Between the Home Speaker 500 and HomePod (2nd gen), the Home Speaker 500 comes out ahead in several specs, while the HomePod (2nd gen) wins on dolby atmos and matter / thread. Overall, the Home Speaker 500 scores 35 and the HomePod (2nd gen) scores 47.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The HomePod (2nd gen) is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 12.8 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
The Home Speaker 500 doesn't pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec table groups rather than the headline advantages.
Pick the HomePod (2nd gen) if you care most about dolby atmos and matter / thread. Its strongest claims are dolby atmos, matter / thread, output.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
Bottom line: the HomePod (2nd gen) is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Bose - Home Speaker 500 wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why Apple - HomePod (2nd gen) wins
- ▲Has Dolby Atmos.
- ▲Has Matter / Thread.
- ▲Output: 60 W vs 0 W.
Spec comparison
Audio
| Spec | Bose - Home Speaker 500 | Apple - HomePod (2nd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Output | 0 W | 60 Wlead |
| Stereo pairing | true | true |
| Dolby Atmosⓘ | false | truelead |
Assistant & Smart Home
| Spec | Bose - Home Speaker 500 | Apple - HomePod (2nd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Voice assistant | Alexa,Google Assistant | Siri |
| Matter / Thread | false | truelead |
| Zigbee hub | false | false |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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