The S800D ultra slim soundbar from Samsung is big step up from your standard TV speakers. Height of the soundbar is only 1.5 inches so it’s short enough to allow it to sit on a table, entertainment center, or dresser well below a TV to allow remote signals to easily pass by. It’s also light weight and easily wall mountable if you would rather mount it to a wall. There are 5 speakers in the soundbar for the left, right, center, upper left, and upper right channels and the bar runs at about 130 watts. The subwoofer has two speakers and runs at 200 watts and connects wirelessly to the soundbar. The soundbar only has one micro-HDMI port that supports eARC, but you can also connect wirelessly via wi-fi (through the Samsung SmartThings app) and Bluetooth to stream music. Both Dolby ATMOS and DTS Virtual:X are supported so it doesn’t matter what a movies sound is mastered in, it will be supported so long as you are using an eARC connection. If your TV doesn’t support ARC or eARC you will not be able to use this soundbar because it does not have an optical or coaxial input. The only other port is a USB port to allow you to update the firmware, which you can do since Samsung put out an update on 4/8/24.
Initial setup was quick and easy, and I like the minimalistic look of the system. It’s quite small and doesn’t take up a lot of room. It does support HDMI-CEC, so I was able to control volume directly from my TV and Amazon Fire Cube remotes. I had the soundbar connected to an older 2012 Samsung plasma television and had no problems with the connection or control of the device. Once I had the surround sound mode and subwoofer volume set to my preference, I started watching some movies.
For its size, the system packs a punch. It’s not going to give you a true surround sound experience since it doesn’t have the rear channels, but there is a compatible rear speaker that can be added to the setup to give you that experience. The bass isn’t overpowering and the small speakers in the soundbar don’t sound tinny, or tiny. They give you a very nice and sizable upgrade over the stock speakers on a TV. Even without the rear speakers, it does provide some immersion thanks to the upper right and upper left sound channels. The soundbar is also wide enough to give you some separation between the left and right channels. Whether it was movies or music the sound quality was nice and the listening experience was enjoyable.
Overall, I’m quite happy with the system, but there is one thing I didn’t like about the subwoofer and that was the lack of a protective cover for each of the speakers. I have several cats, so the lack of any protection on the subwoofer speakers was a bummer. I would have liked to have seen a speaker grill over each speaker to protect them from claws and other mischievous activities. Thankfully I was able to position the subwoofer in such a way as to use furniture to keep the cats at bay.

Samsung’s new HW-S800D 3.1.2 sound bar system does a great job for smaller areas that don’t need complete audio immersion. The box includes the sound bar, subwoofer, power cords, HDMI/mini-HDMI cable, remote control, mounting hardware + brackets, and quick user guide/paperwork. The monitor comes with a manufacturer’s 1-year warranty.
PROS:
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* The sound bar can be placed in tight areas that are both vertically and depth-challenged measuring about an inch in both directions.
* Like most Samsung sound bar systems, the remote control buttons have a similar layout. The remote is extremely light yet does not feel cheap. Buttons are very responsive.
* Sub and sound bar pair up without any work. Power up, and boom, done.
* Bluetooth (BT) pairing was easy – hit the BT button on the remote, and my Samsung TV paired up instantly. The only wire connected to my sound bar is the power. Anything going thru the TV goes wirelessly to the sound bar (both my cable box and smart TV functions). The need for multiple inputs/wires is eliminated. If you need to wire the TV to the sound bar (eARC), the one mini-HDMI port on the sound bar can handle that.
* The compact nature of the sound bar is just that – there are no major bells and whistles with this unit. It just works and creates good surround/DTS:X sound in smaller areas.
* Directional speakers on the top ends of the bar help create spacial sound pretty well.
* The 2 rubber feet on the bottom keep the sound bar securely in place.
* Touch controls on top of the sound bar can be useful depending on placement of the sound bar itself.
CONS:
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* The remote is rechargeable via USB-C cable (not included). Over time, batteries can eventually die; however, Samsung is betting on the system breaking before the remote battery dies. I would still like a normal battery (2032 or the like).
* I’m not utilizing the mounting hardware, but in looking at it, it doesn’t look very user friendly or self-explanatory. Instructions are provided; however, I think a simpler bracket system might have worked better.
* Due to its simplistic nature, I understand why there is no display, but I find the blinking multi-colored dots and motions of multiple dot displays doesn’t give you all the information you want other than something is moving up/down (like volume). You don’t really know the treble/bass/volume settings – you just have to set it how you like it until the lights display that it can’t go any higher or lower. The light sequences are not difficult to read, but you just don’t know what your levels are at any given time.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS:
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* As shown in the pics, the subwoofer has a larger driver on one side and a smaller driver on the other. It’s rather small; however, it does pack a small punch for smaller rooms.
CONCLUSION:
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For what it is, it’s perfect for an office or bedroom setting and also apartments where too much sound could disrupt neighbors. If you have a home theater room, you likely will want something louder and bigger with more bass. Technically, this would also work well with a PC, however, you’ll need a wide enough space to fit the long bar. It’s a simple product though. Plug it in, pair it up, and it just works. Learn the light sequences during setup to find that sweet spot, and you should be good to go. With the slim nature, it will fit it more places than bigger sound bars yet still packs enough punch to enjoy movies in a small room or apartment. Good job, Samsung.

​I’ve had a B*** soundbar and sub in my living room (not my main listening room) for almost 4 years. I got it when ATMOS was just starting to gain ground. Most movies were still being released with DTS:X vs Dolby ATMOS, but ATMOS was making headway. If you don’t know much about these surround formats, they both fool the mind into believing it’s hearing 3D sound. If you just listen to a “normal” broadcast TV it really does not matter, as you will only find these surround formats from movies (Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray 4K quality, as DVD quality does not support ATMOS or DTS:X). Or from 4K UHD, DTS is supported from HDX format. Both ATMOS and DTS require your television to support eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel). Well ATMOS has now convinced most studios that it is the superior format. And from doing some A:B listening ATMOS clearly works better especially with only a sub and soundbar. With a full 5.1 or 7.2.x speaker setup (like in my main listening room) the two are quite similar. But with a soundbar that has upward firing drivers ATMOS is the clear winner. This is why I decided to “upgrade” to this Samsung HW-S800D. I tried to do in store comparisons, and found it nearly impossible to decide.
When I set up my new S800 I set it up with a HDMI switch so I could easily compare the two soundbar systems (both with a wireless sub (very simple to pair)). Both systems support WiFi and bluetooth for streaming, my B*** supports onscreen display the Samsung does not. The B*** supports Alexa voice control and AirPlay, this Samsung supports Alexa, Google and AirPlay; AirPlay is the only WiFi feature I’ve used in the last 4 years. Both also support Chromecast. The S800 is about 46″ long and 1.5″ tall and deep. It comes with all necessary mounting hardware if you want to mount it to the wall under your TV and a HDMI cable. The sub is about 9 1/2″ in all directions. If you have a recent Samsung TV, it also supports Q-symphony which will utilize your TV’s speakers with the soundbar. My (2019) Samsung TV did not support this, but if you have a 2020 or newer Samsung, this is a nice combination/feature. Samsung also sells matching wireless rear speakers (SWA9500S), so the system can become 7.1.4.
When I first compared my new S800D to my B***, I compared the voices on a baseball broadcast. The two soundbars were similar, the mid range of the Samsung sounded a bit louder, and a bit cleaner. The highs and bass were nearly identical. Now for the real test, the new Top Gun. I was anxious to hear/see and compare the carrier launch scenes, as well as passing mach 10 (and things not going so well). Cut to the chase, there was no comparison. Samsung’s surround sound blew the B*** away. Not only louder but much more immersive, sound seeming to come from above and behind me and a pretty good tight base. You ​could feel the plane tearing apart as Maverick foolishly passed mach 10.2. It was not as deep as my 12″ and 10″ subs in my main listening room, but given the size and cost (my 12″ sub ​alone costs twice what the S800 system costs). The music throughtout the movie was most excellent.
After the movie I quickly listened to Boston’s first album via AirPlay. The highs were very airy and the mids were quite clear and rich. The bass was just acceptable, good but it didn’t have the kick I really wanted to hear/feel. ​But, it had a good balance to it, all and all very well done. But I know what to listen for, and for its size the S800 more than pulls its own weight, color me impressed.

I know nothing about the latest and greatest sound products. I went into Best Buy to purchase a $150 Samsung soundbar & somehow ended up leaving with this one a good $800 later. I love the sleek design which was a huge selling point for me. It sounds great (average untrained ear). I keep the sound level around 17.. it’s rare that I go above 25. I’m happy with my purchase, no regrets.