Samsung
Samsung HW-S801D
$399
82
/ 100
From $399
VS
Sonos Arc Ultra wins by 10
Sonos
Sonos Arc Ultra
9.1.4 Atmos · Sound Motion woofers · eARC
92
/ 100
From $999
Specdex verdict
Sonos Arc Ultra takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Samsung HW-S801D lands at 82 and Sonos Arc Ultra at 92. That puts Sonos Arc Ultra ahead by 10 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Samsung HW-S801D if…
- ✓Dolby Atmos on most
- ✓One-box simplicity
- ✓eARC passthrough
Pick Sonos Arc Ultra if…
- ✓Massive bass without a sub
- ✓9.1.4 channel processing
- ✓Easy TrueCinema tuning
Samsung HW-S801D 82
vs 92 Sonos Arc Ultra
Score breakdown
Samsung HW-S801D
82 sound 82
features 80
design 84
ease 86
Sonos Arc Ultra
92 sound 94
features 90
design 92
ease 90
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Samsung HW-S801D | Sonos Arc Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | — | 9.1.4 |
| Drivers | — | 14 + Sound Motion woofers |
| Connectivity | — | eARC HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.0 |
| Atmos | — | Dolby Atmos |
Samsung HW-S801D
Pros
- +Dolby Atmos on most
- +One-box simplicity
- +eARC passthrough
Cons
- −Rear surrounds sold separately on some
- −App quality varies
- −Cabinet depth needs space
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-S801D vs Sonos Arc Ultra
Which is better, Samsung HW-S801D or Sonos Arc Ultra? +
Sonos Arc Ultra scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 10. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Samsung HW-S801D worth the price? +
At $399, Samsung HW-S801D delivers a Specdex score of 82 — strongest in ease.
Is Sonos Arc Ultra worth the price? +
At $999, Sonos Arc Ultra delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in sound.
Does Samsung HW-S801D 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.