The Samsung HW-S800B is a 2022 release from the manufacturer with a unique design. It's a very slim soundbar, packing two up-firing Dolby Atmos drivers into a frame with a much smaller footprint than other 2022 offerings like the Samsung HW-Q910B and the Samsung HW-Q930B. There's also a subwoofer, albeit a small one, to improve its bass reproduction. You can also find it at Costco as the Samsung HW-S80CB/ZA.
Our Verdict
The Samsung HW-S800B is good for mixed usage. This soundbar reproduces voices and lead instruments in your favorite songs with great clarity, and its discrete center channel ensures clear dialogue in movies and TV shows. That said, it doesn't bring the same immersive feel to multi-channel content as more premium bars from the manufacturer.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Extended low-bass.
- Dolby Atmos support.
- Downmixes surround sound.
The Samsung S800B is great for dialogue-heavy TV shows and podcasts. Since it's a 3.1.2 bar, it has a discrete center channel to improve vocal reproduction. There's even a dialogue enhancement tool called Active Voice Amplifier on hand to make voices stand out more in the mix. With lots of wireless playback options, you can easily stream podcasts and audiobooks from your phone to the bar.
- Dialogue enhancement tool.
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay compatibility.
- No Chromecast built-in.
The Samsung S80CB is good for music. It has a balanced sound, especially in the mids, meaning that voices and lead instruments reproduce with clarity and accuracy. The dedicated sub brings a little extra thump in the bass range, which is great for those who like a more bass-heavy sound. If you want to switch it up, you have lots of customization tools to choose from, too.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Extended low-bass.
- Some compression at max volume.
The Samsung HW-S80CB/ZA is decent for movies. It supports many audio formats commonly found on streaming services and Blu-rays, like Dolby Atmos. Dialogue is clear in the mix, and there's some rumble in the bass for action-heavy scenes. However, this bar can't replicate a very immersive soundstage with multi-channel content, so you don't get the same all-around feel.
- Extended low-bass.
- Dolby Atmos support.
- Some compression at max volume.
- Downmixes surround sound.
Changelog
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Updated Aug 20, 2025:
We've updated the Audio Format Support - Optical box to discuss the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6.
- Updated May 28, 2024: Updated Stereo Dynamics results with new methodology from TBU 1.3. Added text to Audio Latency: ARC.
- Updated May 27, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench Update 1.3. If applicable, we've retested stereo sound based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Additionally, we've expanded our audio latency tests to the following boxes: Audio Latency: ARC, Audio Latency: HDMI In, and Audio Latency: Optical. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Jan 09, 2024: Added information to the Wireless Playback and Voice Assistant Support boxes as Chromecast and Google Assistant support is region-specific.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This soundbar is available in Black, and you can see the label here. You can also find a white version named the Samsung HW-S801B. You can find a version of this soundbar at Costco as the Samsung HW-S80CB or Samsung HW-S80CB/ZA.
If you encounter another version of this bar, let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Samsung HW-HW-S80CB/ZA is a slim 3.1.2 soundbar with a unique design ideal for those who don't want a bar that takes up much space in their setup. It has Dolby Atmos capabilities, as well as a lot of different customization features. However, its Atmos performance pales in comparison to bars that come with satellites right out of the box, like the Vizio M Series M512a-H6.
See also our recommendations for the best Samsung soundbars, the best soundbars for movies, and the best soundbars with subwoofer.
The Samsung HW-Q800B is better than the Samsung HW-S800B for most uses. The Q800B is a bigger soundbar with a bigger subwoofer, adding a little more low-bass to the mix. Also, since it's a 5.1.2 setup, it's better for surround sound. You even get more inputs, including Optical and HDMI In ports, so you can passthrough high-quality bandwidth signals. That said, the S800B stands out thanks to its design—its slim build may be a better fit for you, depending on the layout of your living area.
The Samsung HW-Q700A and the Samsung HW-S800B are two 3.1.2 Dolby Atmos setups with different strengths and weaknesses. The Q700A was released in 2021, and it's a bigger bar with more inputs on hand, including Optical and HDMI In. As a result, you can use it for high-quality passthrough, unlike the S800B. However, the S800B's unique slim design is well-suited for smaller spaces, and it comes with more enhancement features, including room correction. It's also able to reproduce a more extended low-bass than the Q700A despite its smaller sub.
The Samsung HW-S800B and the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 both boast an identical 3.1.2. configuration, with a discrete sub handling low-end duties. Despite being a few years older, the Samsung is a better choice when it comes to almost every aspect. It's better built, with a more balanced default frequency response, a wider stereo soundstage, a better dynamics performance, and a wider variety of sound enhancement options. That said, the Sony has a marginally better surrounds performance, has lower latency with most formats, and supports DTS:X. Still, unless these factors make a big difference in the way you playback content, the Samsung is a better pick.
The Samsung HW-Q600A and the Samsung HW-S800B are both 3.1.2 Dolby Atmos setups, but depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The 2021 Q600A is a bigger bar with more inputs on hand, including Optical and HDMI In. As a result, you can use it for high-quality passthrough, unlike the S800B. However, the S800B's unique slim design is well-suited for smaller spaces and has more enhancement features, including room correction. It's also able to reproduce a more extended low-bass than the Q600A, despite its smaller sub, and it has a better soundstage.
Test Results
