Design and build:

Comparing Samsung Q910B vs Q990B, the Q990B is slightly longer in width. Both the bars are suitable for large TV sizes of 75” screens. They are made of good quality plastic and covered in metal grille. The satellites have similar build. They include a subwoofer as well that is made of wood. Similar to most other soundbars, these Samsung models are wall mountable.

Performance:

Comparing Samsung Q910B vs Q990B, the Q910 B is a 9.1.2 channel soundbar but the Q990B has more channels. Samsung HW-Q990B has 11.1.4 channel configuration. Compared to the Q910B model, the Q990B is suitable for playing music. It has immersive surround sound production thanks to dedicated rear speakers along with side-firing drivers. The sound envelopes the users and stretchers around them. This makes movie effects and soundtracks lively and engaging. Overhead sounds are prominent, and it can create a powerful bubble of sound.

It can crisp and clear voices which means dialogue-heavy contents are played well. During setup, try placing the rears 7 to 8” above ear level. Low ends shows its power and seems adequate to enjoy bass-heavy music and movies. It can get quite loud without displaying any noticeable distortion. The bar has good sound separation. It works with SpaceFit auto calibration to improve the sound based on the room layout. This is similar for the Q910B model.

Samsung HW-Q910B can deliver full-bodied performance. It has room-filling and powerful soundstage that can follow actions on screen. Bass response is deep and integrated without drawing too much attention to it. The bar shows decent performance with music which you can improve by adjusting the 7-band EQ. Try switching between Adaptive and Music mode to see which one you like.

By tweaking some settings, users can achieve a well-balanced sound. With independent upward drivers, the bar produces very noticeable height effects. It can produce a good amount of surround sound in any living room. This is a must have for movie lovers. Voices are loud and intelligible. There is also a voice enhancement option. Overall, this bar is an excellent upgrade and an affordable home theater solution.

Features: 

Samsung soundbar HW-Q910B and Q990B have Airplay 2 but not Chromecast support making them a great choice for Apple users. With Airplay, users can stream contents to the bar or other Airplay supported device in the house. Users can talk to Siri-compatible devices to give commands. It can connect to Bluetooth TVs wirelessly that will eliminate the need of wires running around in the room. Samsung TV users can take advantage of Q-Symphony feature where the TV and bar will play in sync.

It has Tap Sound option where users will simply tap their smartphone on the top of the bar. They have HDMI 2.1 that allows 4k@60Hz passthrough. It also has some other features like VRR and ALLM. These allow smooth, lag-free and in-sync gaming scenes.

Connectivity:

Connection options are similar for these soundbars. They have optical port, HDMI eARC and an HDMI In. The HW-Q990B has another HDMI In. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth options are available as well.

Control options:

These soundbars have similar physical controls like switch input, volume up/down and mic mute/unmute. They can be controlled with voice assistant like Amazon Alexa. In case users prefer privacy, the bar has mute option. Along with these Samsung SmartThings app is also available. Users can use the TV remote control as well but for specific models (2017 or up).

Settings:

Both these soundbars have various settings and options including Voice enhancement, night mode, equalizer (bass/treble), channel level (center, top, surround, and subwoofer), AV Sync (to sync video and audio). They have sound modes including Adaptive Sound, Game Pro, Stereo, 3D Surround.  

Cost:

Samsung Q910B vs Q990B price comparison shows the HW-Q910B soundbar is less costly than the Q990B bar. The Samsung Q990B is almost double of that of Q910B. In case you want a home theater at an affordable price, then the Q910B is best for you.

FAQ:

Should I connect TV via optical or HDMI?

Samsung Q990B and Q910B have both optical and HDMI port so it depends on the available port of the TV. Between the two, HDMI is superior as it can transmit high-quality signals.