The Samsung HW-Q80R is a great performing 5.1.2 soundbar. Its audio reproduction is accurate, well-balanced, and clean, even at very high volumes. This soundbar also supports Atmos and its up-firing speakers use the ceiling to give you an immersive impression of height. The soundstage is also quite wide due to the side-firing speakers. The setup is well-built and feels high-end, but lacks rear speakers like the ones the HW-Q90R has.
Our Verdict
Great for mixed usage. The Samsung HW-Q80R soundbar has a very good, neutral and accurate sound profile. It'll perform well with all sorts of content such as dialogue, a wide variety of music genres, and movies. You can also get an immersive listening experience since it supports Atmos on its 5.1.2 setup, but it lacks rear satellites. On the upside, this soundbar performs well even at a very high volume, and it offers decent manual sound customization.
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Great audio reproduction.
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Multiple connection options.
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Great performance at high volume.
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Supports Atmos and height channels for immersive experience.
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Small interface screen.
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Very wide bar.
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No room correction.
Great for dialogue and watching TV shows. The Samsung HW-Q80R soundbar is also great for podcasts and audiobooks. It sounds neutral and the overall reproduction of voices is accurate. It gets very loud and has a feature to make dialogue clearer at low volumes too. You can also easily stream audio content from your phone to the bar via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Great for music. The Samsung HW-Q80R soundbar system has an accurate and neutral sound profile which is suitable for a wide variety of music genres. It also has a good soundstage size and it's focused. This setup can get very loud and doesn't compress, even at higher volumes, which is great. You can easily EQ and set the level of the subwoofer separately to your liking.
Great for movies. The Samsung HW-Q80R soundbar sounds great and also supports Atmos, which gives you a more immersive experience when compared to some other soundbars. However, it won't sound as realistic as a setup with down-firing speakers and it lacks rear satellites. You'll still be able to play surround sound content with a good sound quality. There are also a few features to customize the sound to your liking, and you can easily set the amount of bass you want from the sub.
- 8.1 Mixed Usage
- 8.3 Dialogue/TV Shows
- 8.2 Music
- 8.0 Movies
- Updated Dec 22, 2021: Added third-party voice assistant support.
- Updated Feb 24, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Jun 08, 2020: We've tested the new eARC support after updating to the latest firmware.
- Updated Sep 27, 2019: Review published.
Compared To Other Soundbars
The Samsung HW-Q80R is one of the better sounding 5.1 soundbars we've tested so far. It has a neutral and accurate audio reproduction, is very well-built, and has a great soundstage and immersive listening experience with its Atmos support. However, it's a high-end setup that lacks dedicated rear speakers like other similar soundbars. See our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best soundbars 5.1.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is better than the standalone Sonos Arc. The Samsung has a dedicated sub that helps reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also has a graphic EQ for sound customization. However, the Sonos has better soundstage and surround performances. It comes with room correction and built-in voice assistant support. You can also upgrade it to the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers for better performance.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is basically the Samsung HW-Q80R, but with rear satellites that have up firing speakers. They both perform quite similarly, but the Q90R has a small edge over the Q80R. The 7.1.4 Q90R has a better overall surrounds performance thanks to the rear speakers, which is the main difference. Both bars are very similar and your choice will come down to personal budget and preference of content.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a slightly better setup than the Samsung HW-Q70R. It can get louder and its stereo soundstage feels a bit wider too. However, we didn’t test either with satellites. The Q80R soundstage sounds a bit wider, and it has side-firing speakers on the bar to play surround content, which the Q70R can’t do. The Q80R also has a better Atmos performance and gives you a better height impression, which is great for movies.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is better than the Samsung HW-Q700A. The HW-Q80R is a 5.1.2 setup that has better center and surround performances. It also reproduces a more extended low-bass, so you feel more thump and punch. However, the HW-Q700A has an auto-volume mode and more wireless playback options.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better soundbar setup than the Sony HT-ST5000, even though it has fewer channels. It sounds better-balanced, has better Atmos performance, and has fewer issues with compression and distortion. That said, the Sony's surround performance is just as good, even though it doesn't come with dedicated rear speakers. So if you're tight on space, the Sony might be a better option.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better soundbar sytem than the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar MAX. It has a noticeably better performance with stereo content but won't have the immersive feel with surround content that the Sennheiser provides, especially with the unique Sennheiser surround mode. On the other hand, it's possible to get rear satellites for the Samsung to help with the surround performance too.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better soundbar for watching movies than the Samsung HW-Q800T. The 5.1.2 HW-Q80R doesn't downmix surround content into stereo like the 3.1.2 HW-Q800T, so it provides a more immersive listening experience. The HW-Q80R also performs better with Atmos content, and it has a better soundstage. That being said, the HW-Q800T has a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, but both soundbars have a graphic EQ to help you adjust the sound profile to your liking.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better soundbar for watching movies than the Samsung HW-Q900T. The 5.1.2 HW-Q80R has a better-balanced sound profile when playing surrounds and Atmos content, which creates a more immersive listening experience. It's also better-built than the HW-Q900T. That said, the HW-Q900T comes with preset modes and is compatible with Samsung's Q Symphony technology, unlike the HW-Q80R, and its overall performance is still quite versatile.
The Samsung HW-Q950T is slightly better for mixed usage than the Samsung HW-Q80R. The HW-Q950T comes wtih discrete satellites, and it has a better surround performance. Unlike the HW-Q80R, it has built-in voice assistant support. That said, the HW-Q80R is better-built.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better soundbar than the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 by itself, though the Bose can easily be upgraded into the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module. The Samsung comes with a dedicated sub and has a more extended bass, as well as a louder max volume. It also supports Atmos thanks to the two up-firing speakers. On the other hand, the 700's soundstage is one of the widest, although a bit diffused. Unlike the Samsung, it also doesn't have any Full HDMI In ports.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is better than the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 900. The Samsung is a 5.1.2 setup with a dedicated subwoofer that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It gets louder with less compression at max volume and comes with a graphic EQ and presets. That said, the better-built Bose has better soundstage and surround performances. You can also upgrade it with a sub and satellites if you prefer.
The Samsung HW-Q800A and the Samsung HW-Q80R are two similarly-performing soundbars, so you may prefer one or the other based on your listening preferences. The HW-Q80R is a 5.1.2 setup, and it offers a slightly more immersive surround sound experience than the 3.1.2 HW-Q800A since it uses phantom side-firing speakers. The HW-Q80R also gets louder. However, the HW-Q800A has an auto-volume feature, which makes the volume more consistent between different programs while maintaining clear and accurate dialogue reproduction.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better setup than the Sonos Beam. As the Samsung is a 5.1.2 setup, the Sonos is suitable if you prefer to have only one soundbar to do it all. The Sonos offers several sound enhancement features that the Samsung doesn't have, like room correction. However, the Sonos doesn't support height channels or Atmos. It also lacks connectivity options compared to the many offered by the Samsung soundbar.
The Samsung HW-Q950A is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q80R. The HW-Q950A is an 11.1.4 setup that comes with discrete satellite speakers and offers more sound enhancement features, including room correction and auto-volume mode. Also, it has a better surrounds performance, and it supports Apple AirPlay 2 connectivity and built-in Alexa voice assistant. That said, the 5.1.2 HW-Q80R is better-built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is marginally better for mixed usage than the Samsung HW-Q80R. The HW-Q900A offers a better surround performance, and it comes with more sound enhancement features like auto-volume and room correction. It also has built-in voice assistant support, and it supports Apple AirPlay 2. However, the HW-Q80R is better-built.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better overall performing soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q60T. The HW-Q80R is larger in size, which might be a bit more difficult to fit in your setup, but it has a much better-balanced sound profile that still delivers a thumpy, rumbly bass. It's louder, has height channels so it can support Atmos content, and you can use Wi-Fi to stream your audio. However, the HW-Q60T has an auto-volume feature. It also has EQ presets such as Game Pro mode, which is great for gamers who don't want to tinker with their audio too much.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module and the Samsung HW-Q80R are both very versatile, premium soundbar setups. That said, the Bose comes with discrete satellites, so it offers a more clear and real surround sound. It has a better soundstage, too. However, unlike the Samsung, it doesn't have a Full HDMI In port, and it doesn't support DTS content.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a slightly better 5.1.2 soundbar setup than the Vizio SB36512-F6. It can get louder and its stereo soundstage feels a bit wider too. However, we didn’t test the Samsung with satellites. The surround performance of the Vizio is slightly better due to the discrete localization of the surround speakers. On the other hand, the Samsung is Wi-Fi compatible and has an extra HDMI In port for you to use your bar as a hub for your different devices.
The Samsung HW-Q80R and the Yamaha YAS-408 are two soundbars with different setups. The Samsung is a 5.1.2 channel soundbar that has overall great performance. The Samsung has height channels, a lot of sound enhancement features like a graphic EQ, and it can get loud. It can also support Dolby Atmos content, which is great for movies. The Yamaha, on the other hand, is a 2.1 soundbar well-suited for dialogue and watching TV shows. It has a thumpy bass, and unlike the Samsung, it can support Apple AirPlay. However, the Yamaha has a terrible virtual 3D surround sound mode and you're better off using the normal surround sound mode instead.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better 5.1.2 setup overall than the LG SN10YG. The Samsung has a better-balanced sound profile, and it has a graphic EQ so that you can really tweak its sound. It can get much louder, which is well-suited for house parties or crowded rooms, and it offers a better center and height performance too. However, the LG has a room correction as well as an auto-volume feature. It also has a better surround performance, and you can wirelessly stream your favorite audio to the bar using Chromecast built-in too.
The LG SK9Y and Samsung HW-Q80R are both 5.1.2 setups, but the Samsung performs better in a variety of uses. The LG doesn't get very loud and it has a bright sound profile lacking bass. However, the Samsung has a more neutral sound profile that can produce deep thump and rumble. On the downside, the Samsung doesn't have as good surround sound performance.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a much better soundbar setup than the Samsung HW-Q60R. The Q80R is a 5.1.2 soundbar that using up and side-firing speakers to simulate an Atmos-like experience. The Q80R also has a much better bass response, a wider stereo soundstage, more connectivity options, and has less artifacts when pushed to louder volumes. On the other hand, the Q60R is a smaller soundbar that still has side-firing speakers to simulate surround sound, though it isn't Atmos-enabled.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is better than the Sonos Playbar since we tested the Sonos without the separate sub and satellites. The bass performance of the Samsung is greatly helped by the good wireless sub and has a very good stereo frequency response. It also supports Atmos, which the Playbar doesn't do. On the other hand, the Sonos soundbar has a better soundstage as it sounds wider and more accurate, and it has a room correction feature, which is great. However, the Sonos doesn't have modern inputs like HDMI ports as it's a fairly old product. It also only supports Wi-Fi, but the Samsung supports both wireless playback types.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a bit better 5.1.2 setup for mixed usage than the Samsung HW-Q850A. The HW-Q80R gets louder, and it has a better center channel performance. Also, its default sound profile is a bit more balanced, which some users may prefer. That said, the HW-Q850A has discrete satellites and a better surrounds performance. It even comes with some more sound enhancement features, like auto-volume mode.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is better than the Samsung HW-Q600A. The HW-Q80R is a 5.1.2 setup that offers better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. It also supports Wi-Fi connectivity, unlike the 3.1.2 HW-Q600A.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better soundbar than the LG SL10YG. Its audio reproduction follows our target curve more accurately, and it has a noticeably larger soundstage. The SL10YG has a more V-shaped or exciting sound profile. The Atmos performance of the Samsung is also considerably better.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a noticeably better 5.1.2 option than the LG SK10Y. Its overall performance is better thanks to a more accurate audio reproduction. It also gets quite louder than the LG, and its soundstage seems to be wider as well. On the other hand, the LG SK10Y has Chromecast built-in, which can be useful for some people.
The Samsung HW-Q80R and the TaoTronics TT-SK026 are different soundbar setups. The Samsung is a 5.1.2 setup that delivers a good dose of bass to your audio thanks to its wireless subwoofer. It has phantom surround and height channels to help create a more immersive listening experience, and you can tweak its sound using its graphic EQ. It even has an HDMI port to support most surround sound and object-based sound content. The TaoTronics, on the other hand, is an entry-level 2.1 soundbar. It doesn't have a subwoofer or satellites, and it also has limited connectivity options.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is better than the Sony HT-CT800 by a pretty big margin. The Samsung is a 5.1.2 setup with great audio performance, regardless of the content you listen to. It has a good and neutral sound profile, gets way louder than the Sony, and it supports Atmos as well, which the Sony doesn't do. It also has a dedicated center channel which makes voices clearer and easier to understand. Based on performance only, there is no reason to get the Sony over the Samsung.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a noticeably better soundbar than the Sony HT-S350 in pretty much every aspect. It sounds better with all types of content, supports Atmos, can get louder, and compresses less. It also has more inputs and supports more audio formats, on top of having a dedicated center channel for better dialog in movies. On the other hand, the Samsung doesn't have a night mode like the Sony, and the Sony is smaller, which might be easier to fit into your home setup.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better soundbar overall than the LG SK1. The Samsung is a 5.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content and can provide a more immersive listening experience thanks to its two surround satellites. The 2.0 LG is more of an entry-level setup, and it doesn't have a dialogue enhancement feature or an eARC port, unlike the Samsung. The Samsung also has a better-balanced sound profile and a wider, more focused soundstage.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better overall 5.1.2 setup than the LG SN9YG. While both soundbars are well-built, the Samsung has a more neutral sound profile and a better soundstage. It can get louder, albeit with more compression artifacts, and its center and height channels are significantly better performing. However, the LG has more sound enhancement features including a room correction feature, and its surround performance is much better. You can also stream audio to it wireless using Chromecast built-in.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better overall soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q70T. Both bars have a versatile performance and a well-balanced sound, but the Q80R is slightly more premium. This 5.1.2 setup provides a much more immersive Atmos and surround channel experience than the Q70T thanks to its two additional speakers, which is ideal for movie fans. The Q80R also gets louder, and its soundstage sounds slightly wider.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is better than the Sony HT-Z9F in most uses. The Samsung has a better sound overall, as it has more low-bass response to produce that rumble and thump, and it has a much better center channel performance, as well as better sound enhancement features to tune it the way you like. However, the Sony has support for eARC and has Chromecast built-in.
The Samsung HW-Q80R is slightly better than the Vizio SB46514-F6 when it comes to stereo sound, but it lacks dedicated surround speakers, so if you're looking for a soundbar for watching movies with an immersive experience, then the Vizio will be a better option.
Test Results
The HW-Q80R's bar looks identical to the HW-Q90R. It's large and heavy and is covered with a metal grille at the front, sides, and the top. The back is made of good quality plastic.
The subwoofer is made of wood. The speaker on the side is covered with a fabric that can collect dirt or get damaged. The port is found on the back.
This is a very large and heavy bar that requires some careful placement planning. It's wider than most 55" TVs, so it's unlikely to fit between the stand legs. It's quite tall - roughly the same height as the Sony HT-ST5000 - but unless your TV has a very short stand or sits flush on the table, this shouldn't be an issue.
The subwoofer looks like a large desktop PC. You can place it wherever you like as it connects to the bar wirelessly.
There are no satellites in this bar setup.
There's one opening where the input ports are and one guide on the other side for the power cable. The wall-mounting holes are on the underside, and you must use the included brackets to wall-mount it.
The back of the sub contains the port. Its power cable connects to the lower end of the back and won't bother you.
The Samsung HW-Q80R has great build quality. The entire build is very robust and solid. It feels premium and well-built, and the only downfall is the fabric on the sub that can get dirty or rip.
- Manuals
- HDMI cable
- Remote & batteries
- Bar power cable
- Subwoofer power cable
- Wall-mount guide
- Bracket wall mount (x2)
- Screws
- Holder screw
- Rubber foot
The Samsung HW-Q80R soundbar has a great and very similar stereo frequency response to the Samsung HW-Q90R. The bass is well extended, which will accurately reproduce the deep thump and rumble of music, movies, and games. The overall sound quality of this soundbar is great for stereo content due to its neutral profile, and it'll be suitable for a wide variety of music genres, as well as dialogue. There's also a good amount of customization you can apply to this bar, including an available EQ.
When listening to the Samsung HW-Q80R, the soundstage is good. The bar is pretty wide and the soundstage feels about the same width. Sound isn't diffused, resulting in a focused soundstage, which is good because objects seem to be coming from a more accurate pinpoint location rather than from a general area. Although the bar is wide, it didn't sound as large as the Sonos Beam or the Bose Smart Soundbar 700.
The Samsung HW-Q80R soundbar can get very loud and will be suitable to use in crowded or very large rooms. Also, it performs quite well at max volume, and you shouldn’t get too many compression artifacts, which is great.
The Samsung HW-Q80R's THD performance is great. The amount of THD at a normal listening volume is very low, which results in a clean and pure sound. On the other hand, there’s a jump in THD in high-bass and low-treble at max volume, but this shouldn’t be a concern for most with real-life content.
The Samsung HW-Q80R's 5.1.2 configuration has excellent performance in the center channel since it has a dedicated center speaker. This results in a very neutral sound profile, which makes dialogue in movies clear and accurate.
The Samsung HW-Q80R's surround performance is sub-par. The bar has side-firing speakers, which reflect sound off the walls to give you the impression of a wide surround sound. However, this also means this setup won't provide the most accurate and clear representation of surround objects in the soundstage, and it won't feel as real as a discrete surround like with home theatre speakers. This setup also lacks rear speakers like the ones that the Samsung HW-Q90R has. If you prefer dedicated surround speakers, check out the Vizio SB36512-F6 or the SB46514-F6.
The Samsung HW-Q80R supports Atmos for a more immersive experience, especially when watching movies. While this setup sounds fairly big and wide thanks to the up-firing speakers on the bar, the localization of objects is diffused. It doesn't sound as real as a discrete localization provided by down-firing speakers since the sound is simply bouncing off the ceiling to give you an impression of height.
The high-end Samsung HW-Q80R lacks some of the most important sound enhancement features such as a night mode and Room Correction. Without room correction, this soundbar may sound a bit differently depending on your room. On the upside, it does offer a lot of control and customization options to manually make it sound the way you like. If you have a Samsung TV and want a soundbar that's compatible with Samsung's Q Symphony feature, check out the Samsung HW-Q900T.
This soundbar has a nice set of physical inputs so you can use it as a hub between your devices and your TV. Unfortunately, due to the lack of Analog Audio In, you can't directly connect to older devices through their Audio Out. Unlike the LG SN9YG, there's no USB port so you can't play files from a stick. You can also only connect to your network through Wi-Fi as there's no ethernet port.
Update 06/08/2020: This soundbar now supports eARC and high-end signals.
The Samsung HW-Q80R soundbar has eARC which allows for amazing audio format support. This extended version of ARC allows it to support not only surround sound format, but also the most advanced object-based surround signals, and high-quality lossless formats.
The Samsung HW-Q80R soundbar has the same excellent support for surround sound and object-based sound as the Samsung HW-Q90R through its Full HDMI In ports. You'll have an immersive sound experience when playing a game on your console with content that supports it.
The Optical Audio In can passthrough surround sound in Dolby Digital or DTS formats, usually found on streaming platforms like Netflix or Blu-ray discs.
You can play your content wirelessly if you connect to the soundbar via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. On the downside, you won't be able to cast using Chromecast built-in or Apple AirPlay.
When connected between your PC and the TV the Samsung HW-Q80R can passthrough the highest bandwidth signals, which means that text will look clear on your TV.
The subwoofer only needs access to a power outlet. Otherwise, it connects wirelessly to the bar.
There are no satellites on this soundbar setup.
There's a small screen behind the front grille that serves as the interface. It can display the volume level and the input source and it's easy to read. Due to its small size, sometimes it has to scroll to display the entire message.
Just like the Samsung HW-Q90R, the buttons on the HW-Q80R's bar are found on the top side, near the rear edge. You can power the system on or off, control the volume, or choose the input source.
The remote has a similar style to high-end Samsung TV remotes. It's an average size and allows you to control all of the soundbar's functions. Unfortunately, it can't act as a universal remote to control other devices.
Update 12/22/2021: Added additional information about third-party voice assistant support.
The Samsung HW-Q80R doesn't have built-in voice assistant capabilities. However, if you have a third-party Amazon Echo device, you can use it with the bar. You just need to set it up in the Amazon Alexa app to use it.
The Samsung SmartThings app is the same app that pairs with the latest Samsung TVs and other Samsung home appliances. It's not a complete remote replacement, as it can't do a few things like changing the sound profiles, but you can cast audio files.
The Samsung HW-Q80R soundbar has an auto turn-off function after just 5 minutes of inactivity, which is one of the smallest time intervals we've tested so far, but is in sync with the rest of Samsung's Q series soundbar lineup. You can use your TV remote to control the bar's basic functionality, thanks to its HDMI CEC support.