The Samsung HW-Q65T is a setup from the manufacturer's 2021 lineup. While it's advertised as a 7.1 soundbar, the bar actually has a 5.1 channel setup, with three channels on the bar and two on the satellites. As a result, it has a similar performance to the 5.1 Samsung HW-Q60T, but with a better surround sound thanks to its included satellite speakers. The bar comes with Samsung's Acoustic Beam technology, which is described by the manufacturer as up-firing speakers; these aren't the same as actual channels. Real up-firing speakers are designed for Dolby Atmos compatible files, which this bar doesn't support. Instead, Acoustic Beam uses an inward-firing speaker to push sound through a series of small holes in the bar to widen the soundstage. This technology doesn't play files like a traditional speaker, though. The other two channels cited by the manufacturer may be related to Q-Symphony, a feature that's advertised to sync up the bar with the speakers on compatible Samsung TVs to enhance your listening experience.
Our Verdict
The Samsung HW-Q65T is good for mixed usage. Its out-of-the-box sound profile is pretty neutral, but with a little extra boom in the bass and a bit of darkness in the treble range. That said, there are lots of sound customization features available, including bass and treble adjustments, a graphic EQ, and presets. It also comes with dedicated surround speakers. However, it struggles to reproduce a thumpy low-bass, and it doesn't support Atmos.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Gets loud.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Lacks low-bass.
- No Atmos support.
The Samsung HW-Q65T is impressive for dialogue-centric content like TV shows. Thanks to its balanced mid-range and dedicated center channel, it can reproduce voices clearly and accurately. There's even an 'Adaptive Sound' dialogue enhancement feature to help make voices more clear and crisp, as well as a Dynamic Range Control feature that balances the volume level between different programs. It's also Bluetooth-compatible, so you can wirelessly stream podcasts and audiobooks from your mobile device to the bar.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Auto-volume mode.
- Doesn't support Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay, or Chromecast built-in.
The Samsung HW-Q65T is good for music. Out-of-the-box, it has a pretty neutral, though slightly dark and boomy sound profile. However, it comes with lots of sound customization features, including bass and treble adjustments and a graphic EQ with presets if you prefer a more neutral sound. It also gets loud without a lot of compression at max volume. Unfortunately, it struggles to reproduce a thumpy low-bass, which can be disappointing for fans of bass-heavy music like EDM.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Gets loud.
- Lacks low-bass.
The Samsung HW-Q65T is decent for movies. Though it struggles to reproduce the thumpy low-bass that helps you feel the deep rumbles in action-packed scenes, its balanced mid-range can reproduce dialogue clearly. It gets pretty loud, too, and its discrete surround speakers help accurately localize surround objects in the soundstage. Unfortunately, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos content.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Gets loud.
- Lacks low-bass.
- No Atmos support.
Changelog
- Updated Jun 12, 2023: Updated the 4k Max Refresh Rate result to 60Hz.
- Updated May 05, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.2. Updated the results for audio format support via ARC/eARC, HDMI In, and Optical. Added Video Passthrough to TV results as well.
- Updated Mar 27, 2023: Added cable lengths to In The Box.
- Updated Mar 22, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.1. With this update, we've added a Mounting test and added information aboutSubwoofer Output, Spotify Connect, and Microphone Mute.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Samsung HW-Q65T comes in 'Black', and you can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another version of this soundbar, let us know in the discussions and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Samsung HW-Q65T is a 5.1 setup from 2021 that comes with a dedicated subwoofer and satellites. It also supports Q-Symphony technology, advertised to work with compatible Samsung TVs to create a more immersive listening experience, though we don't currently test for this. It has a very neutral, balanced sound profile out-of-the-box but it struggles to reproduce low-bass and it doesn't come with a Full HDMI In port.
See also our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Samsung soundbars, and the best 5.1 soundbars.
The Vizio V Series V51-H6 is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q65T. The Vizio has a more extended low-bass and neutral sound profile out of the box. However, the Samsung is better built with a graphic EQ and Full HDMI In port.
The Samsung HW-Q65T is better than the Samsung HW-A550. The HW-Q65T is a 5.1 setup with discrete satellites. It has better center and surround performances than the 2.1 HW-A550.
The Samsung HW-Q65T is a better soundbar than the JBL Bar 5.1 Surround. The Samsung comes with discrete surround speakers that offer a better surrounds performance. It also has a better soundstage performance and more sound enhancement features, including a graphic EQ, bass and treble adjustments, and a dialogue enhancement mode. However, the JBL comes with a room correction feature and more wireless playback options.
The Sonos Arc is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q65T. The Sonos has a better soundstage performance, and it supports Atmos content. Also, it comes with a room correction feature. However, the Samsung has a graphic EQ and a Full HDMI In port.
The Vizio M Series M51a-H6 is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q65T. The Vizio has a more extended low bass and a more neutral sound profile out of the box. It also supports Dolby Atmos content. However, the Samsung is better built and has a graphic EQ for sound customization.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Samsung HW-Q65T or the Samsung HW-Q70T. The HW-Q70T is a 3.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content, unlike the HW-Q65T. It also supports more wireless playback options. However, the 5.1 HW-Q65T comes with discrete satellites, and it has a better surrounds performance.
The Samsung HW-Q65T is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q60T. Both bars have slightly punchy sound profile and can get loud without too much compression. However, the HW-Q65T comes with two discrete satellite speakers, which create a better surrounds performance.
The Samsung HW-Q800A is better than the Samsung HW-Q65T. The HW-Q800A is a better built 3.1.2 setup that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It has a better soundstage, and it supports more wireless playback options. Unlike the HW-Q65T, it also supports Dolby Atmos content and has built-in voice assistant capabilities. That said, the 5.1 HW-Q65T comes with discrete satellites and has a better surrounds performance.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Samsung HW-Q65T or the Samsung HW-Q700A. The HW-Q65T is a 5.1 setup with discrete satellites that offers a better surround performance. It also gets a bit louder with less compression at max volume. However, unlike the HW-Q700A, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos content. The HW-Q700A is also better built with a better soundstage.
The Samsung HW-Q600A is marginally better for mixed usage than the Samsung HW-Q65T. The HW-Q600A is a 3.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content, unlike the HW-Q65T. That said, the 5.1 HW-Q65T comes with discrete satellites that help offer a significantly better surrounds performance.
The Samsung HW-Q65T is a bit better for mixed usage than the Samsung HW-A650. The HW-Q65T is a 5.1 setup that comes with discrete satellite speakers. As a result, it has a better surround performance than the 3.1 HW-A650, since it doesn't have to downmix surround content into stereo in order to play it.
The Samsung HW-Q850A is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q65T. The HW-Q850A has a better soundstage and surrounds performance and supports Atmos content and more audio formats. It offers more wireless playback options, has built-in Alexa support, and comes with a companion app.
The Vizio M Series M512a-H6 is better than the Samsung HW-Q65T. The Vizio supports Dolby Atmos content and has a better stereo soundstage. It also reproduces a more extended low-bass. However, the Samsung comes with a graphic EQ for sound customization, unlike the Vizio.
The Vizio M Series M51ax-J6 is better than the Samsung HW-Q65T. Unlike the Samsung, the Vizio supports Dolby Atmos content. It also reproduces a more extended low bass and has a better center channel performance. That said, the Samsung is better built.
The Samsung HW-Q65T is better than the Samsung HW-Q59CT. While both 5.1 setups perform very similarly overall, the HW-Q65T comes with discrete satellite speakers. It offers a better surrounds performance, too.
Test Results
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar has a sleek, simple design. It's mostly made of a metal grille, and the rest of the bar is made of high-quality plastic.
The sub is mostly made from wood. There's also a fabric covering the front of the sub in front of the speaker.
The satellites have a metal grille that covers their sides and plastic on their top and bottom. They both connect to a wireless receiver module via speaker wires.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar is a bit wide, so it likely won't fit between the legs of a 55" TV. That said, it also isn't very tall, so it shouldn't obscure your TV screen unless your TV sits flush on your table.
The sub is about the size of an average desktop PC. You can place it anywhere you like in your setup since it connects to the bar wirelessly.
The satellites are somewhat tall. They connect to the wireless receiver module via speaker wires, but you don't need to wire them to the bar to get them to work.
Update 09/30/2021: When comparing this soundbar with the new Samsung HW-Q59CT, we decided to drop the Build Quality score from 8.0 to 7.5.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar has a good build quality. The metal grilles on the bar and the satellites help protect the drivers, and the plastic in their build seems solid and durable. The subwoofer is mostly made of wood, however, and the wood behind the fabric seems to flex a bit. Also, the sub's fabric covering the front seems loose, and it looks like it could collect dust and dirt easily.
- Manual
- Remote and batteries (2xAA)
- AC/DC adapter (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- 2x power cables (Subwoofer and Soundbar) (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- Power cable (wireless receiver module) (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- 2x speaker wire for satellites (left and right) (13 ft / 3.9m)
- HDMI cable (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- Wall mount guide
- 2x brackets for wall mount
- 2x Holder screw and 2x screws
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar has a very good stereo frequency response. It struggles to reproduce a thumpy low-bass, but there's still a little extra boom in the mix. The mid-range is quite balanced, so vocals and lead instruments are clear and present, though the underemphasized treble can make them a bit dull and veiled.
Note: Although we played a stereo file for this test, the rear channels also played audio.
With calibration, this soundbar has a very good stereo frequency response. With its Bass set to '-4' and its Treble set to '3', it has a very neutral, balanced sound profile that makes it suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. It still struggles to reproduce a deep low-bass, however, which can be disappointing if you like to hear the deep rumble in action-packed movie scenes.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar's stereo soundstage performance is decent. The soundstage is perceived to be wider than the bar itself, which is good. However, its focus is more diffused. While you can follow sound objects like footsteps and voices, they seem to come from a more general area rather than a pinpoint location.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar has a very good stereo dynamics performance. It can get loud, and there aren't a lot of compression artifacts present when you play it at max volume. As a result, it's suitable for listening to music at parties or in large rooms.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar has a fair stereo THD performance. At normal listening volumes, the THD is within good limits, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction. However, when playing the bar at max volume, there's a jump in THD across the range. That said, this may not be too noticeable with real-life content.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar has a very good center channel performance. Thanks to its dedicated center channel, it can reproduce dialogue in movies and TV shows more clearly and accurately. Its frequency response is a bit bass-heavy, but it shouldn't be too noticeable since there isn't usually a lot of bass reproduced on the center channel.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar's surrounds performance is decent. It comes with two discrete surround speakers, which help represent surround objects more clearly and accurately. Its frequency response is bass-heavy, so you really feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed scenes, though this can be overwhelming for some listeners.
For a soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos content, check out the Samsung HW-Q850A or the Samsung HW-Q67CB.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar has a decent selection of sound enhancement features. It comes with several EQ presets to help you customize its sound, including 'Surround Sound', 'Game Pro', 'Standard', 'Adaptive Sound', and 'DTS Virtual:X'. The 'Adaptive Sound' feature doubles as a dialogue enhancement mode, so voices sound more clear and crisp. The Dynamic Range Control is an auto-volume feature that helps balance the volume level between different programs, too.
This soundbar is also advertised to come with some sound enhancement features that we don't test. The Acoustic Beam technology is advertised to create a more immersive sound. Also, Q-Symphony syncs up the bar's speakers with the speakers from compatible Samsung TVs.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar comes with several physical inputs. There's a Full HDMI In port, so you can use it as a hub between different devices. However, it doesn't have an AUX port, so you can't wire older devices to the bar for audio playback.
Via ARC, this soundbar supports the most common formats found on soundbars, Dolby Digital and DTS. You can only find these formats on streaming platforms and Blu-ray discs. However, it doesn't support lossless or object-based formats like Dolby Atmos.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar supports Dolby Digital over its Full HDMI In port, which is commonly found on Blu-ray discs and streaming platforms. However, it doesn't support object-based surround formats like Dolby Atmos.
Via Optical, the Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar supports both Dolby Digital and DTS content, which is handy if you like to watch content from streaming platforms and Blu-ray discs.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar has a good latency performance. Via ARC and Optical, it has low latency, making it suitable for watching videos and movies. However, you may notice a bit of a delay between the audio you hear and the video you see over Full HDMI In. That said, some apps and TVs compensate for latency differently, so your real-world experience may vary.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar can passthrough some of the highest-quality bandwidth signals, and you can use it as a hub between devices like your PC and your TV. There's also support for some variable refresh rate technologies, which is great for a tear-free gaming experience. More advanced refresh rate support, such as 4k @ 120Hz, isn't available, so your screen isn't quite as natural-looking as with more premium bars.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar only supports Bluetooth. You can wirelessly stream audio from your mobile device to the bar over this connection, but you can't do that over Wi-Fi, Chromecast built-in, or Apple AirPlay.
On the right side of the bar, there's a small display screen behind the metal grille. It shows the input you're on. Whenever you change a setting or the volume level, it also displays that. However, the screen is fairly small, so you may have to wait for it to scroll through longer messages.
On top of the bar, there are some physical controls that let you power the bar on/off, adjust the volume, and change the input.
The Samsung HW-Q65T soundbar's remote lets you control all of the bar's settings. However, it isn't a universal remote, so you can't use it to control your TV. The manufacturer says it supports Samsung OneRemote, which lets you control the bar using the remote from a compatible Samsung TV, but we don't test for this.