Anker PowerConf S500 vs Jabra Speak2 40 Comparison

Anker PowerConf S500

Four mics with a 5 m rated pickup and 32 kHz ultra-HD voice sampling put the S500 in a different class from Anker's own S3. Anker rates it for 12 people, or 20 when two units are linked. When I ran it myself in a ten-seat room, people at the far end stayed clear, which is the longest reach I'd expect from any puck here.

Jabra Speak2 40

Four digital MEMS mics reach 2.3 m, and Jabra gives the 40 the same room rating as the battery-powered Speak2 55. Audio is wideband, up to 8 kHz, rather than the super-wideband of the Speak2 75. However, when I ran it myself on a desk with two people beside the laptop, both stayed clear at close range.

Anker PowerConf S500

A 1.75-inch full-range driver pushes 10 W, with a range from 80 Hz to 20 kHz. That's more than three times the S3's output, and there's a music mode for playback between calls. At a moderate volume, it filled a medium room without the harsh edge small pucks get when pushed.

Jabra Speak2 40

The 50 mm driver peaks at 83 dB at half a metre, a little quieter than the Speak2 55. Speech is tuned for clarity, and music playback is passable for background listening. In a quiet home office, I'd expect to run it at a moderate volume. In an open-plan space, a headset is still the better tool, because no small puck overcomes a noisy floor.

Anker PowerConf S500

The S500 connects by USB-C, over Bluetooth 5.4, or through the included dongle. Pairing two units wirelessly extends coverage for larger rooms. That combination is rare at this price. Linking a second S500 took a moment with both units side by side. Once linked, place them at either end of the table rather than bunched in the middle.

Jabra Speak2 40

A built-in USB-C cable of about 80 cm with a USB-A adapter is the only connection. There's no Bluetooth and no dongle. For a desk that only ever uses a laptop, that simplicity is a feature. Plug-and-play setup took a moment on Windows and macOS. Jabra Direct handles firmware. Larger offices can manage fleets through Jabra Xpress, which matters when IT deploys dozens of identical desks.

Anker PowerConf S500

Anker rates the 6,000 mAh battery at 13 hours of talk time and 16 hours of playback, with a slow 4-hour charge. That's fine for a meeting room where it lives near a socket, but less suited to a full day of travel. In my own back-to-back calls, I'd plan on a working day's runtime at room-filling volume before it needs the cable.

Jabra Speak2 40

There's no battery. The Speak2 40 is powered entirely over USB, so it's always ready and never needs charging. The trade-off is that it can't leave the laptop. If you need it to work unplugged, the Speak2 55 adds a 12-hour battery and Bluetooth for a phone. Our guide to speakers and speakerphones covers which one suits a fixed desk.

Anker PowerConf S500

Certification covers Zoom Rooms and Google Meet. That makes the S500 one of the few pucks you can drop into a Zoom Room or a Meet hardware space and expect the call controls to behave. Teams still works over USB audio, but without Teams-specific button features. If Teams is your standard, check our Microsoft Teams Rooms equipment guide before you buy.

Jabra Speak2 40

It's certified for Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Amazon Chime, and the Teams variant adds a dedicated button. Certification means call controls and mute stay in sync with the app, which reduces support tickets on managed laptops.