During the best Black Friday sales there are lots of opportunities to buy some of that pricer tech – which might otherwise cost you considerably more outside of the deals season.
Case in point: the two most recent flagship soundbars from both Samsung (the HW-Q990F) and LG (the S95TR) have fallen to their lowest prices yet – and they're more-or-less now the same asking price.
Pros
- Best for Samsung TVs, as Q-Symphony can use extra speakers
- New, smaller subwoofer size is likely to suit more people's setup
- Huge volume and genuine immersion, with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding
- HDMI 2.1 passthrough caters for 4K at 120Hz systems
Cons
- Rear speakers need a wired connection, so you'll need the sockets/space
- Smaller subwoofer's timing isn't as on-point as some
Cheapest price: £789 at B&Q
Pros
- Best for LG TVs with Wow Orchestra able to use those speakers too
- More height channels at the front, better for projecting dialogue enhancement
- Loud and proud sound output is able to deliver Dolby Atmos and DTS:X convincingly
Cons
- The subwoofer is much larger than the Samsung's
- Fewer channels compared to Samsung, arguably less immersive feel
- Rear speakers need wired connection, so you'll need the sockets/space
- Can't support 120Hz passthrough
Samsung HQ-Q990F
Samsung's 'F' model means this is a 2025 release – so as new as it gets. The LG, by comparison, was released in 2024 – but is still that brand's most up-to-date offering.
The Samsung's four boxes – soundbar, subwoofer, rear speakers pair – cater for an 11.1.4 output. That means 11 channels at the front for centre/left/right/sides; the '.1.' is the sub bass; while the '.4' addresses the upfiring output for height – two on the main 'bar at the front, the other two on the rear speakers.
Able to decode Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, this immersion is further improved if you have a Samsung TV with Q-Symphony – then you can pair it to the set for even more speakers to output overall.
There's also an HDMI passthrough here, which is the 2.1 standard – so if you have a console or other bit of A/V kit that delivers 4K resolution at 120Hz then it'll cater for this. The LG's port isn't able to handle that refresh rate, but can passthrough 4K.
Part of the 'F' model's new design is a far smaller sub than previous iterations have delivered. That'll fit more sensibly into most people's homes, and it sounds great, but isn't as snappy with time response as some woofers.
LG S95TR
In general, the LG delivers a similar setup to the Samsung: it, too, is a four-box solution, comprising main soundbar, separate subwoofer and a pair of rear speakers.
The LG has got slightly more combined power, though, at 810W compared to the Samsung's 756W, but needless to say that means both are very loud indeed.
The larger subwoofer of the LG setup might be less elegant for most home setups, but it avoid the timing latency of the new Samsung model.
The LG's 9.1.5 channel output is similar to the Samsung, catering for more height channels – there's an additional one to the centre of the main 'bar – so it's good with projecting dialogue.
The LG can absolutely passthrough 4K signals via its HDMI port, freeing up one on the rear of the TV that you'll need, but only to 60Hz – not 120Hz as per the Samsung offering. That shows the advances of a more up-to-date product, ultimately.
Just like the Samsung, LG also has its own sync-with-TV setting, Wow Orchestra, so if you own an LG TV then you can benefit from this additional set of speakers – for an even broader wall-of-sound experience.
Conclusion
It's a tightly run race, but the minor additional expense of the Samsung ultimately covers its worth.
It's more up to date with HDMI standards, has more channels overall, and the smaller subwoofer will just fit most people's situations better.
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