Battery life: 24hrs
Bluetooth: Yes (5.3)
Dimensions (hwd): 19.2 x 11.3 x 7.7cm
Weight: 1.3kg
Finishes: x 2 (black, white)
The Play is a well-built, solid Sonos speaker that's a good size for both taking with you and using at home. Because it doesn't rely on iOS, it's more versatile than the HomePod 2, and has bags of features, but it doesn't sound as open or natural as its Apple rival.
Pros
- Sounds clear, powerful and detailed
- Nicely judged bass handling
- More impressive versatility than the HomePod 2
- More portable and durable, too
Cons
- Sonic presentation can occasionally lack drama
- HomePod sound more spacious and open
- There are cheaper, portable Bluetooth-only models that sound more fun
Battery life: N/A
Bluetooth: Yes (5.0), but not used for wireless playback
Dimensions (hwd): 16.8 x 14.2 x 14.2cm
Weight: 2.3kg
Finishes: x 2 (black, white)
As the name suggests, the HomePod is a home speaker through and through. It's bulkier and heavier than the Play, it can't play tunes over Bluetooth (using AirPlay 2 instead), and you'll need not only an iOS device but also an Apple Music subscription to get the most from it, but it sounds really superb.
Pros
- More natural and spacious sound than the Play
- Spacious and three-dimensional, particularly with Atmos
- Brilliantly well made
Cons
- Still only suitable for dedicated Apple users
- No portability, unlike the Play
- No Siri control for Spotify, Tidal etc
Sonos has long been the multi-room king, but in recent years its position has become a little shaky. Not only is it under threat from cheaper alternatives like the Amazon Echo range, but also from similarly well-specified rivals like the Apple HomePod 2.
So when Sonos announced a new speaker that's exactly the same price as Apple's finest, our interest piqued.
Here we're comparing the Sonos Play with the Apple HomePod 2 to see how they compare – we've tested both, so this is a full head to head following our rigorous reviews treatment. Let's see which comes out on top.
Sonos Play vs Apple HomePod 2: price
This one is a dead heat, in the UK and US at least. The Sonos Play costs £299 / $299 / AU$499, while the HomePod 2 is £299 / $299 / AU$479.
The HomePod 2 might have been around since 2023, but it hasn't seen much of a price reduction during its three-year lifetime. Apart from the occasional small discount during big sales events, it's held firm at its RRP. Sonos too isn't known for its big discounts, so expect to pay full whack for both speakers.
** Winner: Draw **
Sonos Play vs Apple HomePod 2: build & design
Despite some similarities, the Play and HomePod 2 are quite different propositions. The Play is a portable speaker with a rechargeable battery (which lasts for 24 hours), and is designed to be taken outside as well as serving as part of your home multi-room set-up, whereas the HomePod 2 is very much a stay-at-home smart speaker.
Unsurprisingly, the Play is smaller and lighter than the HomePod 2, measuring 19.2 x 11.3 x 7.7cm and weighing 1.3kg (compared to the HomePod 2's 16.8 x 14.2 x 14.2cm and 2.3kg). Though it is worth noting that while the Play is more compact, it is a little taller than Apple's speaker.
The Play also has a removable utility loop, which hooks onto your finger for easy carrying (though sadly it's not adjustable). And for when you're at home, it comes with a charging base to keep it juiced up (the HomePod 2 plugs into the mains with a removable cable if you want to use a longer one).
The Play is also more resistant to the elements, with a water-and dust-proof rating of IP67. The HomePod 2 has no official IP rating, and so should be kept away from water in any scenario (no bathroom listening for you).
The HomePod 2 has Apple's typically high build quality. It feels solid and well made, and looks pretty stylish in both its white and black guises (those are the same finishes as the Sonos Play).
Both speakers have a mesh grille, but on the HomePod this extends all the way around it in 360 degrees. The Play has a break at the back which houses a Bluetooth pairing control, a microphone toggle and a large power button.
Both speakers have their controls on the top, but have very different control methods. The HomePod responds to tap sequences anywhere on its control surface – one tap to play/pause, a double tap to skip to the next track and so on. It's similar to the control method on a pair of earbuds. The Play's controls on the other hand are more traditional, with designated buttons that are textured to make them more tactile.
** Winner: Draw **
Sonos Play vs Apple HomePod 2: features
These are both smart speakers, so connectivity is the name of the game.
Typically for an Apple product, the HomePod connects seamlessly for Apple users, but much less so if you're out of the Cupertino ecosystem. It won't play music via Siri on Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music or even BBC radio, for example – instead you have to play these services on your phone and send the music to the speaker via AirPlay 2. That seems like seems an unnecessary extra step.
The Sonos Play, by contrast, supports Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect for playing direct through the speaker, as well as Qobuz and many more through its app. Voice control is supported vis Sonos' own voice assistant and Amazon Alexa, but you won't be able to control Tidal via voice control. Most other services are voice-control supported, though.
Both speakers support a maximum file resolution of 24-bit/48kHz, but while both have Bluetooth, only the Play lets you play music from your phone using Bluetooth. The HomePod 2 uses Bluetooth only for the initial set-up and some communication functions, but that's it.
You can also pair up to four Play or Sonos Move 2 speakers together while out and about to create a more impactful sound, and a handy Bluetooth pairing option lets you hook up multiple speakers without needing to be connected to the wi-fi.
Inside the HomePod is a 10cm high-excursion woofer and five horn-loaded tweeters. The Sonos Play has three class-H amplifiers, two angled tweeters and one mid-woofer, along with passive radiators to allow deeper bass.
Both speakers adjust their sound output depending on their surroundings. Apple's tech is mighty impressive, but it's matched by Sonos's 'TruePlay' technology, which we've also experienced on other speakers.
They both support spatial audio too, though the HomePod is limited to Apple Music and Dolby Atmos via an Apple TV 4K, while the Sonos Play supports both Apple Music and Amazon Music.
The HomePod works great for Apple users, but for its greater versatility and wider range of bases covered, this round goes to the Sonos.
** Winner: Sonos Play **
Sonos Play vs Apple HomePod 2: sound
The Sonos Play has the same configuration of amplifiers / tweeters / midwoofer as the Sonos Move 2, but Sonos has confirmed that the components themselves are different. So rather than sounding identical to the four-star Move 2, it's a different beast altogether.
During our test, we found it covers the sonic basics admirably.
"As we pump out a recording of Ramin Djawadi's The King's Arrival from the soundtrack to Game of Thrones, the Play gives the composition an appropriately regal feel – poised, clear, controlled, and with ample muscle to spare, it's a powerful and convincing opening salvo," we wrote in our Sonos Play review.
The bass proves taut and punchy, lending it the precision of a professional. Though throughout our listening, we did find that tracks tend to sound a bit samey, regardless of genre. Rather than revealing the music as the artist intended, it tends to impose its own will on it just a tad.
The Play has its work cut out against the HomePod 2. Apple's smart speaker is a multi-Award winner, and a lot of that is down to its sound quality.
In our HomePod 2 review, we found that the speaker gives Apple Music's Dolby Atmos version of The 1 by Taylor Swift plenty of clarity and warmth in the vocals. "Swift’s voice is at once airy and focused, and the breathy quality of the delivery is really nicely resolved," we wrote.
It does a fine job with the track's other elements, too. "There’s ample weight and texture to the bassline and a satisfying snap to the rhythmic clapping, with both drawing the ear just as much as they should, complementing the vocals but never overshadowing them."
There's not a hint of the usual sibilance and brightness that most speakers give SBTRKT’s Trials Of The Past, yet it still maintains the excitement levels. Its bass has more weight and presence than you would expect from a speaker this size.
True, the lowest of low frequencies on James Blake's Limit To Your Love do prompt a little wobble in the bass performance, but the HomePod still does well with such a challenging track. "This is no lump of detached bass, but rather a seamlessly integrated and dexterous bottom end, without which the track’s more energetic second half wouldn’t have nearly the impact that it does," we wrote.
The HomePod 2's boundless energy translates to all genres, and it always showcases the music, rather than the speaker itself. Which is exactly how it should be.
Placed side by side, with both speakers playing over AirPlay 2, the HomePod 2 sounds airier and more free flowing than the Play. It's also a little more nuanced in how it handles instrumental timbres, "granting more subtlety and texture to instruments – rich violin strokes, tumbling drum fills, tinkling pianos – making for a more natural listen than the ever-so-slightly mechanical Play," we wrote in our Sonos Play review.
It's not a bad performance by the Play by any means, but we're more inclined to recommend the natural, fluid and spacious presentation of the HomePod 2.
** Winner: Apple HomePod 2 **
Sonos Play vs Apple HomePod 2: verdict
There are plenty of similarities between the two speakers, but plenty of differences also.
The HomePod is very much a home smart speaker, built for those already ensconced in – or willing to jump wholeheartedly into – the Apple ecosystem. Whereas the Sonos Play is platform agnostic, and with a portable design for taking with you to the park, the beach, or even just out to the garden.
The Play is by far the more versatile of the two, and wins or draws every round except for sound. Sadly, for us – and undoubtedly for many of you – that will be the most important round there is.
If you prize sound quality above all else, the HomePod 2 is the better speaker. But if you can't stand Apple, or want a speaker that's just as happy being part of your home multi-room system as soundtracking your picnic, the Play is a fine choice.
** Overall winner: Apple HomePod 2 **
MORE:
Read our Sonos Play review
And our Apple HomePod 2 review
Apple HomePod 2 vs Sonos Era 300: which is better?
Check out the best AirPlay speakers around
Which Sonos speaker should you buy? Find out here
