We are living in the era of “smart things” or you could say, we are living in a connected world, where our beloved devices interact with each other and help us perform everyday tasks and enjoy the modern-day conveniences. One such smart addition to our smart world is smart speakers. In the past few years, smart speakers have changed the way we listen to music or interact with things and people. And when it comes to smart speakers, HomePod mini and Sonos One are the two strong players in the smart speaker arena.

HomePod mini

The HomePod mini is the smaller, budget-friendly version of the original HomePod released in 2020. Just like the HomePod, the mini is designed to run within the Apple’s ecosystem and focuses on Siri’s many useful features. The mini combines the intelligence of Siri with impressive sound to deliver a great music listening experience. The HomePod mini, however, is attached to the Apple ecosystem and delivers quality sound for a speaker its size.

Sonos One

The Sonos One is yet another great smart speaker for music lovers developed by Sonos, a manufacturer of audio products, especially its multi-room audio devices. Sonos is partnered with 100+ companies that offer a myriad of music streaming services such as Pandora, Spotify, Amazon Music, QQ Music, and many more. Unlike the HomePod mini, Sonos One works with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to deliver the best of both the ecosystems.

Difference between HomePod mini and Sonos One

Design

– The HomePod mini is undeniably a beautiful, compact, entry level smart speaker featuring a cute round design, much like the shape of a cricket ball. The mini, as the name suggests, is a compact version of the original Apple HomePod but you can tell both of them are cut from the same cloth. The Sonos One is definitely bigger than the mini and 12 ounces heavier. The Sonos One has a beautiful rectangular design without harsh corners and with silicone feet. Both the mini and the One have built-in control panel. Overall, both are great.

Sound

– Audio quality is undoubtedly the deciding feature when it comes to choosing the right smart speaker for listening to music. While both the HomePod mini and the Sonos One are loud enough to fill a room, the Sonos One works with both Alexa and Google Assistant to provide the best of both the worlds, while delivering quality music listening experience. The Sonos One sounds better than the mini, with deep, solid bass for a speaker this size. The Mini does sound good, but it’s not that good. It doesn’t have a subwoofer, so here goes one point to the Sonos One.

Connectivity

– Considering Sonos has been making smart speakers for more than a decade now, it is really all about letting you listen to music you want to listen to in a myriad of different ways. Sonos works with two of the leading virtual assistants, and also with Apple’s Siri, which is just great. And you can pair your device through Ethernet, WiFi, Airplay and digital devices. The HomePod mini, on the other hand, is attached to the Apple ecosystem so it only supports Siri and can only be paired via the Ethernet. You cannot connect an Android phone with the HomePod mini.

Setup

– When it comes to convenience while setting up the device, the HomePod mini is probably your best bet. The mini is definitely easier to setup; you just have to plug it in, hold your phone near it, and voila, you’re good to go. The Sonos One, on the other hand, can be a bit tricky to set up and it isn’t exactly plug-and-play if you have multiple Sonos speakers at home. Additionally, setting up Alexa on the Sonos One requires going back and forth between the Sonos app and the Amazon app, which can be quite annoying. But, it’s not hard to do.

HomePod mini vs. Sonos One: Comparison Chart 

Summary

In a nutshell, both the HomePod mini and the Sonos One are great smart speakers that offer quality music listening experience. The HomePod mini, however, is attached to the Apple ecosystem so it only supports Siri, while the Sonos One provides the best of both the ecosystems – Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Being bigger and heavier, the Sonos One does sound better than the mini. Also, the Sonos One supports a wide range of music streaming services whereas the HomePod mini is kind of a closed shop. So, at the end of the day, the decision of which one’s better boils down to personal preferences and needs.

Does Sonos sound better than HomePod?

The Sonos has great add-controlled sound large enough to fill a room, providing CD-quality sound with deep, solid bass for a better music listening experience. The Sonos does sound better than the mini.

What speaker is better than HomePod mini?

There are many good alternatives to the HomePod mini, such as the Amazon Echo, Google Nest Mini, Sonos One, Bose Smart Speaker 500, and more.

Does Sonos work with HomePod mini?

Sonos speakers can be paired with the HomePods, but only AirPlay 2 devices are compatible. You need at least one of your speakers to be AirPlay 2 enabled.

Is it worth buying HomePod mini?

The HomePod mini is undeniable a great entry-level smart speaker in that range and anyone with the Apple ecosystem of devices will have no problem using the mini. But besides that, there are many great alternatives to the mini, if you’re outside the Apple ecosystem.

Why did Apple discontinue HomePod?

To shift its focus on the smaller, budget-friendly HomePod mini, Apple finally discontinued its original, full-sized HomePod in March 2021.

What is HomePod mini used for?

Just like any other smart speaker, HomePod mini is a portable sound device that not only allows you listen to you favorite music but also assist you with web searches, alarms, and enables you to make or receive phone calls, and so much more.

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