Communication HDMI out (eARC), 2 x HDMI 2.1 in, optical, wi-fi, Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2
Format support Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Eclipse Audio
Streaming? Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Deezer
Voice control? Amazon Alexa, Works with Google
The size of the sound bar (hwd7 x 123 x 14cm
The weight of the sound bar 7.3 kg
Offering a compact subwoofer and focused surround sound, the Samsung HW-Q990F is an excellent choice for those looking to take their home theater sound to the next level.
Benefits
- Clear, detailed and powerful sound
- The bass is rich, controlled and versatile
- Easy setup with excellent connectivity
Communication HDMI out (eARC), 2 x HDMI 2.1 in, optical, wi-fi, Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2
Format support Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Eclipse Audio
Streaming? Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Deezer
Voice control? Amazon Alexa, Works with Google
The size of the soundbar (hwd7 x 123 x 14cm
The weight of the sound bar 7.3 kg
The HW-Q990H takes what we liked about the previous model and only improves on its audio performance.
Benefits
- Detailed, full-bodied cinematic sound
- Focused and open sound with well-placed length effects
- Excellent communication
Evil
- An extremely familiar design
- The Q990F is available at a lower price
But a new version of the bar has jumped onto the scene with the Samsung HW-Q990H. We put the two systems head to head in our test room, so we know how they compare. Let’s see which model won…
Samsung HW-Q990F vs HW-Q990H: price
The Samsung Q990H launched at £1599 / $2000 / AU$1999, placing it in the premium soundbar category. It’s still a new addition to the market so we don’t expect any significant discounts yet, but these will probably come later down the line.
We can say that with reasonable certainty, as that is the case with the Samsung Q990F. It was launched at £1699 / $1999/AU$1999, which is slightly more expensive in the UK and US than its successor.
Since its release, the system has seen significant discounts and is now available for £999 in the UK.
That said, even though the Q990H was launched at a lower price in the beginning, the cheaper price tag of the Q990F now makes it the overall winner in this category.
**Winner: Samsung HW-Q990F**
Samsung HW-Q990F vs HW-Q990H: design
Side by side, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the two soundbar systems apart. Both large soundbars measure 7 x 123 x 14cm (hwd) and weigh 7.3kg.
You’ll find dedicated buttons up top to change the source, mute the onboard microphones and adjust the volume, with a dot matrix display on the front showing the relevant information.
The subwoofer with both models is a cube that measures 25 x 25 x 25cm and weighs 8.3kg. Finally, the surround speakers are also the same, with a boxy, angular design that includes a handy cable guide on the bottom edge. They also have the same dimensions, 20 x 13 x 14cm.
Both are well-built and have a premium feel with everything being made of aluminum or strong, high-quality plastic. But overall the design is starting to get tired, especially considering the previous Q990D and Q990C models look almost identical.
The model includes a remote control with functions for switching inputs, sound mode and system EQ, as well as adjusting the level of the subwoofer.
Not much to compare here as they are twins, so it should be a tie.
**Winner: draw**
Samsung HW-Q990F vs HW-Q990H: features
It’s a known issue when it comes to features. Both Samsung systems offer an 11.1.4 channel configuration, with an impressive 23 individual drivers on board. This includes 15 drivers in the main sound bar unit, three in the wireless surround speaker, and two 8-inch woofers (in a push/pull configuration) in the wireless subwoofer.
Both soundbars and surround speakers feature high-firing drivers, which brings us nicely to the concentrated audio formats supported by the systems.
Both support three embedded audio formats: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Samsung’s Eclipsa Audio. The latter hasn’t been accepted by any other services besides YouTube yet, but it’s good to be confirmed in the future in case that changes.
To adjust the settings of both systems, the Samsung SmartThings app is there to help. With both bars, we find that this is the preferred way to interact with the settings menus, due to the quick connection and easy-to-understand menus.
You can also control your source from this app, including music streamed wirelessly from the app. Both the Q990F and Q990H support Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Tidal Connect and Bluetooth, and are compatible with Roon.
But what about physical contact? The sound bar has three HDMI sockets in total. This includes HDMI eARC for connecting to your TV, alongside two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 pass-through sockets, which support signals up to 4K/120Hz with VRR and ALLM, as well as HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision (a nice touch, as Samsung TVs don’t support Dolby Vision).
Samsung’s SpaceFit Sound Pro feature, which is a sound bar calibration system, is also present on both bars. An optional feature uses built-in microphones to constantly monitor and adjust the sound bar and subwoofer to suit your viewing position.
There are four sound types with both bars: Standard, Surround, Game and AI Adaptive. With both Samsung soundbars, Surround Mode is best for movies and TV shows, as the wider soundstage means all components hang together more cohesively. Standard is our preferred preset for music, as it combines minimal processing with a more focused sound.
One of the few differences here between the two bars is the Q990H’s inclusion of Samsung’s new Sound Elevation feature. It’s designed to raise the sound to match the position of your screen.
Samsung has never given a clear indication of how it decides where to place the sound, and to us, it seems a bit over the top, placing the sound at the top edge of our TV reference. This setup can be very appealing to those who mount their TV on the wall and leave a gap between it and their sound bar.
In addition, you will find Q Symphony – where your Samsung TV’s speakers work in sync with the system – is also supported.
Although the Q990H offers a new Sound Level feature, it doesn’t have enough impact to change the result, so we’ve looked at the tie again.
**Winner: draw**
Samsung HW-Q990F vs HW-Q990H: sound
Both soundbar systems are five-star performers, delivering rich and engaging sound that is a huge improvement over most TV speakers.
Voices sound natural and detailed while carrying plenty of subtle nuances. With the Samsung Q990H, this system is able to discover subtle sonic nuances, resulting in a more natural sound than the Q990F. It’s not a night and day difference, but the new model is the best performer in this area.
The Q990H continues to gain an edge over its predecessor when it comes to peak performance. If you look at Chapter 2 of Blade Runner 2049 with two models, both of which place the sound of holographic announcements near K’s flat with excellent accuracy. But the new model takes this even further than the Q990F, offering a greater sense of precision and range.
Continuing with the Bladerunner 2049, both soundbars show their best bass performance. In the sequence of the tricky second chapter, both systems deliver rich and powerful bass sounds that are controlled and dynamic, as we get a sense of increasing tension as K approaches the police station.
But how do two bars work with music? With both systems, most, if not all, of the good features from our movie screenings are present and ready for music. We play a variety of tracks, and the Q990F and Q990H both provide a clear sense of timing and rhythmic driving. Vocals continue to sound clear and evocative, while instruments have depth and texture.
While both are excellent sounding systems, Samsung’s subtle improvements to the HW-Q990H make it the better of the two soundbars.
**Winner: Samsung HW-Q990H**
Samsung HW-Q990F vs HW-Q990H: the verdict
Both Samsung systems are very well matched in design and features, offering multiple surround sound options and a solid build.
The Samsung Q990F is a great performer when it comes to sound, but the Q990H just takes everything we loved about the last generation and brings it to you in detail, detail and scale.
The Q990H is currently the most expensive option, but we expect the price to drop soon, as we saw with its predecessor. If your budget can stretch to a newer model, however, the Q990F is still one of the best sounding options.
**Overall Winner: Samsung HW-Q990H**
MORE:
Check out our full review of Samsung HW-Q990H
And here we are Samsung HW-Q990F update
These are The best soundbars for Dolby Atmos