Updated 18 Oct 2026
Is the Samsung HW-Q990F worth it?
Yes — the best soundbar system you can buy.
You get the bar, a compact wireless subwoofer and two rear speakers that fire sound up as well as forwards, so effects really move around and over you. Bass is deep and tight, dialogue stays clear, and it handles every film format, DTS:X included. Two HDMI inputs pass 4K/120 through for a console. It's the biggest setup here, with four boxes to place, and a 2026 version with the same hardware has replaced it, so it's now much cheaper than at launch.
93%of 30 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- Real surround and overhead effects
- Deep, tight bass from the included sub
- 4K/120 passthrough for consoles
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What owners say
Owners love the sound, how easy it is to set up and the surround and height effects. Complaints are rare.
Good to know
- The front display is hard to read.
- Setup needs Samsung's SmartThings app.
- Some owners report the volume getting out of sync when streaming music.
- The bar is 123cm wide, too long for TVs under 55 inches.
From 30 buyer ratings at Currys, every complaint read by us, October 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Great, clear soundMentioned a lot
- Easy to set upMentioned often
- Immersive surround and height effectsAlso mentioned
- Powerful bass from a small subAlso mentioned
What they complain about
Hardly any: just 2 of 30 owners gave it 3 stars or fewer, and no complaint came up often enough to list.
Get it if…
- You want cinema-style surround sound, not just a better TV speaker.
- You watch a lot of films and play games on a console.
- You have room for rear speakers behind the sofa.
Skip it if…
- You only want one box under the TV: get the Sonos Arc Ultra.
- Your room is small or you live in a flat with thin walls.
How we reached this verdict
RTINGS names it the best soundbar overall and the best with a subwoofer, for balanced, punchy sound and support for nearly every format. What Hi-Fi gives it five stars and an Award, calling it the best Dolby Atmos soundbar system, with a new sub that fixes the old one's boomy bass. TechRadar and Expert Reviews also give five stars. The trade-offs are size, a hard-to-read display and an app you have to use for setup. Samsung's 2026 HW-Q990H has the same hardware, but RTINGS still recommends this one for the price.
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, TechRadar, Expert Reviews, RTINGS, What Hi-Fi, What Hi-Fi, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 18 Oct 2026How we decide