Short answer: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. Both are rated 4.0/5 for sound quality (#5 and #6 of 29 powered desktop speakers), and the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen costs $349 against $499 for the Sonos Era 300, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
The case for 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 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.
What the Sonos Era 300 does well: A Wi-Fi smart speaker with real stereo and Dolby Atmos spatial audio, excellent Alexa voice pickup and Trueplay room tuning. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. Watch for: RTINGS’ one listed con is some compression at max volume.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $150 less than the Sonos Era 300.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
A compact smart speaker with natural, spacious sound that tunes itself to the room, ideal for Apple Music and AirPlay users.
A Wi-Fi smart speaker with real stereo and Dolby Atmos spatial audio, excellent Alexa voice pickup and Trueplay room tuning.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 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 300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 each | $499.00 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #6 of 10 in Large 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) | 9.9 lbs (4.47 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 | 4x tweeters (1 forward, 2 side, 1 upward-firing), 2x angled woofers |
| 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) | 7.3” x 10.2” x 6.3” (185 x 260 x 160 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, Dolby Atmos Music |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
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