Hands-on review of Apple HomePod smart speaker

As a technology writer and editor, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve tested over 50 speakers. I’ve tried PC speakers, bookshelf speakers, and smart speakers (some of which aren’t very smart). I’ve also tried almost every major Bluetooth speaker on the market. I know what I like about speakers.

When I tried out the Apple HomePod, I had a different experience than I expected. I fell in love all over again with smart home technology that had been dormant for longer than something like an Icelandic volcano.

Skip forward what we like | Points to note | Other products to consider | final verdict | Why trust NBC Select?

what we like

• excellent audio quality
• Easy setup process
• Compatible with smart home

This is the second generation of Apple HomePod. The first version was set aside and this new version was molded based on the first design. The simple marshmallow design remains the same, and the basic colors are midnight and white. Spatial audio, temperature and humidity sensors, Matter smart home compatibility, and more are still included. Of course, none of these features matter if the audio isn’t up to par. After jumping across genres and listening to numerous albums, I can safely say that this speaker can easily compete with its competitors in the same price range.

what we like

HomePod turns your speaker into a home base for all your Apple devices and smart home devices. After I first set up HomePod, I wanted to install an old smart light bulb. I also bought a smart plug to turn my old lamp into a smart lamp. I finally got my hands on the Apple HomeKit app and also created some custom automations. I turned the lights on whenever the sun went down, or turned them off every time my iPhone left the apartment. Essentially, HomePod works best when you take full advantage of Siri and Apple’s smart home features. You can tell HomePod to turn on Apple TV, play music, or stream a podcast. I also liked the ability to easily switch between playing music from my headphones and HomePod. Thanks to the way Apple devices and chips communicate, you can hold your phone near HomePod and resume the same music you were listening to on the speakers.

The 6.6-inch speaker is as tall as a paperback book and weighs just 5.16 pounds, a little heavier than a bag of flour. The entire speaker is wrapped in soft mesh fabric. HomePod also features support for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, touch controls on the top of the speaker, and a great microphone. The HomePod picks up my voice so well in the middle of the room that I had to be careful not to even whisper Siri’s name to trigger Apple’s smart assistant. This is useful for setting timers, asking Siri about the weather, requesting new songs, skipping tracks, and turning off the lights.

In my experience, the HomePod’s sound is powerful, especially in the bass range. The bass is punchy and vibrant. The electronic music tracks had a noticeable bounce and energy, while the bass in the hip-hop tracks felt heavy as well. Despite the deep bass, you can get clear vocals in the midrange. You won’t end up with a muddy sound, which is common with small speakers that try to overcompensate for bass.

Points to note

Apple’s ecosystem is great, but it locks you in. If you use an iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or other Apple technology, your devices communicate with each other and work together seamlessly. However, if you try to bring a non-Apple device with you, HomePod may not function well. That means if you’re using FireTV or your smart device isn’t compatible with Apple’s HomeKit, you can’t ask HomePod to open Netflix and it won’t respond. This has been a prominent issue with Apple products for a while, and while the product works well, it doesn’t work as well with other brands. As someone who owns quite a few Apple products, this wasn’t really an issue for me. Still, if you have multiple Amazon devices, for example, it can be frustrating to not be able to connect between your devices and Siri.

Thankfully, Apple’s HomePod can now work with Matter devices. Matter is a technology standard that makes it easy to connect smart devices. No need to download another app. Matter devices simply connect and communicate with each other. This means that smart devices become less fragmented. You can use not only HomeKit-enabled devices, but also devices compatible with Google Home and more.

Another issue that ruined my Apple HomePod experience was the lack of Bluetooth connectivity. Music and podcasts can only be played over Wi-Fi and AirPlay. This doesn’t seem to be a big issue until my Wi-Fi got cut off a few weeks ago, as it was in my case. Since I couldn’t play music, I had to switch to other speakers that have Bluetooth connectivity. The HomePod is also expensive, especially considering the fact that Apple’s own HomePod Mini is available at a much more affordable price.

Other products to consider

apple homepod mini

what we like

• Works in Apple homes
• attractive design

HomePod Mini packs many of the same features as the larger Apple HomePod. The audio quality isn’t quite the same, but it’s a third the size and a third the price. As far as audio goes, I thought it was clearly better than Amazon’s small smart speaker. HomePod Mini also has access to Siri, which lets you set timers, check your calendar and weather, turn on Apple TV, turn off room lights, and more. The setup process is as easy as HomePod, but requires an iOS device. You also have the option to choose from a wide range of colors, including traditional midnight and white, as well as more appealing colors such as blue, orange, and yellow.

final verdict

HomePod is a great speaker, but there are some caveats. You have to ask yourself, is it okay to stay within the Apple ecosystem? If the answer is no, then you should look for smart speakers from Google or Amazon that work with Android devices. HomePod has punchy sound and a great microphone that easily picks up your voice. It’s a great smart speaker, but it has a very specific user in mind.

Why trust NBC Select?

I’m the Commerce Editor for NBC Select, where I write and edit articles on a variety of topics including technology, fitness, home, and more. In this article, we leveraged our years of commerce expertise and technology coverage to review Apple’s HomePod smart speaker.