Short answer: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It ranks #5 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $349. The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #14, rated 3.7/5, at $279, $70 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
Why pick the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen: A compact smart speaker with natural, spacious sound that tunes itself to the room, ideal for Apple Music and AirPlay users. The catch: 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.
What the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker does well: A compact smart speaker with an up firing driver for taller sound, built in Alexa, AirPlay 2, Google Cast and an aux input. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen lacks. The tradeoff: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $70 you would save on the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker does not close the gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Apple HomePod 2nd Gen | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 each | $279.00 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #14 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) | AC power cord |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| App | Yes (Apple Home) | Yes (Bose) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| EQ | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 6.7” x 5.6” x 5.6” (170 x 142 x 142 mm) | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
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