The HomePod mini 2 is in stores now for $149 — should you upgrade from the original?

Apple's HomePod mini 2 went on sale October 30, 2026 for $149, with an S10 chip, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6 and a Mac default-speaker feature — but Siri AI is not on it at launch. A simple keep-or-upgrade test for owners of the original.

Your kitchen speaker sounds perfectly fine — then the new one shows up on the store shelf and you start wondering what you're missing.The answer up front: For most folks who own the original HomePod mini, this is a nice upgrade, not a must-have. The HomePod mini 2 went on sale Friday, October 30, 2026 for $149 in the US — the original most recently cost $129 — after Apple announced it on October 13. Buy it for stronger connections and better sound processing, not for a smarter Siri, because Siri AI is not on it at launch.Why it matters: Inside, the speaker moves from Apple's S5 chip to the S10, which powers computational audio that analyzes your music in real time.

Wi-Fi jumps from the older 802.11n standard to Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth from 5.0 to 6. It can also serve as the default speaker for a Mac with Wi-Fi 6E or later, on its own or as a stereo pair, and it comes in pink, green, blue, white and midnight.How to decide, step by step:1. Keep your original if it mostly handles timers, weather and background music in one room and sounds fine doing it.2.

Upgrade if the Wi-Fi signal is weak in the room where the speaker lives, because Wi-Fi 6E is the improvement you will actually feel.3. Upgrade if you want your Mac's sound through a real speaker — the mini 2 can serve as its default speaker, alone or as a stereo pair.4. Buy it if you were shopping for a first or second smart speaker anyway — the newer model is the sensible pick.5.

Hold off if smarter Siri is your main reason: Apple says Siri AI arrives in a future software update, and no date has been given.Pro tip: Don't pay an upgrade price today for a feature that is only promised for tomorrow. If Siri AI is the draw, wait until it actually ships.Ad's take: I like this little speaker, but I buy what's in the box, not what's in a press release. If your old one still sings in the kitchen, let it — and spend the money when there's a real reason.