top 95.2 dB SPL, this soundbar is remarkably loud.
Music lovers will love its graphic equalizer and presets for fine-tuning settings. A wireless subwoofer produces heavy rumbling low bass, enhancing the audio of music and movies. Continue reading this review and see how the Samsung HW-Q800T compares to the best-rated soundbars on the market today.
With a 5.1.2 configuration, the Samsung HW-Q800B has a much more immersive Dolby Atmos and surround soundstage, making it a better option for movie lovers…
With a 5.1.2 configuration, the Samsung HW-Q800B has a much more immersive Dolby Atmos and surround soundstage, making it a better option for movie lovers than the Samsung HW-Q800T, which has a 3.1.2 setup. Learn more about the more advanced speaker in our Samsung HW-Q800B review today.
With a better-balanced sound profile out of the box, the Samsung HW-Q800T is better for music enthusiasts than the Samsung HW-Q850A. That said, the Samsung…
With a better-balanced sound profile out of the box, the Samsung HW-Q800T is better for music enthusiasts than the Samsung HW-Q850A. That said, the Samsung HW-Q850A is a 5.1.2 soundbar, producing a wider surround and Atmos soundstage than the 3.1.2 Samsung HW-Q800T. It also has built-in Apple Airplay, unlike the Samsung HW-Q800T. Check out our Samsung HW-Q850A review to learn more about the 5.1.2 soundbar.
With a graphic equalizer, the Samsung HW-Q800T is easier to customize than the Polk Audio magniFi Max SR, which lacks such customization options. The Samsung…
With a graphic equalizer, the Samsung HW-Q800T is easier to customize than the Polk Audio magniFi Max SR, which lacks such customization options. The Samsung device also supports Dolby Atmos and has a built-in voice assistant, unlike the Polk Audio speaker. That said, the Polk Audio device produces a more engaging surround performance.
