Who needs a speakerphone?

Small-table draft-review groups

Two or more colleagues discuss edits around one laptop and need remote participants to hear each local speaker without passing the computer around.

Callers working around household noise

Other occupants or room echo can interrupt a discussion. Microphone directionality and noise or echo handling therefore matter more to these callers than music-playback features.

Reviewers who change devices or desks

The meeting might run from a laptop on one occasion and a phone on another. These reviewers need to check the exact model’s USB and Bluetooth connections before relying on it for a session.

What matters when choosing?

Start with where everyone will sit, then consider interruptions in the room and the connection available on the meeting laptop.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Voices around the table Compare the exact model’s stated microphone pickup range with the seating distance, and check for full-duplex support if comments may overlap. When several colleagues discuss edits, I need quieter speakers to be heard without leaning towards the laptop. Around 42% of consumers put table-wide voice capture first.
Household noise and echo Look for stated microphone directionality and noise or echo handling; also consider where the group can sit away from interruptions. If activity elsewhere in the flat breaks up the discussion, keeping the group’s voices intelligible is my priority. For around 33% of consumers, noise and echo control come first.
Connection to the host Confirm the laptop’s port, the speakerphone’s USB connector or adapter, and which device types its Bluetooth connection supports. When the host device changes, I need to connect promptly rather than discover at meeting time that Bluetooth works only with a phone. Connection and portability are the primary concern for around 25% of consumers.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming Bluetooth means wireless laptop calling

    Jabra specifies Bluetooth for smartphones and tablets on the Speak2 55, while HP specifies USB-A for computer use and Bluetooth for smartphones on the Poly Sync 20 USB-A. The word Bluetooth alone does not establish a wireless connection to the meeting laptop.

    Identify the host computer and check the exact variant’s USB connector, any supplied adapter and its stated Bluetooth device compatibility before the review.

  • Keeping an affected PowerConf S3 in use

    The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards recalled AnkerWork PowerConf S3 model A3302, affected batch 22D51, manufactured between March and April 2023. Its lithium-ion battery may overheat and ignite; the notice concerns the affected batch, not every AnkerWork speakerphone.

    Check an A3302 unit through AnkerWork’s serial-number recall process. Stop using an affected unit and follow the recall instructions, including its disposal directions.

  • Treating noise reduction as a room-wide guarantee

    Beamforming and echo-handling features do not establish how clearly every participant will be heard when household activity, seating and room echo vary.

    Keep the speakerphone central to the group, reduce avoidable interruptions where possible and compare stated pickup coverage with the planned seating distance.

  • Putting an old speakerphone in general rubbish

    Oxfordshire County Council classifies items with electrical parts, a plug or a battery as electrical waste and says they must not go in general waste. An affected recalled unit also needs the recall provider’s specific instructions.

    Check your council’s electrical-waste collection route or an available take-back option; follow AnkerWork’s recall process for an affected A3302.

Relevant brands to consider

Jabra

The Speak2 55 is a portable option for colleagues seated around a small review table.

  • Jabra specifies four beamforming microphones, full-duplex audio, pickup up to 2.3 m and an ideal room size up to 4.5 m × 4.5 m.
  • For computer meetings, plan on its USB connection: Jabra states that Bluetooth is for smartphones and tablets only. Its coverage figures are manufacturer specifications, not a promise for every room.

Poly

The Sync 20 USB-A suits consideration when a close-seated group uses a computer with a compatible USB-A connection.

  • HP specifies full-duplex audio, pickup up to 2 m, a 3 m × 3 m ideal room size and noise and echo reduction for this variant.
  • Its published pickup and room-size figures are smaller than Jabra’s stated figures for the Speak2 55. Check the host computer’s port; HP describes Bluetooth connectivity for smartphones.

EPOS

The EXPAND 40 is an option for a group that values Bluetooth or USB-C connectivity alongside features aimed at room reverb.

  • EPOS states that it has three beamforming microphones and supports simultaneous speech.
  • If seating distance will decide the purchase, ask for applicable pickup and room-coverage figures before comparing it with models that publish those measurements.

AnkerWork

The PowerConf S3 model A3302 is a speakerphone line for which the exact unit’s recall status matters.

  • AnkerWork describes six microphones, 360-degree voice pickup, USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity for the PowerConf S3.
  • The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards recalled affected A3302 batch 22D51 units because the battery may overheat and ignite. Check the model and serial number through AnkerWork’s recall process, and do not use an affected unit.

Joybuy speakerphones for draft reviews

For a laptop-led group review, these choices cover a Bluetooth speakerphone and a wired speakerphone. Compare their stated features with your seating arrangement and confirm the intended connection before choosing.

EMEET Lunaplus 8-Mic Bluetooth Conference Speaker

EMEET Lunaplus 8-Mic Bluetooth Conference Speaker, 5W

Consider this model if the group wants to assess a Bluetooth option for a shared-table discussion. Its product title lists eight microphones, a 5W speaker and 360-degree voice pickup; check the seating distance and connection to the intended host rather than treating the pickup claim as a guarantee for your room.

View on Joybuy
DELL Pro Wired Speakerphone SP325

DELL Pro Wired Speakerphone SP325

Consider this wired model when the review will run from one host computer. Confirm its connector against that computer, and check pickup coverage and full-duplex support if colleagues will sit apart or speak over one another.

View on Joybuy

Common questions

Should I use Bluetooth or USB for a laptop-led draft review?

Use a connection explicitly supported for the host laptop. Jabra specifies USB-C or USB-A for Speak2 55 computer use and Bluetooth for smartphones or tablets; HP specifies a USB-A computer connection and smartphone Bluetooth for the Poly Sync 20 USB-A. EPOS lists Bluetooth and USB-C for the EXPAND 40, so check how the exact model connects to your intended device.

Will a speakerphone remove noise from a shared flat?

No speakerphone feature cited here guarantees a quiet call in every flat. Jabra and EPOS describe beamforming and noise-related features for their respective models; reduce avoidable noise and arrange seats within the chosen model’s stated pickup coverage where a figure is available.

What if I already own an AnkerWork PowerConf S3?

Check whether it is model A3302 and use AnkerWork’s serial-number process to establish whether your unit is affected. The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards recalled batch 22D51, manufactured between March and April 2023, because its battery may overheat and ignite. Stop using an affected unit and follow the recall instructions.

How should I dispose of an old speakerphone?

Follow your council’s electrical-waste arrangements rather than putting an electrical or battery-powered speakerphone in general rubbish. Oxfordshire County Council gives that guidance for electrical items; local collection routes can differ. If the device is an affected recalled A3302, follow AnkerWork’s specific recall instructions.