The Yealink CP900 is a high-end portable conference speakerphone from this well-regarded brand. Better known for their standalone conference phones, they are now branching out into portable models. The CP900 is their premium model, offering a step up from the CP700 and suitable for calls with up to six participants. We put it to the test in another of our in-depth reviews; read on to find out how we got on.

Related: Yealink CP700 Conference Speakerphone Review

Build and design

Portable conference speakers are generally quite similar in appearance, and the Yealink CP900 is no exception. Round in design with a black plastic covering and aluminium speaker grille, it resembles other offerings from the likes of Jabra and Sennheiser. However, Yealink have made a few slight tweaks to put their own stamp on the CP900.

The speaker itself is raised slightly from the main body. This is to help it better project its sound, as well as stopping the speaker from interfering with the microphones. This also means that the light indicator stands out more. This shows you how loud the volume is as you turn it up and down, and also alternates between green and red depending on whether you're on a call or have the mic muted.

The unit itself is very solidly built, even more so than the CP700. It has a little more weight to it (although it's only 320 grams) and definitely feels like it could withstand a fair bit of punishment. However, it's still compact enough to slip comfortably into a laptop bag. And to keep it safe in transit, the CP900 comes with a handy hard carry case.

Sound quality

The Yealink CP900 has a total 7W output, meaning it can go quite loud indeed. Turn it all the way up, and even in an office people will be able to hear from a fair distance away. The sound is exceptionally clear, with wideband audio, acoustic echo cancellation, and Optima HD Voice all built in.

The CP900 has six directional microphones positioned around the base, to ensure that it can pick up sound from any direction. These microphones are pretty darn powerful, too- while testing, we managed to get it to pick up a voice clearly from about five metres away. What's the sound like on the other end of the call? Well, the CP900 performs well in cancelling out ambient noise. It also uses full duplex technology to prevent any echo from bleeding into the microphones. This ensures that calls always sound their best for both parties.

As a Bluetooth speaker, you can also use your Yealink CP900 for listening to music, too. It's not going to replace your home hifi, of course, but it's still a decent performer. In fact, after testing out its calling capabilities, we've been listening to music through the CP900 in the office.

Ease of use

The Yealink CP900 is extremely easy to use. If you're pairing with a laptop, you can either connect via Bluetooth, or using the built-in USB cable. For devices without Bluetooth, the CP900 also includes a USB Bluetooth dongle that's pre-paired to the conference speakerphone, too.

During testing, we found the CP900 very quick to get up and running. Bluetooth pairing only took a few seconds, so if you're in a hurry to take a call you'll be fine. As for the USB connection, when we plugged the CP900 into a laptop, it automatically installed its drivers and was ready to go in about 20 seconds or so.

Once switched on, the Yealink CP900's controls spring to life- and they're all very self explanatory. You can switch the volume up and down, mute the microphone, answer and hang up calls, and so on. There's also a button to instantly connect with Microsoft Teams, so if your organization uses this for internal communication, the CP900 is the obvious choice.

When using the CP900 over Bluetooth, it is powered by a built-in rechargeable battery. This offers up to twelve hours' talk time per charge, so it won't run out on you in the middle of a long call. Once it's fully depleted, the CP900 takes three hours to reach full charge again, but you can still use it as you do so since you can just plug it directly into your laptop.

Yealink CP900 Portable Conference Speaker: The Verdict

The Yealink CP900 is an exceptional speakerphone that is extremely easy to set up and use. With great sound quality for all participants, it brings a more natural feel to calls, so is perfect for group calls. It is pricey but stacks up well against the competition, looks and feels like a premium product, and performs well in larger conference rooms.