Short answer: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen for better sound quality, the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen for the lower price. The Apple HomePod 2nd Gen ranks #5 of 15 powered desktop speakers at $297.71. The Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen ranks #6 at $79.99, $217.72 cheaper.
The case for the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen: What Hi-Fi rated it 5 stars for sound, calling it expansive for its size with great Alexa integration and an understated look, from a single 44mm front-firing driver. The tradeoff: What Hi-Fi’s one real complaint was distortion at higher volumes, and bass force and detail both fall off at the low end, typical for a speaker not much bigger than a hockey ball.
The case for the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen: What Hi-Fi gave it a perfect 5 stars for sound and a What Hi-Fi Award, calling it natural, solid and energetic with a spacious, three-dimensional presentation on Dolby Atmos content. The tradeoff: What Hi-Fi’s own comparison found the pricier Sonos Era 300 has more power, punch and detail, and Siri cannot launch Spotify, Tidal or other non-Apple services directly, only Apple Music by voice; everything else has to be sent over AirPlay from a phone.
Buy the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen if the price is the priority over sound quality, or the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen if sound quality is the priority over the price.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen | Apple HomePod 2nd Gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 each | $297.71 each |
| Ranked | #6 of 9 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #5 of 15 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) | External AC adapter (detachable cable) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes (Apple Home) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) |
| EQ | No | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters |
| Discontinued | No | No |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 3.9" x 3.5" (100 x 100 x 89 mm) (H x W x D) | 6.7" x 5.6" x 5.6" (170 x 142 x 142 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Apple Siri |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Apple HomePod 2nd Gen compares with other leading options:
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs JBL Authentics 200
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Google Home Max
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Amazon Echo Pop vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Google Nest Audio
Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen: $79.99 each Amazon eBay
Pros: What Hi-Fi rated it 5 stars for sound, calling it expansive for its size with great Alexa integration and an understated look, from a single 44mm front-firing driver. It has a room temperature sensor, works as an eero Wi-Fi extender, and includes a mic mute switch alongside dedicated volume and action buttons.
Cons: What Hi-Fi’s one real complaint was distortion at higher volumes, and bass force and detail both fall off at the low end, typical for a speaker not much bigger than a hockey ball. Engadget’s own head-to-head against the step-up Echo Dot Max found that speaker louder and bassier, from a 2.5-inch woofer and dedicated tweeter versus this speaker’s single small full-range driver. It is mono in a single unit, has no 3.5mm output, no battery, and needs Wi-Fi and an Amazon account for its smart features.
Full Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Alexa) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 3.9" x 3.5" (100 x 100 x 89 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver |
| EQ | No |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Google Home Speaker
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Google Nest Audio
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs B&O Beosound 2
- See all 11 comparisons
Apple HomePod 2nd Gen: $297.71 each Amazon eBay
Pros: What Hi-Fi gave it a perfect 5 stars for sound and a What Hi-Fi Award, calling it natural, solid and energetic with a spacious, three-dimensional presentation on Dolby Atmos content. A 4-inch high-excursion woofer moves 20mm of travel, paired with five angled horn-loaded tweeters, and the S7 chip continuously measures the room and re-tunes the output in real time, even as you move the speaker. “Hey Siri” is reliably heard from across a room even at full volume, and two units can be stereo-paired for a genuinely bigger sound.
Cons: What Hi-Fi’s own comparison found the pricier Sonos Era 300 has more power, punch and detail, and Siri cannot launch Spotify, Tidal or other non-Apple services directly, only Apple Music by voice; everything else has to be sent over AirPlay from a phone. There is no way to stream to it over Bluetooth at all, no 3.5mm or other wired input, no battery, and no IP rating, so it’s an AC-only speaker for an already-committed Apple household.
Full Apple HomePod 2nd Gen review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Apple Home) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 5.6" x 5.6" (170 x 142 x 142 mm) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs JBL Authentics 200
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Google Home Max
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs B&O Beosound 2
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Google Home Speaker
- See all 11 comparisons