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Samsung All-in-One Soundbar Review: Big Sound, No Subwoofer Needed
by Sherri L. Smith on April 15, 2026
You’ve finally done it. After conducting tons of research and price comparisons, you finally purchased your dream TV. The picture looks fantastic, but the audio leaves something to be desired. Yep, you know what that means. You need a soundbar.
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to tour Samsung’s campus recently and test what’s currently my favorite soundbar of the year, the HW-QS90H. As Samsung’s latest foray in the all-in-one soundbar arena (the subwoofer is built in), the HW-QS90H brings the oomph you’re looking for and then some. It’s a sleek beauty capable of producing clean, room-filling audio and has a host of features to ensure an optimal listening experience, no matter what you’re watching or listening to. It’s a premium device with functionality that even the greenest of beginners can master.
The HW-QS90H Soundbar will be available sometime in 2026 for a wallet-emptying $999.99. For that price, you get a true 7.1.2 system that features seven primary drivers: three front-firing (left, right, and center), two side-firing, and a pair of wide-firing drivers. Plus, there are a couple of up-firing drivers. The sum of which creates the illusion of several strategically placed speakers around the room rather than a single, sleek soundbar. Samsung also integrated four subwoofers, so you don’t have to invest in any other speakers. If the price doesn’t give you pause, the Samsung HW-QS90H Soundbar is definitely worth a listen or two.
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"Samsung has a real winner with the HW-QS90H Soundbar."
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Design
The HW-QS90H won’t turn heads with an innovative design. And honestly, it’s not meant to. The slate gray rectangle sports clean lines throughout, including the top of the device. It’s here that you’ll find buttons for volume, mic on/off, and a multi-function button for power and input source selection. The soundbar sports a long rubber foot to prevent scuffing your credenza, or it can be mounted upright to the wall (see below). And thanks to gyroscopes integrated into the soundbar, the drivers will automatically adjust, switching roles between the up and front-firing drivers. That way, no matter the position, you’ll always get full power from each driver.
At 14.75 pounds, the 49.02 x 2.71 x 4.92-inch soundbar will fit nicely under most TVs, whether it’s mounted or placed flat.
Ports and Connectivity
Since the HW-QS90H can use Wi-Fi to connect to Samsung TVs, there aren’t many ports. But the HDMI In and Out ports (one with eARC/ARC support) are extremely useful, as is the Optical In port. The soundbar is Bluetooth 5.3 compatible and works with AirPlay and Google Cast. You stream your music directly from Spotify while controlling everything from a smartphone or tablet using Spotify Connect. And, it has Amazon Alexa and Samsung Bixby voice assistants built in.
Features
Just like other soundbars in Samsung’s arsenal, the HW-S90H comes bursting with features. One of the most important features is SpaceFit Pro. Using an integrated microphone, the soundbar will calibrate audio output to best accommodate the space based on its acoustics. There’s also Q-Symphony, which synchronizes your Samsung TV’s speakers with the soundbar instead of disabling the former, providing even richer sound.
Sound Elevation is a cool new feature that I think many people will appreciate. Instead of character dialogue having a disembodied feeling because it comes from below the TV, Sound Elevation directs the dialogue so it appears to come from the person onscreen. So if a character on the right side of the screen is talking, the sound will come from there instead of the soundbar's position, making for a more natural listening experience.
To prevent sudden volume jumps when switching channels or services, there’s Auto Volume to keep things at a comfortable level. And in the pursuit of producing clear dialogue and defined detail, you have Adaptive Sound, which Samsung says will recognize the type of content on screen and optimize accordingly. That means voices in a dialogue-heavy scene will take center stage while an action sequence will focus on explosions and screeching tires. And speaking of explosions and other bass-heavy situations, the HQ-QS90H has Samsung’s patented AI Dynamic Bass Control, which actively monitors the audio and adjusts the bass in real time.
To further enhance that immersive feeling, the soundbar features Dolby Atmos 3D audio. And gamers have Game Mode Pro, which kicks in when a console comes into play, focusing on delivering balanced audio for whatever game you’re playing.
Performance
Despite all the fancy bells and whistles Samsung touts, you really have to hear the HW-QS90H to get what the company’s laying down. And I’ll admit, I was a little worried that the bass was going to be too much or too little, but after sitting through several gun and hand-to-hand fights in “The Old Guard”, my doubts were put aside.
Explosions were weighty, but not overbearing, allowing for frantic dialogue to come through loud and clear. Whether it was the tense strings and taut drumline of the background music, the wet sound of a sword slicing through flesh, or the crisp tinkle of shell casing hitting concrete, every part of the audio came together in a chaotic symphony that sucked me right into the action. And when the actors spoke, their voices were clean and clear with a slight elevation in volume to ensure they weren’t lost in the fracas.
When I played “Forza Horizon 5”, from the moment the Ford Bronco turned on and the hatch of the cargo plane slowly opened while the moorings holding the truck in place disengaged, I was locked in. During the descent, the maracas and cowbells started, joined by an energetic chant from a female vocalist. From there comes the bombastic welcome from the narrator as the truck’s tires bite into the dirt road. The revving of the engine takes center stage as the background music becomes just that – background. As I accelerated, braked, and drifted my way through the designated path, the audio responded in kind, creating an immersive feeling that I was actually behind the wheel, racing with reckless abandon. I’d love to play “Hades II,” “Ori and the Will of the Wisps,” or “Black Myth: Wukong” with the HW-S90H, as they have some of my favorite soundtracks or some serious audio effects.
Verdict
Samsung has a real winner with the HW-QS90H Soundbar. The unassuming, yet stately design belies the power contained within. No matter the content, the HW-QS90H rises to the occasion with rich, full audio that doesn’t overshadow the finer details. On the contrary, there’s technology in place designed to enhance dialogue, maintain volume, and make sure the bass is strong without becoming overwhelming. And if you’re so inclined, you can invest in other Samsung audio components like the Music Studio 7 speaker I just reviewed to create an even more immersive experience.
At $999.99, the HW-QS90H is a bit expensive, even with its all-in-one design and all the bells and whistles. But if price is not a problem, the Samsung HW-QS90H soundbar will be one of the best when it becomes available this year.
[Image credit: Sherri L. Smith/Techlicious, Suzanne Kantra/Techlicious]
