Products
Tested using Methodology v1.3
Updated Apr 13, 2026 07:19 PM
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Amazon.com
Tested using Methodology v1.3
Updated Apr 13, 2026 07:05 PM
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Amazon.com
Channels
11.1.4
Channels
11.1.4
Our Verdict
Samsung HW-Q990F
JBL Bar 1300XMK2
The JBL Bar 1300XMK2 and the Samsung HW-Q990F are both premium soundbars that excel in just about every usage. They both offer accurate sound profiles with a touch of extra boom and thump that ensures effects like explosions always feel immersive. And they both offer comparable surround and Atmos performance. The Samsung is more expensive, but pulls ahead of the JBL in latency performance. The Samsung also has better passthrough support. If you're a gamer, the Samsung setup may be simpler to get working for you.
Variants
- HW-Q990F (Black)
- Bar 1300XMK2 (Black)
Check Price
Black
HW-Q990F
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Amazon.com
Black
Bar 1300XMK2
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Amazon.com
Black
HW-Q990F
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BestBuy.com
Black
Bar 1300XMK2
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BestBuy.com
Black
HW-Q990F
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Samsung.com
Black
Bar 1300XMK2
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JBL
Black
HW-Q990F
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Walmart.com
Black
Bar 1300XMK2
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B&H
Black
HW-Q990F
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B&H
Black
Bar 1300XMK2
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Walmart.com
Main Differences for
Mixed Usage
Mixed Usage
Threshold
Mixed Usage
Full Comparison
Design
Style - Bar
Style photo - bar
Style - Subwoofer
Style photo - sub
Sub Wireless
Enclosure
Style - Satellites
Style photo - satellites
Satellite Wireless
Dimensions - Bar
Dimensions photo - bar
Width
Height
Depth
Dimensions - Subwoofer
Dimensions photo - sub
Width
Height
Depth
Dimensions - Satellites
Dimensions photo - satellites
Width
Height
Depth
Mounting
Bar Mounting Holes
Satellite Mounting Holes
Mountable Bar
Bar Brackets Included
Mountable Satellites
Satellite Brackets Included
Build Quality
Build quality photo
In The Box
In The Box photo
Sound
Stereo Frequency Response
Stereo Setup
Raw Frequency Response
Frequency Response Small
Channels
Tested Preset
Slope
Standard Error
Low-Frequency Extension
High-Frequency Extension
Stereo Frequency Response With Preliminary Calibration
Frequency Response Calibrated
Suggested Preset
Suggested Bass Setting
Suggested Treble Setting
Slope
Standard Error
Low-Frequency Extension
High-Frequency Extension
Stereo Soundstage
Crosstalk
Crosstalk Error
Stereo Dynamics
Dynamic Range Compression
SPL @ Max Volume
DRC @ 90dB
DRC @ Max Volume
Center
Center Setup
Frequency Response
Localization
Slope
Std. Err.
SPL @ Max Volume
Weighted THD @ 80dB
Weighted THD @ Max Volume
Surround 5.1
Surround Setup
Frequency Response
Localization
Slope
Std. Err.
SPL @ Max Volume
Weighted THD @ 80dB
Weighted THD @ Max Volume
7.1 Rears
Height (Atmos)
Height Setup
H Frequency Response
Localization
Slope
Std. Err.
SPL @ Max Volume
Weighted THD @ 80dB
Weighted THD @ Max Volume
Sound Enhancement Features
Room Correction
Dialogue Enhancement
Auto-Volume/Night Mode
Subwoofer Level Adjustment
Bass Adjustment
Treble Adjustment
EQ
Surround Level Adjustment
Rear Level Adjustment
Height Level Adjustment
Virtual Surround
Connectivity
Inputs/Outputs - Bar
Physical Connections Bar Photo 1
Physical Connections Bar Photo 2
Optical Audio In
HDMI Out
HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth
Full HDMI In
Analog Audio In 3.5mm (Aux)
RCA In
USB for Files
Ethernet
Subwoofer Output
Audio Format Support: ARC/eARC
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital Plus
Dolby TrueHD
DTS
DTS:X
DTS-HD MA
PCM Channels
Audio Format Support: HDMI In
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital Plus
Dolby TrueHD
DTS
DTS:X
DTS-HD MA
PCM Channels
Audio Format Support: Optical
Dolby Digital
DTS
PCM Channels
Audio Latency: ARC
ARC Latency Video
PCM-2.0 ch
PCM-5.1 ch
Dolby MAT (PCM) Atmos
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital Plus
Dolby Digital Plus Atmos
Audio Latency: HDMI In
HDMI Latency Video
PCM-2.0 ch
PCM-5.1 ch
Dolby MAT (PCM) Atmos
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital Plus
Dolby Digital Plus Atmos
Audio Latency: Optical
Optical Latency Video
PCM-2.0 ch
Dolby Digital
Video Passthrough To TV
1080p Max Refresh Rate
1080p @ 4:4:4 Max Refresh Rate
4k Max Refresh Rate
4k @ 120Hz @ 10-Bit
4k @ 4:4:4 Max Refresh Rate
8k Max Refresh Rate
HDR10 Passthrough
HDR10+ Passthrough
Dolby Vision Passthrough
HDMI Forum VRR Passthrough
FreeSync Passthrough
G-SYNC Passthrough
ALLM Passthrough
Wireless Playback
Bluetooth
Wi-Fi Playback
Chromecast built-in
Apple AirPlay
Spotify Connect
Additional Features
Interface
Interface photo
Display
Bar Controls
Controls photo
Remote
Remote photo
Voice Assistants Support
Amazon Alexa
Google Assistant
Apple Siri
Microphone Mute
Check Price
Black
HW-Q990F
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
Bar 1300XMK2
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
HW-Q990F
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Black
Bar 1300XMK2
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Black
HW-Q990F
SEE PRICE
Samsung.com
Black
Bar 1300XMK2
SEE PRICE
JBL
Black
HW-Q990F
SEE PRICE
Walmart.com
Black
Bar 1300XMK2
SEE PRICE
B&H
Black
HW-Q990F
SEE PRICE
B&H
Black
Bar 1300XMK2
SEE PRICE
Walmart.com
Samsung HW-Q990F
JBL Bar 1300XMK2
Comments
Samsung HW-Q990F vs JBL Bar 1300XMK2: Main Discussion
What do you think of these products? Let us know below.
Looking for a personalized buying advice from the RTINGS.com experts? Members have direct access to buying advice on our member forum.
Thanks for your question. We don’t score long-term reliability, so I’d be careful about making a definitive brand call there. Both are premium systems, but Samsung has had the more visible recent software baggage because of the well-documented 2025 Q990D firmware incident that led to them offering some free repairs, while the JBL Bar 1300XMK2 seems to have a few scattered reports of update/app/setup issues rather than one single widespread failure. On build, both are flagship-tier, so I’d treat this more as a feature/performance choice than a reliability slam dunk for either brand. Soundbars in general don’t go through the same wear and tear as headphones, so as long as you’re careful when installing and moving your system, you should be okay. My other recommendation would be to try and delay firmware updates where possible (personally, I think this is good practice in general), to see if there are any reports of problems before you update.
Hope that helps!
Tied scores! How is the reliability of these brands? Does one seem more premium build quality than the other? Any software bugs?