Samsung HW-Q800F vs Sonos Arc Ultra
Get the Samsung Q800F. Unless you want one tidy bar and no sub to place — then the Arc Ultra is the best single soundbar.
Samsung HW-Q800F
A 5.1.2 bar with a compact subwoofer, clear dialogue and real up-firing speakers, for about half the price of the big systems.
Sonos Arc Ultra
The best single soundbar: crisp dialogue, surprising bass and convincing Atmos from one box. No HDMI inputs and no DTS:X.
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The Q800F's sub, centre channel and up-firing speakers give deep bass, clear voices and Atmos for a lot less, and it plays DTS:X. The Arc Ultra gets deep bass from one bar and has even clearer dialogue, but costs more and has no HDMI inputs.
- —You want a bar and sub for less.
- —You watch DTS:X films.
- —You plug a TV box into the soundbar.
- —You want one tidy bar and no extra box.
- —Clear dialogue matters most.
- —You listen to music too, or have Sonos speakers.
Key differences
Pros and cons
- +Deep bass from a compact sub
- +Clear dialogue from a centre channel
- +Remote and wall bracket in the box
- −HDMI passthrough is 4K/60 only, with no HDMI 2.1.
- −No rear speakers in the box.
- −Samsung's 2026 HW-Q800H has replaced it, so stock is running down.
- +Very clear dialogue
- +Deep bass with no separate sub
- +Wide, high Atmos from one bar
- −One HDMI eARC port and no HDMI inputs, so consoles must plug into the TV.
- −No DTS:X, only basic DTS.
- −No remote in the box, and no Google Assistant.
- −The Sonos app has had bugs since its 2024 redesign.
Ready to choose?
- Is the Samsung Q800F worth it?
- Is the Arc Ultra worth it?
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How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: RTINGS, What Hi-Fi, What Hi-Fi, manufacturer specifications.