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