Samsung
Samsung HW-Q990D
11.1.4 · Wireless sub + rears · Q-Symphony
93
/ 100
From $1,799
VS
Samsung HW-Q990D wins by 1
Sonos
Sonos Arc Ultra
9.1.4 Atmos · Sound Motion woofers · eARC
92
/ 100
From $999
Verdex verdict
Samsung HW-Q990D takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Verdex score, Samsung HW-Q990D lands at 93 and Sonos Arc Ultra at 92. That puts Samsung HW-Q990D ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Samsung HW-Q990D if…
- ✓11.1.4 with sub + rears included
- ✓DTS:X and Atmos
- ✓Best matched with Samsung TVs
Pick Sonos Arc Ultra if…
- ✓Massive bass without a sub
- ✓9.1.4 channel processing
- ✓Easy TrueCinema tuning
Score breakdown
Samsung HW-Q990D
93 sound 95
features 94
design 82
ease 80
Sonos Arc Ultra
92 sound 94
features 90
design 92
ease 90
Specs side-by-side
Spec
Samsung HW-Q990D
Sonos Arc Ultra
Channels
11.1.4
9.1.4
Connectivity
HDMI 2.1 eARC, Wi-Fi, BT
eARC HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.0
Extras
Wireless sub + rears included
—
Drivers
—
14 + Sound Motion woofers
Atmos
—
Dolby Atmos
Samsung HW-Q990D
Pros
- +11.1.4 with sub + rears included
- +DTS:X and Atmos
- +Best matched with Samsung TVs
Cons
- −Bulky rear speakers
- −EQ can be bright
- −Complex setup
Sonos Arc Ultra
Pros
- +Massive bass without a sub
- +9.1.4 channel processing
- +Easy TrueCinema tuning
Cons
- −No DTS:X
- −App glitches
- −Expensive
FAQ: Samsung HW-Q990D vs Sonos Arc Ultra
Which is better, Samsung HW-Q990D or Sonos Arc Ultra? +
Samsung HW-Q990D scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Samsung HW-Q990D worth the price? +
At $1,799, Samsung HW-Q990D delivers a Verdex score of 93 — strongest in sound.
Is Sonos Arc Ultra worth the price? +
At $999, Sonos Arc Ultra delivers a Verdex score of 92 — strongest in sound.
Does Samsung HW-Q990D or Sonos Arc Ultra last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.