HomePod Mini 2 vs. HomePod Mini: How Apple’s Speaker Compares With Past Models
After an announcement at Apple’s huge Home tech event in October (which also featured the HomeView smart display), the HomePod Mini 2 smart speaker ($150) is now available for sale, and I’ve been experimenting with it all week.
Read more: My Complete HomePod Mini 2 Review: Small But Mightier
For diehard Apple fans looking for a home or audio upgrade, one question outshines the rest: Is the Mini 2 worth the upgrade from the old Mini speaker, even at a higher price? To find out, I broke down the two speakers by design differences, audio streaming quality, the much-mentioned Siri AI capabilities and more to determine which wins.
Since I had every HomePod speaker available, I also compared the Mini 2’s performance and capabilities with the much larger second-gen standard HomePod. The big brother is currently selling for around $349, so it’s a hefty price increase, but I thought it was important to judge results across all of Apple’s options. Here’s what I found.
Design and hardware
I was surprised to see just how little Apple’s HomePod Mini design philosophy had changed, at least at the hardware level. Right down to the technical specs, the size and weight, the Apple HomePod Mini 2 is largely the same as the first Mini, albeit available in different colors. Even the descriptions of the driver and tweeters are word-for-word the same.
Two physical differences stand out, however. First, the new Mini 2 has a much-upgraded Apple S10 chip inside, compared with the S5 chip of the older Mini. Apple says this chip helps with computational audio, or adjusting sound based on collected data. I can say for certain it makes Siri incredibly snappy with replies, which bodes well for Siri AI features in the future.
Second, there’s a new Sound Glow option that will gently glow while you’re playing music, although you can switch it off. It’s very basic, and at most acts like a tiny nightlight, so I don’t think this pushes the needle either way.
Winner: Tie
Audio
While Apple talked most about Siri AI functions in the Mini 2, my eyes – well, my ears – were on the sound differences, if any. And while you wouldn’t know it from Apple’s descriptions, the HomePod Mini 2 sounds plenty different in real-world tests.
I compared the speakers side by side, streaming lossless Apple Music songs and switching back and forth at various positions in the room to assess the effects. Whether it was the computational audio, hidden hardware upgrades or some other factor at work, the HomePod Mini 2 sounded both remarkably louder and clearer than the previous Mini.
Out of curiosity, I also tried the large standard HomePod in the same music rotation at the same volume, and it blew both smaller Minis away entirely with its chunky bass and powerful range. There’s no comparison if you want the absolute best sound of the HomePod line, but it’ll cost you.
Note on compatibility: While you’ll probably get the best results from Apple Music, you can use AirPlay to stream audio from a variety of streaming apps like Spotify, or you can integrate some apps like Pandora more closely so they become your dedicated music source.
Winner: HomePod Mini 2
Siri AI capabilities
My Siri AI tests are a work in progress at this time, since they haven’t rolled out to the HomePod Mini 2 yet, despite many Siri AI features now available on iPhone and iPad. I’ve tried lots of the tricks, from follow-ups and more conversational requests to pulling information from my emails and texts, but Siri on the Mini 2 didn’t play along.
As I continue testing to see when Siri gets these abilities, I’ll note two observations for buyers. First, the HomePod Mini 2 is the only HomePod speaker that will receive these advanced Siri AI capabilities. The other HomePods won’t get them, which may make your decision about upgrading much easier.
Second, the new processing power makes Siri the speediest in-home AI I’ve ever tried, and it was already the fastest of the bunch. Now its no-delay responses easily surpass Gemini for Home and Alexa Plus; only Siri AI may be limited in other respects, depending on what you want it to do. Some Siri AI features may cost extra with an iCloud subscription, but others will be free.
Winner: HomePod Mini 2
Smart features
Beyond music and voice assistants, another key feature of any smart speaker is its ability to connect to and control other smart devices, typically via voice commands. Here, Apple users have it easy. Setting up devices in Apple Home like smart lights, smart door locks, security sensors like those from Ikea, smart plugs and more is typically quick and simple. Once successfully added, these devices can be controlled across any HomePod model, so compatibility isn’t a concern unless it involves complex Siri AI commands to come, in which it case those will only work on the Mini 2.
The price of this convenience is that Apple has by far the lowest compatibility rate with smart devices of anyone, including major competitors like Alexa, Google Home and Samsung SmartThings. Apple is working to change that, particularly with its upcoming lines, but it’s slow work. Always check for Apple Home/HomeKit/Siri support when you’re purchasing a new device. Also, make sure you have Apple Intelligence enabled to get the latest capabilities like security camera descriptions.
Winner: Tie
Cost
Let’s make this easy: The HomePod Mini 2 ($150) is $20 more than the older HomePod Mini, which currently starts at $130). A $20 bump in cost isn’t bad considering the audio improvement, and compares well with higher jumps in cost between, for example, Amazon Echo speaker generations.
If you’re choosing between the old and new HomePod Minis, I’d pay the extra $20 to get better sound and Siri AI support, without hesitation. If you’re thinking about upgrading a 1st-gen HomePod Mini to the Mini 2, you’ll have to think a lot harder about how important improved audio and future Siri AI abilities are to you.
Winner: HomePod Mini 2
What about the Google Home Speaker or Echo Studio?
Apple’s not the only game in town this holiday season. Other new 2026 smart speakers are also available if you want to expand your horizons, and I checked how they stacked up.
I was particularly interested in testing the Google Home Speaker, since it’s a little more affordable at $100 and replaces Siri AI with its Gemini for Home, but is otherwise pretty similar to the Mini 2. If you’re in this solely for the music, I highly recommend the Google Home speaker as an alternative. Its audio, particularly its bass, is significantly stronger than the Mini 2 at the same volume levels, better for listening to tunes in a room. I don’t know how Google did it, but that’s an excellent result for a speaker that’s $50 less.
If you want an upgrade that still saves money compared to the high-end HomePod, Amazon’s newest Echo Studio model is a sizable sound upgrade for larger spaces at $220. The latest version will even be available with a built-in security camera nearer to the end of the year, so it can play double duty as a security camera, although I’m not sure that’s worth it, especially if you have privacy concerns about Alexa.
Final verdict on the HomePod Mini 2 vs. the HomePod Mini (and original HomePod)
If you’re an Apple fan with no Siri speaker and want one, the HomePod Mini 2 is certainly worth the extra $20 it currently costs, if only for the audio. If you already have the old HomePod model and want to upgrade, choose the Mini 2 if the latest Siri AI capabilities are important to you – it’s the only model that will get them.
If you don’t care about Siri AI at all and your old HomePod is performing fine music-wise, you don’t need to worry about upgrading right now. The large standard HomePod easily beats the two Minis on sound, but the price is so much higher it’s really playing a different game.
See full bio
