Home Speakers / Sonos Five vs Sonos Era 100
Sonos Five vs Sonos Era 100
Sonos Era 100
Sonos multiroom with voice control — the default mid-range smart speaker.
Wins overall by 1.2 points
Quick Verdict
A 1.2-point gap makes the Sonos Era 100 the straightforward choice here. Sonos multiroom with voice control — the default mid-range smart speaker.
The Sonos Five and Sonos Era 100 are both closely matched home Speaker models, and the Sonos Era 100 is $380 cheaper than the Sonos Five ($219 vs $599). On Voice Assistant, the Sonos Era 100 leads (7.0 vs 1.0/10) — which assistants are built in and how well they work. On Bass, the Sonos Five leads (9.0 vs 7.0/10) — low-end weight and extension. On Smart Home, the Sonos Era 100 leads (7.0 vs 5.0/10) — matter, Thread, Zigbee and hub capability. Overall, the Sonos Era 100 scores 7.8/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 6.6/10 for the Sonos Five. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Sonos Five | Sonos Era 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.00 | $219.00 |
| Release Year | 2020 | 2023 |
| Voice Assistant | None — the Five has no microphone | Alexa and Sonos Voice Control; Google Assistant is not supported on Era hardware |
| Drivers | Six drivers — three tweeters (one centre, two angled) plus three midwoofers | 2x angled tweeters plus 1x midwoofer |
| Power Output (W) | Sonos publishes six class-D digital amplifiers but no wattage | Sonos publishes three class-D digital amplifiers but no wattage |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11a/b/g/n (Wi-Fi 4), plus Ethernet | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | None — deliberately omitted | 5.3 |
| Streaming Protocols | Sonos app, AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect | Sonos app, AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect; no Chromecast |
| Multiroom System | Sonos | Sonos |
| Stereo Pairing | Yes; two can also serve as home-theatre rears | Yes |
| Smart Home Hub | No | No |
| Spatial Audio | No | No |
| Line In | Yes | Yes, but only via the optional Sonos Line-In Adapter, sold separately |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black, White | Black, White |
Category Scores
Sound Quality
The Sonos Five leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.0 — a 1.0-point margin on tonal balance, clarity and detail for the size. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Era 100 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Bass
The Sonos Five leads clearly here, 9.0 against 7.0 — a 2.0-point margin on low-end weight and extension. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Era 100 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Smart Home
The Sonos Era 100 leads clearly here, 7.0 against 5.0 — a 2.0-point margin on matter, Thread, Zigbee and hub capability. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Five does not close the gap elsewhere.
Multiroom
The Sonos Five and Sonos Era 100 are level here, at 9.5/10 each. how well it groups with other speakers around the house is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Connectivity
The Sonos Era 100 leads clearly here, 7.5 against 5.5 — a 2.0-point margin on Wi-Fi standard, Bluetooth, streaming protocols and physical inputs. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Five does not close the gap elsewhere.
Design & Build
The Sonos Era 100 leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.5 — a 0.5-point margin on materials, finish and how it looks in a room. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Five does not close the gap elsewhere.
Voice Assistant
The Sonos Era 100 leads clearly here, 7.0 against 1.0 — a 6.0-point margin on which assistants are built in and how well they work. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Five does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Sonos Era 100 leads clearly here, 8.0 against 6.0 — a 2.0-point margin on performance and features relative to price. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Five does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Sonos Five if…
- • Bass matters most to you — the Sonos Five scores 9.0/10 here (low-end weight and extension).
- • Your main use case is home.
Choose the Sonos Era 100 if…
- • Voice Assistant matters most to you — the Sonos Era 100 scores 7.0/10 here (which assistants are built in and how well they work).
- • Smart Home matters most to you — the Sonos Era 100 scores 7.0/10 here (matter, Thread, Zigbee and hub capability).
- • Connectivity matters most to you — the Sonos Era 100 scores 7.5/10 here (Wi-Fi standard, Bluetooth, streaming protocols and physical inputs).
- • Value matters most to you — the Sonos Era 100 scores 8.0/10 here (performance and features relative to price).
- • You want to spend less — it's $380 cheaper.
Pros & Cons
Sonos Five
Pros
- +The best pure sound and deepest bass of any single-box Sonos
- +The only Sonos here with a native 3.5mm line-in, no adapter required
- +Smart orientation sensing switches between stereo and mono automatically
- +No microphone, which some buyers actively want
Cons
- −Six-year-old hardware at a price that has gone up rather than down
- −Wi-Fi 4 and no Bluetooth at all
- −No voice control and no Atmos
- −Trueplay tuning is still iOS-only on this model
- −Widely expected to be the next Sonos product replaced
Sonos Era 100
Pros
- +Sonos multiroom with voice control, and genuinely good stereo separation for the size
- +List price has been cut from $249 to $219
- +Humidity resistant
- +Doubles as a rear surround for a Sonos soundbar
Cons
- −No Google Assistant support at all on Era hardware
- −Not a smart-home hub
- −Line-in requires a separately sold adapter
- −The Sonos app has been a real sore point since its 2024 rewrite
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Sonos Five or Sonos Era 100 better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Sonos Era 100 comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Voice Assistant, the Sonos Five or the Sonos Era 100?+
The Sonos Era 100 scores higher on Voice Assistant (7.0/10 vs 1.0/10) — which assistants are built in and how well they work.
Which is better for Bass, the Sonos Five or the Sonos Era 100?+
The Sonos Five scores higher on Bass (9.0/10 vs 7.0/10) — low-end weight and extension.
Which is better for Smart Home, the Sonos Five or the Sonos Era 100?+
The Sonos Era 100 scores higher on Smart Home (7.0/10 vs 5.0/10) — matter, Thread, Zigbee and hub capability.
Which is better for Connectivity, the Sonos Five or the Sonos Era 100?+
The Sonos Era 100 scores higher on Connectivity (7.5/10 vs 5.5/10) — Wi-Fi standard, Bluetooth, streaming protocols and physical inputs.
Is the Sonos Five worth the price difference over the Sonos Era 100?+
The Sonos Era 100 is the cheaper option at $219 versus $599. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Voice Assistant.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Sonos Five is the better fit if you mainly care about home. The Sonos Era 100 is the better fit for voice-control.
What's the warranty on the Sonos Five vs the Sonos Era 100?+
The Sonos Five ships with a 12-month warranty; the Sonos Era 100 ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Sonos Era 300 — $479.00
Premium Option
Amazon Echo Studio (2nd Gen) — $219.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.