Sonos Arc Ultra vs Samsung HW-Q990H Soundbar Comparison

Sonos Arc Ultra vs Samsung HW-Q990H

Sonos Arc Ultra

9.1.2-channel | $1,099

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Samsung HW-Q990H

11.1.4-channel | $1,998

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Sonos Arc Ultra vs Samsung HW-Q990H: the short answer

Across 13 features we can compare from the published specs, the Sonos Arc Ultra comes out ahead on 0 and the Samsung HW-Q990H on 8. The biggest difference for movies is height: the Samsung HW-Q990H has 4 ceiling-firing channels and the Sonos Arc Ultra has 2. Only the Samsung HW-Q990H comes with a subwoofer, which matters when comparing the prices.

Reasons to choose Samsung HW-Q990H over Sonos Arc Ultra

Channel layout: 11.1.4 vs 9.1.2
Height channels: 4 vs 2
DTS:X: Yes vs No
HDMI inputs: 2 vs 0
Subwoofer: Included vs Optional
Rear speakers: Included vs Optional
Streaming: Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect vs Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect
Height: 2.88 in vs 3.13 in

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Sonos Arc Ultra	Samsung HW-Q990H
Channel layout Counts speaker channels the bar actually has. More ear-level and height channels means a wider, taller sound field.	9.1.2	11.1.4
Height channels Drivers aimed at the ceiling, which is what makes Dolby Atmos sound overhead rather than just wide.	2	4
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
DTS:X	No	Yes
HDMI to the TV eARC carries lossless Dolby TrueHD and Atmos from the TV; plain ARC compresses them.	eARC	eARC
HDMI inputs A spare HDMI port for a games console or disc player.	0	2
Video pass-through	—	4K
Subwoofer Included beats optional beats none: a separate subwoofer is where deep bass comes from.	Optional	Included
Rear speakers Real rear speakers put effects behind you; without them surround is simulated from the front.	Optional	Included
Room correction	Yes	Yes
Streaming	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect
Voice assistant Built in, rather than through a separate smart speaker.	Alexa built-in	Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional
Dialogue enhancement	Yes	Yes
Height Lower is less likely to block the bottom of the TV picture.	3.13 in	2.88 in
Width / suits TVs from Neither is better: match the bar to your TV. See the size simulator below.	46.44 in / 55-inch	48.5 in / 65-inch
Drivers in the bar	14	15
Weight	13 lbs	16.1 lbs
List price	$1,099	$1,998

Green marks the better figure where one is better. Dashes are specs the maker does not publish.

Size: Both Soundbars in Front of a TV

Drawn to scale. The solid bar is the Sonos Arc Ultra, the dashed outline the Samsung HW-Q990H. Pick your TV size and how it stands to see whether either would cover the picture.

Full Specifications

Sonos Arc Ultra Specifications

Sound
Channels	9.1.2
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	No
Drivers	Tweeters: Soft-Dome (7); Midrange: Cone (6); Woofers: Cone (1); Enclosure: Sealed
Subwoofer	Optional
Rear speakers	Optional
Virtual surround	Surround mode
Dialogue enhancement	Yes
Night mode	Yes
Room correction	Yes
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	0
Optical inputs	No
Analogue input	No
USB	No
Subwoofer output	Wireless
HDMI CEC	Yes
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	802.11ax
Bluetooth	Yes
Streaming	AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn, Apple Music
Voice control	Alexa built-in
App	Mobile, Web, Computer
Learns TV remote	Yes
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	46.44 x 3.13 x 4.31 in / 1180 x 80 x 110 mm
Weight	13 lbs / 5.9 kg
Wall mounting	Yes (bracket sold separately)
Warranty	1 Year parts, 1 Year labour
List price	$1,099

Power is the maker's total across all drivers and is not comparable to an amplifier's per-channel rating.

Samsung HW-Q990H Specifications

Sound
Channels	11.1.4
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	Yes
Drivers	Tweeters: Dome (3); Woofers: Cones (12); Subwoofer: 8" Cone; Enclosure: Sealed(Bar),Radiator(Sub)
Subwoofer	Included
Rear speakers	Included
Virtual surround	Surround Sound Expansion
Dialogue enhancement	Yes
Night mode	Yes
Room correction	Yes
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	2
Video pass-through	4K
HDMI version	2.1
Optical inputs	Yes
Analogue input	No
USB	No
Subwoofer output	Wireless
HDMI CEC	Yes
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	802.11ac
Bluetooth	Yes
Streaming	AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn, YouTube Music
Voice control	Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional
App	Apple iOS, Android
Remote included	Yes
Learns TV remote	No
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	48.5 x 2.88 x 5.5 in / 1232 x 73 x 140 mm
Weight	16.1 lbs / 7.3 kg
Subwoofer size	9.75 x 9.88 x 10.44 in (W x H x D), 18.3 lbs
Wall mounting	Yes (bracket included)
Warranty	1 Year parts, 1 Year labour
List price	$1,998

Power is the maker's total across all drivers and is not comparable to an amplifier's per-channel rating.

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