The Samsung HW-T650 soundbar is a 3.1 setup from Samsung's 2020 lineup. It has a neutral and well-balanced sound profile that's suitable for a variety of music and movie genres. Also, it has a dedicated center channel, which helps make voices and dialogue sound clearer and more accurate. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the most immersive surround performance, and it doesn't support Atmos, which may be disappointing for movie fans. However, this soundbar can get pretty loud without creating a lot of distortion, resulting in clean audio reproduction. You also have some ability to customize the sound to your liking, thanks to its five EQ presets.
Our Verdict
The Samsung HW-T650 3.1Ch Soundbar is satisfactory for mixed usage. Its balanced, neutral sound profile is suitable for listening to most types of audio content. This 3.1 setup has a center channel that makes dialogue and voices sound clear and accurate. Unfortunately, it has to downmix surround content to stereo, which doesn't provide the most immersive movie-watching experience. Movie fans may also be disappointed by the fact that it doesn't support Atmos content. However, there are a few sound customization options, so you have some control over the bar's audio reproduction.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
Equalizer.
- Can get loud.
- Doesn't support Atmos.
- No room correction.
- Lacks a bit of low-bass.
The Samsung HW-T650 soundbar is great for dialogue-centric content like TV shows. Its balanced mid-range can reproduce voices clearly and accurately, and thanks to its discrete center channel, dialogue is accurately localized to a pinpoint location in the sound image. There's also a 'Smart Sound' feature available that can make dialogue more crisp and clear, as well as a Dynamic Range Control feature that balances the volume level across different programs.
- Dedicated center channel.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
Equalizer.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Can get loud.
- No room correction.
- Lacks a bit of low-bass.
The Samsung HW-T650 soundbar is good for music. It has a pretty neutral, though slightly boomy sound profile out-of-the-box, and it comes with bass and treble adjustments as well as EQ presets to help you get a more balanced sound. As a result, it's suitable for listening to most music genres. However, it lacks some low-bass, so you don't feel the deep rumble in bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
Equalizer.
- Can get loud.
- No room correction.
- Lacks a bit of low-bass.
The Samsung HW-T650 soundbar has an adequate movie performance. The sound profile is fairly neutral and well-balanced. However, it lacks a bit of sub-bass, so it may not be able to fully reproduce the lowest thumps and rumbles in action-packed scenes. This soundbar can get loud, and there aren't a lot of compression artifacts at max volume, resulting in clean audio reproduction. Unfortunately, it downmixes surround content to stereo, which isn't very immersive. Unlike some of the other 3.1 setups we've tested, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos content.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
Equalizer.
- Can get loud.
- Doesn't support Atmos.
- No room correction.
- Lacks a bit of low-bass.
Changelog
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Updated Mar 13, 2025:
This review has been updated to include information about the graphic equalizer in the Sound Enhancement Features and Remote sections.
- Updated Jul 26, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Mar 03, 2021: Updated latency measurements with new testing method.
- Updated Feb 09, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This soundbar comes in one color variant: 'Black'. However, some retailers sell a model known as the Samsung HW-T60M, which seems to be the same soundbar. 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 so we can update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Samsung HW-T650 is a 3.1 soundbar from Samsung's 2020 lineup. Overall, it has a decent performance that makes it versatile for a variety of different uses. Unlike the 2020 Sony HT-G700, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos or 4k passthrough. However, it has a much better-balanced sound out-of-the-box than similar 3.1 setups like the LG SN6Y.
If you're looking for more soundbars, see our reviews for the best soundbars, the best soundbars for dialogue, and the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.
The Sony HT-G700 is a slightly better overall soundbar than the Samsung HW-T650. Unlike the Samsung, it supports Dolby Atmos content, although it won't provide the most immersive listening experience because it has to downmix it to stereo. The Sony also supports 4k passthrough, so you can use the bar as a hub between your TV and your game console or PC. The Samsung has a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box. However, like other Sony soundbars, the Sony's S-Force Pro surround sound feature is always on, which may not be preferred by all users.
The Sony HT-Z9F is a better-performing soundbar than the Samsung HW-T650. Unlike most 3.1 setups, the Sony supports Dolby Atmos content. It doesn't have dedicated surround or height speakers, but it uses S-Force Front Surround and Vertical Surround Engine to simulate these experiences. It has more connectivity options, ideal for users who want to use the soundbar as a hub between different devices. The Sony doesn't have bass or treble adjustments, so if you like to customize your sound, you may prefer the Samsung.
The Samsung HW-T650 and the Samsung HW-A650 have similar overall performances, so you may prefer one over the other. The HW-A650 is better built, and it has a better surrounds performance. However, the HW-T650 has a better soundstage performance, and it can get a bit louder.
The Samsung HW-Q600A is a better soundbar for mixed usage than the Samsung HW-T650. The HW-Q600A is better built and supports Dolby Atmos content. It also offers a better surround performance. That said, the HW-T650 has a better soundstage performance.
Test Results
