Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Apple HomePod 2nd Gen ranks #5 of 28 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $349; the Sonos Move ranks #30 of 105 large speakers by sound quality at $399.99.
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. It links with other speakers (AirPlay 2 multi-room), which the Sonos Move cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Sonos Move lacks. 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.
The Sonos Move is the battery-powered, tougher option. A well-integrated Sonos portable that combines Wi-Fi multiroom playback, Bluetooth, automatic Trueplay room tuning and a charging base in a sturdy carryable enclosure. Its battery is rated for 11 hours, while the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen needs an outlet. It is rated IP56, while the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen has no water resistance. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen lacks. The tradeoff: It is mono, heavy and less portable than a conventional Bluetooth speaker, while bass pumping and compression become audible at high volume.
Worth knowing: the Sonos Move is discontinued, though it still ranks #30 of 105 large speakers by sound quality, so a used unit beats most of what is still sold new. The Sonos Move’s replacement, the Sonos Move 2, is still sold new.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen at $349 for a powered desktop speaker, or the Sonos Move at $399.99 for a large speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Apple HomePod 2nd Gen | Sonos Move | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 each | $399.99 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #5 of 28 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #30 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 11 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IP56 |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) | USB-C (requires USB-C PD 12v minimum) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 6.6 lbs (3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| App | Yes (Apple Home) | No |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | Yes |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 1x 3.5” (89mm) mid-woofer + 1x downward-firing tweeter (tweeter size undisclosed by Sonos) |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | - |
| XLR Input | No | - |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | No | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | No | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 6.7” x 5.6” x 5.6” (170 x 142 x 142 mm) | 9.4” x 6.3” x 5” (240 x 160 x 126 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 49Hz |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 4.2 |
| Maximum SPL | - | 92dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Apple HomePod 2nd Gen compares with other leading options:
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Audio Pro C5 MkII
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Woburn III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Edifier D12
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore IV
Prices on this page were last checked October 15, 2026 at 5:41 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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The Two Speakers In Full
Apple HomePod 2nd Gen: $349.00 each Amazon $349.00 eBay
Older model: the Apple HomePod (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5). See every Apple HomePod generation.
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 →
| Released | Jan 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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 Marshall Stanmore III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Edifier D12
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Woburn III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore IV
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Audio Pro C5 MkII
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs JBL Authentics 200
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Acton III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore II
- See all 39 comparisons
Sonos Move: $399.99 Discontinued Amazon $399.99 eBay
Newer model: the Sonos Move 2, ranked higher, rated 4.1/5, released Sep 2023. It adds power bank charging. Battery life goes from 11 to 24 hours. See every Sonos Move generation.
Pros: A well-integrated Sonos portable that combines Wi-Fi multiroom playback, Bluetooth, automatic Trueplay room tuning and a charging base in a sturdy carryable enclosure. Reviews praise its broad, full-bodied sound, warm tonal balance and weightier bass than smaller Sonos speakers, particularly at normal indoor listening levels. Measured bass extension of 49Hz (-10dB).
Cons: It is mono, heavy and less portable than a conventional Bluetooth speaker, while bass pumping and compression become audible at high volume. Deep bass and maximum output trail the strongest speakers in its size class, and the rolled-off treble sacrifices some air and detail. It is discontinued in favor of Sonos Move 2, so buy used with battery condition in mind.
Full Sonos Move review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 49Hz |
| Battery Life | 11 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.4” x 6.3” x 5” (240 x 160 x 126 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 3.5” (89mm) mid-woofer + 1x downward-firing tweeter (tweeter size undisclosed by Sonos) |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP56 |
| Maximum SPL | 92dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C (requires USB-C PD 12v minimum) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control |
| Weight | 6.6 lbs (3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Smart Home Sounds: Sonos Move 1 Vs Move 2: What’s The Difference? More from Smart Home Sounds →
- Smart Home Sounds: Best Premium Bluetooth Speakers: Sonos Move, JBL Xtreme 3, Marshall Middleton & More…
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- Head-to-Head Comparisons