From WIRED · Christopher Null · · 3m
Huupe Mini 2 review: smart hoop, dumb execution
A door-mounted basketball hoop with a 19-inch screen and social features sounds fun until you actually play with it.
In brief
A door-mounted basketball hoop with a 19-inch screen and social features sounds fun until you actually play with it. The Huupe Mini 2 is a five hundred twenty-nine dollar smart basketball hoop with streaming apps and online challenges, but poor shot tracking, excessive noise, and quick battery drain make it more…
Quick answers
- What is the Huupe Mini 2?
- Huupe manufactures smart basketball hoops that track shots and light up when points register. The Mini 2 is an indoor version clipping over a door frame, combining a nineteen-inch LCD screen with a basketball hoop.
- What is the key takeaway from Huupe Mini 2 review: smart hoop, dumb execution?
- The Huupe Mini 2 is a five hundred twenty-nine dollar smart basketball hoop with streaming apps and online challenges, but poor shot tracking, excessive noise, and quick battery drain make it more frustrating than fun.
What is the Huupe Mini 2?
Huupe manufactures smart basketball hoops that track shots and light up when points register. The Mini 2 is an indoor version clipping over a door frame, combining a nineteen-inch LCD screen with a basketball hoop.
What comes in the box
The backboard is twenty-five inches diagonally and includes stereo speakers and a camera to track shots. A five-inch inflatable rubber basketball, hand pump, remote control, USB-C charger and cable are included.
Setup and connectivity
The Huupe Mini 2 is self-contained and web-based with no app required. You connect to Wi-Fi through the remote like a modern television, then access entertainment options arranged as tiles on the home screen.
Improvements over the original
The Mini 2 has a faster CPU, larger battery rated for four hours, better display quality, and significantly better shot tracking compared to the original Huupe Mini.
“significantly better shot tracking”
Game modes available
Just Huupe tracks shots and shooting percentage. Huupe Live and Daily Prize Challenge are social games with worldwide competition. Most 3 Pointers in 90 Seconds and Family Mode are also included.
The gesture game that doesn't work
Huupe Flyers is a gesture-based Flappy Bird variant where you flap your arms to keep a basketball in the air using the camera. The reviewer could never play it because it failed calibration every time.
Streaming apps included
YouTube, HBO Max, ESPN, Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu and Spotify are available. Netflix is notably absent. Built-in speakers are surprisingly weak, making audio nearly inaudible on some apps.
Shot tracking problems
The camera detects successful baskets reliably but distance calculation is inconsistent. Shots from across the room counted as one point while nearby shots registered as three points with no clear pattern.
The noise problem
The included inflatable ball makes an extremely loud impact when hitting the backboard, making it unsuitable for use when others are in the house. A foam basketball from Amazon reduces noise and softens rebounds.
Battery and power issues
The four-hour battery drains even in standby mode, leaving the device dead after a few hours of morning play.The power button on the remote does nothing; you must use the physical button on the backboard.
Difficulty of play
The hoop is small and the springy backboard creates wild rebounds. It is harder to make a basket than on a regulation goal, even at close distance, making extended play frustrating.
Price and verdict
At four hundred twenty-nine dollars on discount from seven hundred ninety-nine dollars, the Huupe Mini 2 is a quirky gift for basketball enthusiasts who loathe leaving their room.
In short
The Huupe Mini 2 is a five hundred twenty-nine dollar smart basketball hoop with streaming apps and online challenges, but poor shot tracking, excessive noise, and quick battery drain make it more frustrating than fun.
