Apple HomePod Mini (2020)

Sophisticated, engaging sound ; Substantial smart skills ; Impressive music discovery

Limited third-party service support ; Lacks a full control app

It’s much smaller and more affordable than expected, but the most surprising thing about the HomePod Mini is its superb sound

Cute design ; Sound quality for the money ; Easy to setup and get started

Siri still sounds clunky ; No Spotify support ; No support for BBC radio in the UK

A move in the right direction, the smaller HomePod sounds great for a speaker of this scale. It will appeal to many Apple users, but against Amazon's Echo series it feels like it still fails to understand that people are more than happy with cheap and...

Sounds great ; Neat proximity features ; Siri responds well

Basically requires Apple Music ; Won’t work with Android ; Smart home skills slightly limited

This shrunken smart speaker is a sonic success – but old issues still remain for now

Incredible sound ; Small and inconspicuous ; Siri is getting smarter

Not as smart as other speakers ; Only compatible with Apple devices ; No Bluetooth connectivity

The HomePod Mini excels in the audio department despite its small stature, but it falls over in terms of connectivity - not just the smart devices it can control, but the smartphones and services it's compatible with.

Low price ; Petite, attractive design ; Great sound for the size

Occasional lack of user-friendliness ; Can’t match full-size HomePod’s bass punch

The HomePod mini's audio quality is far better than we have any right to expect at this size and price, and Apple has implemented an impressive array of smart functions that mostly work well.

Computational audio optimizes the experience ; Clean sounding highs and mids ; Compact size makes it discrete ; It's the most affordable HomeKit home hub

Siri lacks the advanced intelligence of her peers ; Short power cord

“The HomePod mini is exactly what Apple needs to be a relevant player in the smart speaker world”

Small, convenient, and so easy (for Apple users). Siri can hear and understand you, even while you’re sitting outside your house. Surprising, fun features keep popping up (for Apple users). Pretty loud, with heavy bass.

Clarity is disappointing. Only a smart buy for people who own other Apple products and subscribe to Apple services. Competitors are smarter and cheaper.

Only an Apple person who is soaking in Apple products truly understands the spark of surprise and joy from small discoveries, like starting my daughter's meditation app on her iPod touch, putting it on my bedside table, and then realizing that it...

Solid audio performance with rich bass and bright highs ; Multiple speakers can be grouped and used as stereo pairs ; Easy Siri voice control ; Good Apple Home app integration for smart home controls

Not the absolute best audio quality for the price ; No aux input

The Apple HomePod mini speaker offers Siri voice assistance and smart home control in an attractive little orb design for just $99, but the Amazon Echo delivers substantially more audio power for the same price.

Compact design ; Accessibly priced compared to big HomePod ; Good sound for its size ; Siri is fast

Still hugely dependent on Apple devices and services ; Doesn’t sound as good as similarly priced competitors ; Volume controls on top are fiddly ; Siri is still behind Google Assistant and Alexa in features and capabilities

Photography by Dan Seifert / The Verge