The Samsung HW-B650 is a 3.1 soundbar released in 2022. It's the next generation of the Samsung HW-A650, and overall, its performance is pretty similar to its predecessor. It's a simple bar with a similar design to the Samsung HW-B550 and the Samsung HW-B450, but with an included center channel to improve vocal reproduction. It doesn't offer as many features as Samsung's more premium models, like room correction or Dolby Atmos support, but you still have a graphic EQ on hand to improve its sound.
The Samsung B650 is decent for mixed usage. It's a 3.1 bar suitable for many different types of audio content, with a neutral sound right out of the box that reproduces voices and lead instruments with detail and clarity. While there's a little less rumble in the low-bass, you still have lots of customization tools to control its sound. It can also playback 5.1 surround sound formats like Dolby Digital, which you often find on streaming platforms, though its performance isn't the most immersive. Unfortunately, there's no Dolby Atmos support to help you take advantage of more immersive object-based audio formats, either.
The Samsung B650 is great for dialogue-heavy podcasts and TV shows. With its discrete center channel, it reproduces dialogue with more clarity than more budget-friendly 2.1 models. Its balanced mids ensure that voices are accurate and detailed in the mix, and there's even a dialogue enhancement mode to make voices more crisp if you want. You can stream podcasts to the bar over Bluetooth, but unfortunately, there's no support for other wireless playback options.
The Samsung B650 is good for music. Out-of-the-box, its neutral mids ensure that voices and lead instruments reproduce with clarity and detail. As a result, it's suitable for listening to most music genres, and you have lots of customization tools on hand to get it to sound how you want. Its dedicated sub can't reproduce a very extended low-bass, so you notice a lack of rumble in bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop.
The Samsung B650 is fair for movies. Dialogue is clear and present in the mix thanks to its balanced mids, and there are many customization tools to help you get the most from its sound. It can playback 5.1 surround sound formats like Dolby Digital, which you often find on streaming platforms. However, since it's a 3.1 bar, it has to downmix it into stereo to play it. For a more immersive sound, you can always add a separate rear speaker kit from the manufacturer.
This soundbar is available in 'Black'. You can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another version of this bar, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
The Samsung B650 is a good 3.1 soundbar that offers similar performance to last year's Samsung HW-A650. It sounds similar to the Samsung HW-B550, too, but its discrete center channel improves the quality of vocal reproduction. It's ideal for stereo content like music and TV shows, and you can always add on rear speakers from the manufacturer to improve its surround sound.
See our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best soundbars under $300, and the best Samsung soundbars.
The Samsung HW-Q600B and the Samsung HW-B650 are both 2022 releases from the manufacturer. The main difference between these two bars comes in support for height content like Dolby Atmos, which is often found on different streaming platforms. The Q600B supports height content, while the B650 doesn't.
The Samsung HW-Q60B is a more versatile 3.1 bar than the Samsung HW-B650, especially for movie lovers. Unlike the B650, the Q60B supports Atmos content. It has to downmix it into stereo to play it, though. If you watch a lot of Atmos movies on streaming platforms, go with the Q60B, but if you don't watch them, the B650 is a better value.
The Samsung HW-B650 is better than the Samsung HW-B550. They're both similar bars with similar sounds right out of the box and lots of customization tools on hand. However, the B650 adds a discrete center, which improves vocal clarity. The B550 remains a good option for those looking for a more budget-friendly choice.
The Samsung HW-Q600A is a more versatile bar than the Samsung HW-B650. As a 3.1.2 bar, the Q600A comes with Dolby Atmos support. Unlike the B650, you can use it to take advantage of more immersive object-based formats, usually found on streaming platforms.
The Samsung HW-B650 is the next generation of the Samsung HW-A650. They're both 3.1 bars with similar sounds right out of the box, and their customization tools make it easy to get a different sound. You don't notice much difference between their performances, so it's best to go with the cheaper option.
The Samsung HW-B650 and the Sony HT-G700 are two very different 3.1 bars. The Sony is unique, with Dolby Atmos support to let you take advantage of more immersive object-based formats. That said, it has to downmix this audio into surround, which doesn't sound very immersive. The Samsung is the better choice for stereo content, with more bass right out of the box and a wider array of sound enhancement features. It has less compression at max volume, too.
The Klipsch Cinema 600 is better than the Samsung HW-B650 for most uses. They're both 3.1 bars, but the Klipsch model has a better soundstage to immerse you in your audio. It's also able to reproduce more low-bass, so you feel the rumble in bass-heavy music genres. However, if you mostly listen to audio without a lot of bass mixed in, like dialogue-heavy TV shows and music, the more affordable Samsung is likely a better pick.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is better than the Samsung HW-B650 for most uses. They're both 3.1 bars, but the Klipsch can reproduce more low-bass, so you feel the rumble in bass-heavy music genres. It has a better soundstage, too, and unlike the Samsung, there's Dolby Atmos support to help you take advantage of more immersive object-based formats, though its performance isn't the best.
The Samsung B650 has a similar design to the Samsung HW-B550. It's mostly made of plastic, with a metal grille covering the front and the sides. The edges of the bar have an angled design, which makes it stand out from last year's model, the Samsung HW-A650.
The sub is mostly made of wood. There's fabric covering the front, and the port is located on the back.
While the Samsung B650 doesn't come with satellites, you can add a Wireless Rear Speaker Kit separately.
The Samsung B650 is fairly wide, so it doesn't fit between the legs of a 55" TV stand. Still, it isn't very tall, so it doesn't obscure your TV screen.
The sub is about the size of an average desktop computer. Since it connects to the bar wirelessly, you have more flexibility when you place it in your living room.
The Samsung B650 has a great build quality. The bar's mostly made of plastic, which feels solid and durable, and the metal grilles help protect the drivers inside. The sub's mostly made of wood. Unfortunately, the fabric in front is loose and thin, and it easily collects dust. It seems like it could rip easily, too.
The Samsung B650 has a very good stereo frequency response. Its sound is similar to last year's Samsung HW-A650, with a neutral sound, especially in the mids, where most voices and lead instruments reproduce. As a result, it's suitable for listening to most types of audio content, and you also notice a little extra brightness compared to last year's model. There's still a lack of low-bass, which is especially noticeable with bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop, as you don't feel the deep rumble in the bass range.
If you prefer a neutral sound, we recommend using the Samsung B650 with its default settings. However, there are many customization options on hand if you want a different sound, which is nice.
The Samsung B650 has a decent stereo soundstage. The soundstage is perceived to be about as wide as the bar itself, but it doesn't have any tricks to make it seem wider than that. The focus is good, though, so sound effects are localized to accurate locations in the soundstage around you. For example, instruments in an orchestra are localized to accurate locations in the space around you.
The Samsung B650 has very good stereo dynamics. It gets loud enough to fill your living room with sound. There's a little bit of compression when you push it to max volume, especially in the bass range, but it doesn't have a noticeable impact on your audio quality.
The Samsung B650 has a fair stereo dynamics performance. At a normal listening volume, distortion falls within good limits, so audio reproduction is clean and pure. There's a jump in distortion when you push it to max volume, though. However, distortion is hard to hear with real-life content, especially if you're a more casual listener.
The Samsung B650 has a great center channel performance. It's a 3.1 bar with a discrete center channel, which reproduces dialogue with greater clarity and accuracy, so voices are localized to pinpoint locations in the soundstage. The frequency response is quite balanced, too, especially in the mids where most voices reproduce. You don't have any issues hearing dialogue in your audio.
The Samsung B650 has a poor surrounds performance; however, this is normal for a 3.1 bar. Since it doesn't have discrete surrounds, it has to downmix 5.1 content like Dolby Digital into stereo to play it. As a result, audio seems like it's just coming from a speaker placed in front of you. For a more immersive sound, you can always add a separate rear speaker kit from the manufacturer.
For a bar that supports height content, check out the Samsung HW-Q600B.
The Samsung B650 has a decent selection of sound enhancement features. You don't get room correction like with more premium models, so it sounds a little different depending on your room's acoustics. However, with its bass and treble adjustments and graphic EQ, you've got lots of options to customize its sound. There are many preset modes, too, including 'Standard', 'Surround Sound', 'Bass Boost', 'Game', 'Adaptive Sound Lite', and 'DTS Virtual X'. The 'Adaptive Sound Lite' mode can enhance audio like dialogue by making voices sound more clear and crisp, while 'DTS Virtual X' works as a virtual surround feature. If you add on rears, you can adjust their levels, too.
You can plug the Samsung B650 into your TV using an HDMI or Optical connection. It comes with an Optical cable, but you need to get an HDMI cable separately if you want to use this connection.
The Samsung B650 supports Dolby Digital and DTS content over ARC. Both are common 5.1 surround sound formats, which you often see on streaming platforms and Blu-rays. However, since it's a 3.1 bar, it has to downmix this content into stereo to play it.
The Samsung B650 also supports DTS and Dolby Digital via HDMI In. Dolby Digital is the most common surround sound format, which you see on lots of different streaming platforms. DTS is often a fallback for higher-quality DTS-HD MA formats seen on lots of Blu-rays.
The Samsung B650 also supports Dolby Digital and DTS formats over Optical, which you find on many Blu-rays and streaming platforms.
The Samsung B650 has fairly low latency, though some apps and TVs compensate for latency differently, so your real-world experience can vary. During our testing process, we didn't notice a delay between the audio we heard and the video on the screen, even with lip-synching.
The Samsung B650 lets you wirelessly stream audio from your mobile devices to the bar via Bluetooth.
Though the Samsung B650 has a Full HDMI In port, it doesn't support high-quality passthrough for users who want to use the bar as a hub between their PC and their TV, for example.
There's a small four-character display on the front of the bar. It shows the volume level and the current input as you adjust the bar's settings. It scrolls through longer words, too. You can also press the 'i' button on the remote to see the format being played.
On top of the bar, you find buttons that let you power the bar on/off, adjust the volume, and change the input.
The remote is simple and lets you access all the bar's features. For example, you can change the sound mode or use the settings button to access night mode and dialogue enhancement tools.