Apple · Released Feb 2023 Last verified June 8, 2026

HomePod (2nd gen) Review

Name: HomePod (2nd gen)
Brand: Apple

Apple S7 · Dolby Atmos · Siri

Specdex verdict Apple's HomePod (2nd gen) is a solid premium pick — strongly recommended, even if it doesn't unseat the category leaders.

A tight, room-sensing speaker for Apple homes — excellent stereo pair with Apple TV 4K, locked into the ecosystem.

All HomePod (2nd gen) matchups → From $299

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HomePod (2nd gen) — Apple S7 · Dolby Atmos · Siri

Specdex verdict

Strongly Recommended

Specdex doesn't run benchmarks in-house. The verdict is an editorial assessment based on manufacturer specs and public reviewer consensus. See methodology.

Compare

HomePod (2nd gen) versus its closest rivals

All matchups →

Editorial · Specdex take

Pros

+Room-sensing spatial audio
+Best-in-class room-correction
+Works as Apple TV speaker

Cons

−Apple ecosystem only
−Siri trails assistants
−No line-in

Who's the HomePod (2nd gen) for?

Quick verdicts for the most common buyer profiles, derived from the sub-scores above.

Power users and creators Skip

Compute scores trail current top-tier — look at our step-up alternatives below if performance is the priority.

Budget-conscious buyers Buy

At $299 this is a genuine value play — Specdex score of 85 far exceeds the typical sub-$500 baseline.

In the box

What you get when you unbox the HomePod (2nd gen).

Speaker
Power cable
Ethernet cable
Quick-start guide

Standard contents — region/SKU may vary; confirm at retailer.

Sources & benchmarks

Cited, not generated

Specdex does not run benchmarks in-house. We're rolling out cited public benchmark data category by category — PassMark for CPUs and GPUs is wired today; DXOMark, RTINGS, Geekbench, and NotebookCheck will follow.

Sources we use when available: PassMark for CPU/GPU, Geekbench Browser for synthetic, DXOMark for camera scores, RTINGS for TVs, monitors, and headphones. See methodology.