'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
Poly Sync 10, hands on: Sounds good, but key features are missing
Poly Sync 10
pros and cons
- Attractive design
- Good mic and speaker performance
- Teams-certified version available
- No Bluetooth connectivity
- Power via USB only – no battery
- No carry case
Over a year ago I reviewed the Poly Sync 20, a USB/Bluetooth speakerphone designed for those who need high-quality kit suitable for both work and leisure, and portable enough to carry around with a laptop when needed. Now I've got the entry level model, the $99.95 Poly Sync 10.
There are also two larger and more expansive options in the range: the $299.95 Poly Sync 40 for flexible-working spaces and huddle rooms, and the $599.95 Poly Sync 60, which is designed for conference rooms.
According to Poly's website, the Sync 10 is ideal for "remote enterprise professionals with a dedicated home office", while the Sync 20 is better suited to "Flexible enterprise professionals who split time between corporate office, home office, and travel".
Given that mobile workers want to keep their bag as light as possible, and while the differences in size and weight are slight, the smaller, lighter Poly Sync 10 may suit both types of user. But size and weight are not the whole story, and the Poly Sync 10 is missing some key features -- even for primarily home-based users.
Poly Sync 10 is a USB-connected speakerphone, which is available with a dedicated Microsoft Teams button.
Design across the Poly Sync range is very similar, with a rather nice curved rectangular form factor and primarily fabric grey upper section, with a narrow strip of touch buttons for managing calls and volume. Importantly for those who use Microsoft Teams, there's a Teams-certified version with a dedicated button on the front panel to instantly connect with the Teams app. Both the Poly Sync 10 and 20 have an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance.
An IP64 rating signifies that the Poly Sync 10 is 'dust tight' and can cope with 'splashing of water'.
Connectivity to a PC or laptop is wired. The cable curls underneath the device and locks securely in place. It's a USB-A cable, and there's a USB-C converter included in the box. Every other speaker in the Poly Sync range has a Bluetooth adapter, which brings several advantages: it's easier to conveniently locate the speaker when several people want to share access to a single laptop and speaker, and you can easily connect to a tablet or smartphone. Moreover, the cable here is only 71.5cm long. This is fine when you're sitting at a desk having a meeting, but in more relaxed circumstances -- when taking a family call, for example -- the wired-only setup is restrictive.
SEE: Remote workers want new benefits. This is how employers are responding
There's no battery in the Poly Sync 10, which is powered via its USB cable. The other speakers have an internal battery, and the Poly Sync 20 is rated for 20 hours of life. The Poly Sync 20 can be used to charge a tablet or phone via its cable – which is clearly not possible with the Sync 10.
In use the Poly Sync 10 was fine in my home office in terms of both microphone pickup and sound quality, although in both respects it's less well specified than the Sync 20, with 1.5m microphone pickup range compared to 2m, and two microphones versus three.
Finally, the Poly Sync 10 doesn't come with a carry case, while there is one with the Sync 20.
The Poly Sync 10 is small and light, and both the microphone and speaker perform well. However, even as a primarily home office-based user, I miss the Bluetooth and battery power that make the Poly Sync 20 much more flexible. Given the small price difference – currently just $15 – we'd recommend the latter.
Poly Sync 10 vs Poly Sync 20 specifications
| Poly Sync 10 | Poly Sync 20 | |
| Dimensions | 32.5mm x 89.2mm x 182mm (1.3in. x 3.5in. x 7.2in.) | 34mm x 95mm x 182mm (1.3in. x 3.7in. x 7.2in.) |
| Weight | 280g (9.9oz) | 360g (12.7oz) |
| Connects to | PC via integrated USB-A cable and included USB-C adapter | PC via USB-A or USB-C cable; smartphone via Bluetooth |
| Cable length | 715mm (28.1in.) | 715mm (28.1in.) |
| Wireless | n/a | Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Dust & water resistance | IP64 | IP64 |
| UI features | touch controls for call answer/end, mute, volume up/down; Microsoft Teams button (Microsoft Teams version only); status light bar | touch controls for call answer/end, mute, volume up/down; Microsoft Teams button (Microsoft Teams version only); status light bar |
| Microphones | 2x steerable array | 3x steerable array |
| Mic pickup range | up to 1.5m (5ft) | up to 2m (7ft) |
| Mic frequency response | 100Hz to 7.8kHz | 100Hz to 6.7kHz |
| Mic features | full duplex audio; noise and echo reduction | full duplex audio; noise and echo reduction |
| Speaker | 1x 50mm high-performance music speaker | 1x 40mm high-performance music speaker |
| Speaker frequency response | 80Hz to 20kHz | 80Hz to 20kHz |
| Speaker features | bass reflect with dual passive radiators | bass reflect with dual passive radiators |
| Compatibility | Windows or MacOS | Windows or MacOS |
| App support | Poly Lens desktop; Plantronics Hub desktop; Plantronics Manager Pro suites -- Asset Management and Adoption | Poly Lens & Poly Lens App; Plantronics Hub (desktop & mobile); Plantronics Manager Pro suites -- Asset Management and Adoption |
| Platform certification | Microsoft Teams (Microsoft Teams version only), Zoom | Microsoft Teams (Microsoft Teams version only), Zoom |
| Battery capacity | n/a | 3200mAh |
| Talk time | n/a | up to 20 hours |
| Charge time | n/a | 4 hours |
| Price | $99.95 | $114.99 (discounted from $139.95) |
Alternatives to consider
The Poly Sync 10 and 20 are among the more affordable speakerphones on the market. Here are a couple of more premium devices.
RECENT AND RELATED CONTENT
Poly Sync 20, hands on: Portable sound for work and play
HP to acquire Poly for $1.7 billion
Screen plays: The Poly Studio P21 offers more room for your Zoom
The best cheap Bluetooth speakers: Listen for less
Best Bluetooth speakers 2022: Here comes the boom
Read more reviews