Samsung HW-Q90R Soundbar Review

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 setup has 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-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Bose Soundbar 700, although we didn't test it with the complete setup with a sub and satellites. With the bar by itself, the Bose 700 falls short to the Q90R. The Samsung soundbar system gets louder, has better overall performance, and supports Atmos, on top of having better connectivity options since the Bose 700 doesn't have any full HDMI In inputs. On the other hand, the Bose 700 can easily be upgraded, and the bar itself has a great stereo soundstage and feels premium and better-built.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a much better soundbar 7.1 setup than the Sony HT-ST5000. The Samsung has a more neutral frequency response that makes it better suited to a wider range of music and film genres. Not only can it also get much louder, but it compresses and distorts less at max volume. Its surround performance is also better since it comes with rear speakers, but if you're tight on space you may prefer the more compact Sony setup.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar setup than the Samsung HW-Q70R. The Q90R is an Atmos-enabled 7.1.4 setup with dedicated rear satellites, while the Q70R is a 3.1.2 setup that consists of just the soundbar and a wireless subwoofer. The Q90R has a wider soundstage, and better surround performance thanks to its dedicate satellites. On the other hand, the Q70R is a slightly more compact setup with a smaller bar and less separate pieces.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar for watching movies than the Samsung HW-Q900T. The 7.1.4 HW-Q90R comes with two satellite speakers, unlike the HW-Q900T, which helps provide a more immersive listening experience. The HW-Q90R is also better-built, and its surround and height channels have more neutral, better-balanced sound profiles. That said, both soundbars have very versatile performances overall.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a noticeably better soundbar system than the LG SL10YG. It gets louder, has a better overall sound and soundstage, and performs better at max volume. The 7.1.4 configuration is also more immersive thanks to the additional side-firing speakers and up-firing speakers on the satellites, resulting in better performance with both surround and Atmos content.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is better than the Sony HT-Z9F. It creates a more immersive listening experience, thanks to its dedicated satellite speakers, and has better Atmos height performance due to its upwards firing speakers. On the other hand, the Sony has more connectivity options, has Chromecast built-in, and isn't nearly as wide.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2Ch. Although the Nakamichi has more speakers, its sound profile isn't as neutral as the Samsung's. The performance at max volume of the Samsung is also better. On the other hand, the Nakamichi shines when it comes to surround performance thanks to the four dedicated rear speakers.

The Samsung HW-Q90R performs better than the Sonos Playbar, although we didn't test the Playbar with a sub and satellites, which are sold separately. The Q90R has better overall performance, supports Atmos, and has plenty of inputs that are lacking on the Playbar. On the other hand, the Playbar has a room correction feature and can easily be upgraded.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar. The AMBEO is a system that tries to do it all with only a stand-alone bar, but doesn't quite excellent at being versatile like the Q90R does. The stereo audio quality of the Q90R is noticeably better, just like the Atmos performance thanks to the up-firing speakers on the bar and the satellites. On the other hand, the surround AMBEO mode of the Sennheiser soundbar is quite impressive for a stand-alone bar and adds to the immersive listening experience.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is slightly better than the full Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers setup. The Samsung has a better ability to reproduce very deep bass, and it's Bluetooth compatible and supports DTS content, which the Sonos doesn't do. On the other hand, if you already have Sonos products, you can control the whole ecosystem in the app, which is nice. The Sonos also has a much better surround experience and sounds a bit more immersive than the Samsung.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better overall soundbar setup than the Samsung HW-Q70T. While they are both versatile, well-built soundbars that perform well with a variety of uses, the Q90R is simply one of the best soundbars that we've tested to date. With rear speakers, the Q90R's 7.1.4 setup provides a more immersive listening experience when watching movies. It can also get louder than the Q70T, and it has a bit less compression at max volume. However, some users may prefer the Q70T's smaller, sleeker, and simpler design.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better overall setup compared to the Sonos Beam. Its 7.1.4 setup has great audio reproduction as well as multiple connection options. However, the Sonos is simple in its setup and is a great standalone soundbar with a center channel perfect for dialogue.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is significantly better than the Samsung HW-Q60R. The HW-Q90R has satellite speakers for better surround sound performance and its sound profile is much more balanced. The Q90R also has up firing speakers for Dolby Atmos content and has much more connectivity options, but the HW-Q60R has better sound enhancement features, such as Night Mode, which reduces volume change between different programs when you watch at night.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Vizio SB36512-F6. It’s a 7.1.4 setup that can get very loud and performs very well regardless of the content you send it. It's also noticeably better built and feels high-end. Its soundstage sounds wider and it also has a nice graphic EQ as well as EQ presets. On the other hand, the Vizio has an analog audio jack if you want to plug in your phone. The Vizio's satellites are considered surround speakers, while the Q90R’s are considered rear speakers. The surrounds of the Samsung are side-firing speakers situated on the bar itself.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar than the Vizio SB46514-F6. Its overall performance outclasses Vizio's across the board. It has better bass performance, a slightly wider sounding soundstage, better performance at max volume, which is also louder than the Vizio's. On the other hand, the SB46514-F6 has dedicated surround speakers that have a better overall performance, as the localization of surround objects is discrete.

While the Samsung HW-Q90R and the LG SK10Y are two soundbars with different setups, the Samsung is the better performing soundbar overall. Both soundbars can create an immersive listening experience thanks Atmos support but the Samsung's 7.1.4 channels produce a better soundstage compared to LG's 5.1.2 setup. The Samsung also has a more balanced sound profile, it can louder without too much sound degradation, and it has an auto-off feature.

The 7.1.4 channel Samsung HW-Q90R is a much better soundbar setup than the AmazonBasics 2.1 Channel Bluetooth bar. The Samsung is a lot more expensive, but it has a significantly better-balanced sound profile, can support more surround sound formats including Dolby Atmos, has more diverse connectivity options like HDMI, and has a more premium design. If you're tight on space, the inexpensive AmazonBasics bar will likely be a better option, but if you have enough room and can afford the Samsung, it's the better choice overall.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a much better soundbar setup than the Insignia NS-HSB318 2.0. The Insignia is a single 2.0 channel soundbar, while the Samsung gives you a whopping 7.1.4 channels of audio. This results in a much more immersive listening experience, especially with Dolby Atmos content, which the Samsung soundbar supports. Even with regular stereo content, the Samsung sounds much better-balanced, with stronger bass and more brightness. The Insignia soundbar is much more compact, though, so it's a better choice if you're limited on space.

The Samsung HW-Q90R is a much better, more complete soundbar setup than the LG SN6Y. The Samsung uses a 7.1.4 channel configuration, which results in a much more immersive listening experience than the 3.1-channel Sony. The Samsung also supports Atmos, and its subwoofer produces more bass for action movies or electronic music. The LG is much more compact, though, which makes it a better choice if you're tight on space.

The 7.1.4 channel Samsung HW-Q90R is a much better soundbar setup than the 2.0 TaoTronics TT-SK023 standalone bar. The Samsung costs a lot more money, but sounds much better-balanced, can play surround sound, has HDMI ports, and a more premium design. The TaoTronics is worth considering if you're tight on money or space since it's a lot cheaper and more compact, but if you have the resources, the Samsung, is the better overall choice.

The Samsung HW-Q90R and the TaoTronics TT-SK026 are completely different soundbar setups. The Samsung is a 7.1.4 setup that has a better-balanced sound that still delivers a thumpy bass. It also has phantom surround and height channels that help create a more immersive listening experience, as well as an HDMI port that can support surround sound and object-based sound formats. 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-Q90R is a better overall soundbar than the Vmai 2.1 Channel Soundbar. The premium 7.1.4 Samsung has way more features than the entry-level 2.1 Vmai, including a center channel, a fully-supported HDMI ARC port, and support for Atmos and surround content. The Samsung is also better-built, has a wider soundstage, and has more sound enhancement features.