A little history here. Despite having a fairly extensive collection of portable and electric speakers, I decided to turn to Apple when it came time to implement a series of smart speakers in our home.
While there are Windows laptops and some Android phones, we’re mostly an Apple household, so the decision to go with HomePods for this whole-home audio project was a pretty easy one.
Two second-generation HomePods were intended to be the showcase speakers in key areas, but I also purchased four HomePod minis to spread out. Let’s face it, Apple’s mini smart speaker is a little hard to resist.
It’s compact, costs just $99, and in 2021 Apple introduced three colors (yellow, orange, and blue) to complement the standard black and white options.
But does the performance live up to the looks?
Unpacking and setup
The HomePod mini is a spherical speaker just over 3 inches tall, with a woven fabric cover (acoustically transparent), a touch control top surface, Apple Music integration, built-in Siri, and AirPlay compatibility. I wanted a pop of color, so I chose two in blue, one in orange, and one in yellow. Each of the colors is bright and the finish is perfect, with no rough edges or loose threads. They are powered by an integrated (non-removable) USB-C cable covered with braided fabric color-coded depending on the speaker. Apple also includes a 20W USB-C power adapter in the box.
Configuration is done through an iOS device. Plug in HomePod mini, bring your iPhone or iPad closer, and setup instructions will automatically launch on your iOS device. The basic setup is simple, but you have the option to delve deeper into the Home app to customize the speaker’s settings, including HomeKit smart home integration, the ability to pair two HomePod minis as a stereo, use them as intercoms, and more.
Once connected to Wi-Fi, the HomePod mini is ready to go. You can use Siri to interact with it to stream from Apple Music (there are four built-in microphones for far-field Siri voice recognition) or select it as an AirPlay speaker to stream audio from virtually any Apple device. You can use voice control for actions like adjusting the volume or skipping tracks, control it from your iPhone, or use the built-in touch controls. There are no physical audio inputs and although it is equipped with Bluetooth, this feature cannot be accessed by the user. There’s no battery either – this is a speaker that needs to be put on and more or less stay there.
I was curious about USB-C power. It turns out that third-party chargers rated at 20W or higher work fine with the HomePod mini (in case you lose the one Apple supplies), but if you try to plug the speaker into a charger or port that outputs less than 20W, the surface The touchpad lights up orange and that’s all you’ll get.
Apple Home Pod Mini key specs
- Full-range driver and dual passive radiators with 360º sound and real-time computational audio
- Apple S5 chip, four microphones for far-field Siri voice control
- Touch controls with Siri lighting
- Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 5.0, Thread, ultra-wideband chip
- AirPlay connectivity
- Supports whole home audio and stereo pairing
- Spatial audio support
- Temperature and humidity sensors, sound recognition for smoke, and CO alarms.
- Acoustically transparent fabric is available in black, white, yellow, orange, and blue.
- Includes 20W USB-C charger
- 3.3 inches tall, 3.9 inches wide, weighs 12.2 ounces
- Suggested retail price $99
Audio performance
While I found Apple’s HomePod capable, Apple’s full-size smart speaker didn’t wow me with its audio performance. That’s probably because I test a lot of portable speakers in that size and price range, and some very good performers also offer multiple drivers, computational audio, and support for formats like Spatial Audio. The HomePod was a solid performer, but it didn’t strike me as anything extraordinary.
The HomePod mini, on the other hand, was a revelation.
This is a small speaker that costs only $99. However, that doesn’t mean Apple has skimped on the specs. It’s equipped with a very capable, downward-facing full-range driver and a pair of passive radiators that pump out impressively energetic audio, complete with satisfying bass sound. I’m not sure what the official power output of this speaker is, but it could turn up the HomePod mini’s volume enough to make it impossible to have a conversation in my office. No noticeable distortion. Adding to the performance is the true 360-degree configuration of the controller setup and real-time computational audio.
There’s also the ability to pair two HomePod minis as a stereo, something I’ll explore in a separate post.
All of this is not to say that the HomePod mini is in the same class as the HomePod with its array of tweeters and a 4-inch woofer that takes up more space than the entire HomePod mini. However, for a $99 speaker? Apple has done an impressive job. I have tested very few speakers in this class that can come close to the performance of the HomePod mini.
Siri and Apple Music
Like the HomePod, Apple has done a solid job of integrating both Siri voice control and Apple Music into the HomePod mini. The speaker’s four built-in microphones pick up voice commands, even from across the room and while music is playing. Rather than repeat the entire exercise, I’ll point you to the section of my HomePod review: The HomePod mini experience is identical.
Apple Homepod mini recommendation
If you’ve invested in the Apple ecosystem and are looking for an affordable smart speaker or a collection of smart speakers for a whole-home audio setup, the Apple HomePod mini is the closest thing to a no-brainer. Even if you’re not sure if this tiny sphere will give you the oomph you’re looking for, at $99 (or less than $200 for a stereo pair), there’s not much to lose by trying it out.
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