HomePod mini 2 or 1? Quicker replies, same sound, Siri AI pending

The core change is the processor. The HomePod mini 2 uses Apple’s S10, the chip from the Apple Watch Series 10, while the 2020 mini runs the S5 from the Apple Watch Series 5. Around that chip, Apple upgraded the wireless parts and trimmed a few things:

• Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E on the new model, up from Wi-Fi 4. In plain terms, that’s a newer, faster home network standard that also cuts congestion on busy networks.
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 6, up from Bluetooth 5.
• Microphones: three Siri microphones, down from four. It isn’t clear yet whether anyone will notice.
• Weight: about 3% lighter, which you won’t notice either.
• Colors: five choices, including new two-tone green and pink, plus blue, white and midnight.

What didn’t change is the speaker itself. The mini 2 keeps a single full-range driver, two passive radiators and the same 360-degree design. Apple says the S10 brings what it calls advanced computational audio, which means software that adjusts loudness, bass and dynamic range on the fly. But Apple has not said the new model sounds better than the old one, and early reviewers haven’t heard a big jump.

In hands-on testing, the new mini started a requested song in a couple of seconds, answered a sports trivia question in under two, and switched lights or opened smart shades in under three. That’s a big change from the first-gen mini, which often takes up to 10 seconds to act on the same kinds of requests.

The other everyday win is that it talks less. Ask the old mini to turn on a lamp and it may announce a short confirmation first. The new one tends to just do the job quietly. It isn’t silent every time, but people who use Siri mainly for smart home control will hear the difference within a day.

If your main frustration with your current mini is standing in the kitchen waiting for it to respond, the speed alone may justify $149. If that has never bothered you, keep reading before you buy.

Siri AI is the Apple Intelligence version of Siri that arrived on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer in September. On a HomePod, it promises natural back-and-forth conversation, several commands in one request, and better answers to general questions. With an Apple Intelligence iPhone or iPad in the house, it can also use personal context, such as finding a flight in your email or a song a friend texted you.

Here’s the catch for buyers: Siri AI is not on the HomePod mini 2 yet. Apple says it will come in a future free software update and hasn’t given a date. Ask the new mini a hard question today and you still get the familiar offer to show web results on your iPhone.

The catch for sellers: older HomePods aren’t necessarily left out. Reports on the new lineup say the original mini and the full-size HomePod should also be able to use Siri AI through a compatible iPhone. Apple hasn’t explained how well it will run on the older S5 chip, and it’s fair to expect the S10 model to handle it better. Until both versions are out and tested, nobody can tell you how big that gap is.

Before you trade in, know that Apple has pushed several of the new tricks to the 2020 model through software updates:

• Touch lock: a new Home app setting lets you disable the touch controls on top of any HomePod, old or new. No more blasting music at 3AM because you knocked it while reaching for your phone.
• Sound Glow: the top light pulses with the music in colors taken from the album art. Several reports say the original mini and the full-size HomePod 2 got this too, though one early comparison said it needs an Apple Intelligence iPhone or iPad, so check your Home app. It only works with Apple Music and Podcasts.

So the gap between the two models is smaller than Apple’s launch event made it look.

Two features are exclusive to the new mini among small speakers, and both are about other Apple devices.

1. Default Mac speaker. You can set one HomePod mini 2, or a stereo pair, as your Mac’s main audio output, including for FaceTime calls. It needs a Mac with Wi-Fi 6E or later and HomePod software 27.2. One reviewer couldn’t get the option to appear on a supported Mac mini, and the speaker fell back to regular AirPlay, with its usual lag and occasional dropouts. Treat this as promising but not yet proven.
2. Four-speaker surround sound. With the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, sold separately, you can place two speakers in front and two behind. You can mix in full-size HomePod 2 speakers as long as each pair matches. The original mini still supports stereo pairs only.

Neither feature is a reason to upgrade if you don’t own the matching Mac or Apple TV. Both are strong reasons if you do.

The HomePod mini 2 costs $149 in the US. The original launched at $99 in 2020, and Apple raised it to $129 in June, so the new model is $50 more than the first mini’s launch price but only $20 more than what the old one cost recently. Apple hasn’t stated UK or Canadian prices in the reports we checked, so look at your local Apple Store before buying. A stereo pair for a desk or TV comes to around $300.

Our verdict by type of owner:

• Upgrade now if you’re buying your first HomePod, want a wireless Mac speaker, or plan to set up Apple TV surround sound.
• Upgrade one, not all if you have several minis. Put the new one where you talk to Siri most, such as the kitchen, and keep the rest for music.
• Wait if your mini is mainly a music and timer speaker, you already have an Apple Intelligence iPhone, and slow responses don’t bother you. Siri AI should reach you anyway, and the sound is about the same.

One more reason to be patient: once Siri AI ships on both models, real side-by-side tests will show whether the S10 makes the new assistant meaningfully better. That’s the comparison worth waiting for if you’re on the fence.