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 Sonos Era 100 ranks #16, rated 3.6/5, at $219, $130 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The Apple HomePod 2nd Gen is the better-sounding choice. 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.
The case for the Sonos Era 100: A compact Wi-Fi smart speaker with stereo sound from two angled tweeters, Trueplay room correction, and Sonos multi-room and AirPlay 2 support. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. The catch: RTINGS’ own two listed cons are not loud enough for larger rooms and very little low-bass thump, so genres like EDM and hip-hop lack rumble even with the tone adjustments.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $130 saving on the Sonos Era 100 is not enough to make up the difference.
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
A compact Wi-Fi smart speaker with stereo sound from two angled tweeters, Trueplay room correction, and Sonos multi-room and AirPlay 2 support.
Amazon $219.00 Sonos $219.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 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 | Sonos Era 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 each | $219.00 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 28 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #16 of 28 in Medium 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 (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) | External AC adapter |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| App | Yes (Apple Home) | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| 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/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| 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 4.7” x 5.1” (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | Amazon Alexa |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
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