Sonos
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Dolby Atmos · HDMI eARC · Compact
86
/ 100
From $499
VS
Samsung HW-Q990D wins by 7
Samsung
Samsung HW-Q990D
11.1.4 · Wireless sub + rears · Q-Symphony
93
/ 100
From $1,799
Specdex verdict
Samsung HW-Q990D takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) lands at 86 and Samsung HW-Q990D at 93. That puts Samsung HW-Q990D ahead by 7 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Sonos Beam (Gen 2) if…
- ✓Atmos in a compact bar
- ✓Trueplay room correction
- ✓Expandable with Sub + rears
Pick Samsung HW-Q990D if…
- ✓11.1.4 with sub + rears included
- ✓DTS:X and Atmos
- ✓Best matched with Samsung TVs
Score breakdown
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
86 sound 86
features 88
design 92
ease 90
Samsung HW-Q990D
93 sound 95
features 94
design 82
ease 80
Specs side-by-side
Spec
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Samsung HW-Q990D
Channels
5.0 (virtual Atmos)
11.1.4
Connectivity
eARC HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.0
HDMI 2.1 eARC, Wi-Fi, BT
Extras
—
Wireless sub + rears included
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Pros
- +Atmos in a compact bar
- +Trueplay room correction
- +Expandable with Sub + rears
Cons
- −No upward drivers (virtual Atmos)
- −No DTS
- −App glitches
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 Beam (Gen 2) vs Samsung HW-Q990D
Which is better, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Samsung HW-Q990D? +
Samsung HW-Q990D scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 7. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Sonos Beam (Gen 2) worth the price? +
At $499, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in design.
Is Samsung HW-Q990D worth the price? +
At $1,799, Samsung HW-Q990D delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in sound.
Does Sonos Beam (Gen 2) 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.