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Apple Homepod 2nd Generation Review

Nikshep Myle Avatar
Updated Feb 13, 2024 8:01 AM

True Score

84
83
25

Experts

91
1,081

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

Geared towards iOS users, the premium Apple HomePod 2nd Generation delivers well-rounded audio and a moderately loud volume. However, it’s not rugged enough for travel, and you’ll find feature-rich options with built-in batteries at lower costs.

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$299.00
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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

Released in 2023, the Apple HomePod 2nd Generation is a premium, high-fidelity speaker with two color options (midnight and white). Like the best speakers, it offers temperature and humidity sensors, a room correction tool, and enables smart home integration. It boasts built-in voice assistant support with Siri and Bluetooth 5.0 and houses four mics and five tweeters inside its 5.1 lb body. It lacks graphic EQ or an in-built battery commonly found in the best Bluetooth speakers. The Apple Home app lets you control the speaker, but it’s only available with iOS devices. It supports Wi-Fi 4, and you can stream audio over Apple Airplay.

Rankings (recommended in)

Best For

  • Airplay

Consensus

our Verdict

Specifically designed for playing diverse music genres and dialogue-centric content, the Apple HomePod 2nd Generation is well-suited for moderately sized rooms at home. The speaker produces clear vocals and mids, satisfies bass enthusiasts with extended low bass, and provides bright and pronounced treble. Moreover, the room correction tool ensures tailored sound adjustments.

Its frequency response ranks near the top of our verified, tested list, with a wide 32.7Hz to 19300Hz frequency range. However, its sophisticated build (plastic base, glass plate, and mesh fabric) isn’t ideal for travel, and its wired design further limits portability. You can’t place it in the bathroom as it lacks dust or water resistance ratings, but the 85.2 dB volume output fills average-sized rooms.

ReasonS to Buy

  • Well-balanced audio
    • The Apple HomePod 2nd Generation is designed for listening to varied music genres and dialogue-heavy content in medium-sized rooms at home. You get crisp vocals and mids, an adequately extended low bass, and a bright and lively treble.

    • With a wide frequency response, it stands out among the top ten products in our tested and verified list, boasting impressive low (32.7Hz) and high (19300 Hz) frequency extensions.

  • Fairly loud volume output
    • Its 85.2 dB volume output suffices for filling a medium-sized room with ample sound, but it’s inadequate for larger and more spacious environments. It ranks in the bottom half of our certified, tested products.

Reason to Avoid

  • Average build quality
    • The plastic base, glass plate, and mesh fabric give it a sophisticated look and feel, but its durability doesn’t meet the demands of rough travel.

    • Moreover, placing it in the bathroom or kitchen without dust or water resistance ratings is not advisable.

  • Subpar portability
    • Although lightweight (5.1 lbs) to move between rooms, it requires a power outlet to work due to its wired design, reducing portability. And since this device is Bluetooth-enabled, you’ll want to read this guide on how to lock Bluetooth speakers to prevent unauthorized access. Or, for a more protected wired-only model, consider reading this Sonos Era 100 review.

Apple Homepod 2nd Generation Specs

Battery Charge TimeBattery Charge Timen/a
Battery LifeBattery LifeWired
Built In MicrophoneBuilt In MicrophoneYes
DepthDepth5.59"
HeightHeight6.6"
IPX RatingIPX Ratingn/a
SizeSize
Smart AppSmart AppApple HomeKit, Apple Music, iTunes, Siri
Speaker PairingSpeaker PairingYes
Water ResistantWater ResistantNo
WattageWattage1680 W
WidthWidth5.6"
Wireless RangeWireless Range300 ft

All Specs

Test Results

Battery Life (Hours)0
Volume Output (dB)85.2
Low End Roll Off (Hz)54.958
High End Roll Off (Hz)17,472.053

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Product Comparison

Apple Homepod 2nd Generation Review

Apple HomePod 1st Generation

True Score

84
83
79
84
NR

Ranking

#

31

/

109

#

37

/

109

#

83

/

109

#

26

/

109

#

/

Market Context

Released in 2023, the Apple HomePod 2nd Generation is a premium, high-fidelity speaker with two color options (midnight and white). Like the best speakers, it…

Released in 2023, the Apple HomePod 2nd Generation is a premium, high-fidelity speaker with two color options (midnight and white). Like the best speakers, it offers temperature and humidity sensors, a room correction tool, and enables smart home integration. It boasts built-in voice assistant support with Siri and Bluetooth 5.0 and houses four mics and five tweeters inside its 5.1 lb body. It lacks graphic EQ or an in-built battery commonly found in the best Bluetooth speakers. The Apple Home app lets you control the speaker, but it’s only available with iOS devices. It supports Wi-Fi 4, and you can stream audio over Apple Airplay.

The premium Apple HomePod 2nd Generation offers better value over the mid-range Apple HomePod Mini with its larger build that pushes out bigger sounds and…

The premium Apple HomePod 2nd Generation offers better value over the mid-range Apple HomePod Mini with its larger build that pushes out bigger sounds and deeper rumbles. Moreover, it features a room-sensing tool that customizes audio based on the room’s acoustic characteristics, a feature lacking in the HomePod Mini.

The Apple HomePod 2nd Generation and Bose Home Speaker 500 are both designed for home use since they’re not battery-powered. But the Home Speaker 500…

The Apple HomePod 2nd Generation and Bose Home Speaker 500 are both designed for home use since they’re not battery-powered. But the Home Speaker 500 gets louder and has a wider soundstage, making it suitable for more open spaces than the HomePod 2nd Generation. In contrast, the HomePod 2nd Generation has a wider frequency response to accommodate more diverse sounds. For more information, read this Bose Home Speaker 500 review. And for a speaker that doubles as a lamp, read this IKEA SYMFONISK Speaker Lamp review.

Depending on your use case, you could either pick the premium Apple HomePod 2nd Generation with advanced features or the midrange Anker Soundcore Motion X600…

Depending on your use case, you could either pick the premium Apple HomePod 2nd Generation with advanced features or the midrange Anker Soundcore Motion X600 that’s sturdier and louder. The HomePod features a room correction tool that adjusts sounds based on your room’s acoustics and boasts an in-built voice assistant (Siri), a wider soundstage, and Apple AirPlay compatibility. However, the Motion X600 has more customization options with its nine-band graphic EQ. To learn more, read this Anker Soundcore Motion X600 review.

The newer Apple HomePod 2nd Generation shares features similar to its predecessor, the Apple HomePod 1st Generation. The major difference lies in their low-extended bass,…

The newer Apple HomePod 2nd Generation shares features similar to its predecessor, the Apple HomePod 1st Generation. The major difference lies in their low-extended bass, with the newer model delivering more thump and rumble.

Battery Charge Time

n/a

Wired

6 hrs

Battery Life

Wired

Wired

12 hrs

Built In Microphone

Yes

Yes

Yes

Depth

5.59"

4.3"

12.2"

Height

6.6"

8"

6.73"

IPX Rating

n/a

n/a

IPX7

Size

Smart App

Apple HomeKit, Apple Music, iTunes, Siri

Amazon Alexa app, Apple AirPlay 2, Bose Music, Google Assistant

Soundcore

Dig Deeper

Apple Homepod Mini Review →

Bose Home Speaker 500 Review →

Anker Soundcore Motion X600 Review →

All Stores

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  • Save $20
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Score Card

E

Expert Score

83

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

91

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

84

Expert Scores

  • Rtings
    100.6

    Category Trust Rating

    72
    The Apple HomePod (2nd generation) is a stylish home speaker with built-in Siri for hands-free… Read More

    By:

    John Panoryios
  • Sound Guys
    81.17

    Category Trust Rating

    NR
    It’s too expensive to be anyone’s first foray into Apple’s smart home ecosystem, but if… Read More

    By:

    Sam Moore
  • PC Mag
    43.6

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    Apple’s second-generation HomePod carries over the elegant design from the original, but improves the audio… Read More

    By:

    Tim Gideon
  • Tom’s Guide
    65.58

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    The Apple HomePod 2 delivers amazing sound quality, and works incredibly well within Apple’s ecosystem… Read More

    By:

    Mike Prospero
  • CNET
    36.25

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    In our hands-on testing, the new HomePod sounded great, but the $299 price tag limits… Read More

    By:

    Ty Pendlebury
  • Techradar
    43

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    The HomePod 2 offers clear, detailed and well-balanced sound from an impressively compact package –… Read More

    By:

    Matt Bolton