The Samsung HW-Q800F is a 5.1.2-channel soundbar released as part of Samsung's 2025 Q-Series lineup, positioned just below the flagship Samsung HW-Q990F. The Q800F is a very incremental update to the Samsung HW-Q800D. The newer version has a redesigned subwoofer that is easier to stow in tight spaces than its predecessor's. But other than that, there's not a whole lot new here to get excited about.
Our Verdict
The Samsung Q800F is a versatile soundbar that is a great choice for consuming a wide range of content. Though it lacks dedicated satellites, it offers Dolby Atmos support, making it equipped for immersive viewing whether you're watching movies, catching up on TV shows, or diving into a gaming session. Its dedicated subwoofer adds impactful low-end rumble to cinematic explosions while the discrete center channel ensures that voices remain clear and focused, no matter the chaos unfolding on-screen. Dialogue clarity can also be boosted with the built-in Active Voice Amplifier. With broad format support, including Dolby Digital, DTS, and 4k passthrough at 60Hz, this soundbar is well-suited for most home entertainment setups.
Deep low-end extension.
Gets plenty loud in Standard mode.
4k HDMI passthrough at 60Hz.
Still no HDMI 2.1 support.
Unremarkable Atmos performance.
The Samsung Q800F soundbar is a great choice for watching dialogue-rich content like TV shows. Its 5.1.2-channel configuration includes a dedicated center channel that keeps vocals clear and intelligible, even during scenes with lots of background activity. It delivers plenty of detail in the mid and treble ranges, making speech sound natural and well-articulated. Several sound enhancement features help tailor the experience further, including Active Voice Amplifier, which dynamically adjusts dialogue clarity based on real-time analysis, as well as more familiar tools like Voice Enhance and Night mode for late-night viewing.
Deep low-end extension.
Gets plenty loud in Standard mode.
4k HDMI passthrough at 60Hz.
Unremarkable Atmos performance.
The Samsung Q800F is impressive for listening to music. It offers a generally balanced and engaging sound. There's plenty of warmth and punch in the low end, and sub-heavy sounds like 808s feel thumpy and exciting. The balanced mid and treble ranges ensure instruments and vocals alike are rendered accurately and with plenty of detail. With SpaceFit Sound, the bar automatically calibrates its output to suit your room's acoustics, ensuring consistent performance whether it's set up in a large living area or a smaller basement. If you push the bar to its maximum volume, a little compression kicks in. But unless your room is very large, you probably won't want to push the system that loud, as it can damage your hearing.
Deep low-end extension.
Gets plenty loud in Standard mode.
4k HDMI passthrough at 60Hz.
A touch of compression at max volume.
The Samsung Q800F soundbar delivers very good performance for movie watching. Its dedicated subwoofer adds deep, satisfying rumble to action-heavy scenes, while the bar's detailed mids and highs ensure that dialogue remains clear and well-positioned in the mix. In Standard mode, the bar reaches loud volumes with minimal compression, preserving audio quality even during intense moments. Since it lacks dedicated satellites, its soundstage and surround performance aren't the most expansive, but the up-firing drivers do add a subtle sense of height with Dolby Atmos content, though the effect lacks the overhead realism you'd get from more advanced setups. If you'd like a more immersive viewing experience, you can try out Surround mode, which does make your audio feel a bit wider, albeit at the cost of focus in the middle of the image.
Deep low-end extension.
Gets plenty loud in Standard mode.
4k HDMI passthrough at 60Hz.
Unremarkable Atmos performance.
Changelog
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Updated Dec 03, 2025:
We updated the Height (Atmos) section with new measurements that better address noise floor issues in our test; there were no changes to the scores.
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Updated Nov 20, 2025:
The Differences Between Sizes and Variants box was updated to add the Samsung HW-Q810F variant.
- Updated Jul 30, 2025: Review published.
- Updated Jul 24, 2025: Early access published.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Samsung HW-Q800F comes in just one color variant: 'Black.' See our unit's label. The Samsung HW-Q810F is the European regional equivalent model, which we expect to perform similarly, though there may be small country-specific differences.
If you encounter a different variant of this soundbar, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Samsung HW-Q800F is a 5.1.2-channel soundbar released in 2025, offering support for Dolby Atmos and aimed at users seeking immersive sound without a full surround setup. It succeeds the Samsung HW-Q800D, though its upgrades are relatively minor. The most significant change in the Q800F compared to its predecessor is the redesigned subwoofer. The new sub adopts a shorter, squarer cabinet design that should make it easier to position in your room. Otherwise, the overall feature set and performance of both generations are extremely similar, making this more of a refinement than a major overhaul.
If you need G-SYNC or FreeSync passthrough, or 8k at 60Hz (instead of 30Hz) passthrough, the top-tier Samsung HW-Q990F is one possible upgrade here. You'll also gain dedicated satellites and a subwoofer with a slightly deeper low-frequency extension. Just note, the Q990F is considerably more expensive than the Q800F. The Samsung HW-Q930D offers something of a midpoint between the two: you get dedicated satellites as well as G-SYNC and FreeSync passthrough, but you only get 4k passthrough up to 60Hz, which might bother some gamers.
Looking away from Samsung, the LG S80TR makes a compelling case for those looking to keep their expenditure well under that of the premium soundbars. Unlike the Q800F, the LG supports 4k @ 120Hz passthrough, but you also gain dedicated satellite speakers that lend your audio a more immersive quality. That said, the Q800F delivers superior Atmos performance, so you'll have to decide which tradeoffs you're willing to make.
If you're looking for more soundbars, check out our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best 5.1 soundbars.
The Sonos Arc Ultra and the Samsung HW-Q800F are both 5.1.2 soundbars that forgo dedicated satellite speakers to enable a more compact home cinema setup. They use side-firing drivers to playback surround audio and up-firing drivers to play back high channels in formats like Dolby Atmos. That said, the Samsung offers a dedicated subwoofer and also provides more flexibility with a built-in 7-band EQ, compared to the Sonos' more limited bass and treble adjustments. On the other hand, the Sonos does offer a more immersive-feeling soundstage and is a better fit for those already invested in the Sonos ecosystem.
The Samsung HW-Q930D is a more premium offering from the brand than the Samsung HW-Q800F. Most significantly, the Q930D includes dedicated rear satellite speakers, which offer a more immersive surround experience than the Q800F's virtual surround approach. The Q930D also supports G-SYNC and FreeSync passthrough, which some gamers may appreciate. In terms of Atmos playback, both soundbars offer 5.1.2 configurations with up-firing drivers, though the added rear speakers on the Q930D lend more realism to spatial effects.
It's splitting hairs to choose between the Samsung HW-Q800F and the Samsung HW-Q800D. If you have the Q800D, it's probably not worth upgrading to the Q800F. Both are 5.1.2-channel soundbars that deliver immersive Dolby Atmos audio without requiring a full rear speaker setup. The Q800F offers a shorter, more compact subwoofer that's easier to place in tight spaces. The Q800F is also Roon Ready. Unless you need the updated features just listed, buy whichever bar you can find for cheaper.
Depending on your home's configuration and viewing habits, you might prefer the Samsung HW-Q800F or JBL Bar 1000MK2. The Samsung has a conventional design of a bar and subwoofer. In contrast, the JBL can either be set up the same way, or you can remove the docked satellites that bookend the bar for a more immersive surround experience. One advantage of the Samsung is that it treats Dolby Digital audio exactly as mixed, and it's a bit more balanced out of the box. Meanwhile, the JBL blends the satellite channels with the respective left or right driver, which impacts tracking sound effects as they move around the stereo field with Dolby Digital audio. Comparing Atmos performance is a bit of a wash: the Samsung is more precise with tracking objects, but since the drivers are only in front of you, it's not as enveloping. Then again, the JBL's satellites deliver Atmos from all around you, but the satellites have a slight latency, which affects the definition of objects. The Samsung has tighter wired latencies, but if you own several gaming consoles, you might like the two extra HDMI In ports on the JBL.
Test Results
