Short answer: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It ranks #5 of 28 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $349. The Google Home Speaker ranks #12, rated 3.0/5, at $99.99, $249.01 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
Why pick 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. Watch for: 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.
Why pick the Google Home Speaker: Built-in Gemini support makes it a capable smart home hub, with a Thread border router and Matter support, and the compact 107mm sphere fits almost anywhere. The tradeoff: This is Google’s current speaker, and reviewers agree it is a downgrade in sound from the discontinued Google Nest Audio it replaces: SoundGuys measured its acoustic hardware directly against the Google Nest Audio and found a single 58mm full-range driver against the Google Nest Audio’s 75mm woofer plus dedicated 19mm tweeter, calling it ‘half the audio hardware for the same sticker price.’
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $249.01 with the Google Home Speaker does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
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.
Amazon $349.00 eBay
Built-in Gemini support makes it a capable smart home hub, with a Thread border router and Matter support, and the compact 107mm sphere fits almost anywhere.
Amazon $99.99 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 17, 2026 at 6:04 PM 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 | Google Home Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 each | $99.99 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 28 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #12 of 14 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) | USB-C (30W adapter, power only, no USB Audio) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 0.9 lbs (396 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (Wi-Fi 6, dual-band) |
| App | Yes (Apple Home) | Yes (Google Home) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) | Yes (3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch) |
| EQ | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) | Yes (Bass/Treble, via Google Home app) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | No (two units pair only through a Google TV Streamer, not with each other directly) |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 58mm full-range driver |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast |
| 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 | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 6.7” x 5.6” x 5.6” (170 x 142 x 142 mm) | 3.4” x 4.2” x 4.2” (86.6 x 107 x 107 mm) (H x diameter) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | Google Assistant / Gemini for Home |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.4 |
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