In June, Apple announced a new generation of the Beats Pill, a portable Bluetooth speaker under the Beats brand. As my 9to5Mac colleague Chance Miller said in his review here, the new Beats Pill is “better than ever” — and I have to agree. The more I use the new Beats Pill, the more I realize it's a better deal than the HomePod mini.
Beats Pill is better than HomePod mini
The original Beats Pill was introduced in 2012, before Apple acquired Beats. Apple discontinued the accessory in 2022 and has yet to introduce a replacement. The new version has a refreshed design and significant improvements, like a larger battery and a USB-C port.
I have two Beats Pills, and honestly, the new Pill is one of my favorite products of 2024. As I mentioned, 9to5Mac already has a full review of the Beats Pill — and it’s worth a read — so I’ll focus on comparing the Beats portable speaker to Apple’s HomePod mini. After all, I’ve seen a lot of people wondering which one to buy.
First of all, the HomePod mini and Beats Pill have different purposes. The HomePod mini, as the name suggests, is a speaker designed for use in the home. It only works when plugged in and requires a Wi-Fi connection to work. The Beats Pill, on the other hand, is a portable speaker, which makes it much more versatile in terms of where and how you use it.
But even if they are different, I think the Beats Pill has a lot of advantages over the HomePod mini, starting with the sound quality. The Beats Pill has deeper bass, while the HomePod mini has almost none – which is what makes all the difference when listening to music. The Beats Pill can also get significantly louder than the smaller HomePod.
Here I have both a HomePod mini and a Beats Pill, and the Beats Pill pair definitely sounds more immersive. And yes, you can pair two Beats Pills together in stereo or for multi-room audio. Again, if you want speakers to listen to music, there’s no question about it. The Beats Pill is the right choice.
I also like the fact that the Beats Pill has a built-in battery, so I can easily carry it around with me. I can use it in my office, bathroom, or even take it to a party. The battery life is also great and can last for 24 hours of continuous playback. I can use my Beats Pill for a whole week without having to think about recharging it.
Another huge advantage is Bluetooth connectivity. You can simply connect it to any compatible device, while the HomePod mini only works with Apple devices via AirPlay. Incidentally, you can also stream lossless audio to the Beats Pill via USB-C and use the speaker as an external battery for your iPhone.
Who should buy a HomePod mini then?
But there are certain things that the HomePod mini does better. For example, you can set up a pair of HomePod minis as speakers for the Apple TV that also work with your TV via the eARC connection. The Beats Pill works with the Apple TV, but you have to pair it every time, just like Bluetooth headphones, and it won’t work with the rest of your TV.
If you want something to use with HomeKit, the HomePod mini is also a better choice. This is because HomePods have always-on microphones for using Siri, while the Beats Pill does not. Setting up two HomePod minis in stereo is also easier since you only have to do it once since they are always connected via Wi-Fi.
Beats Pill Black Friday Special
Normally, the HomePod mini is $99, while the Beats Pill is $149. However, during Black Friday 2024, you can find the Beats Pill for the same $99 as the HomePod mini. It's a no-brainer deal.
What about you? Which one do you like better? Let me know in the comments section below.
