Nest Audio offers an attractive and cost-effective smart speaker option for Google users who are fully immersed in its ecosystem, supporting stereo pairing, synchronized music playback across multiple speakers, hands-free phone calling capabilities and hands-free phone calling support.
I found it to be one of the best-sounding portable Google Assistants that I’ve tested, while its design moves away from an air freshener aesthetic to one with a cleaner, more mature aesthetic.
Features
Google Home Max White make life easy by offering music, reminders and calls – as well as connecting to smart home devices through their voice recognition capability and working seamlessly with Google Assistant app to give hands-free control.
Google’s second-generation flagship speaker features some enhancements that make it an attractive option. Its fabric covering is more resilient, while a physical microphone mute switch ensures your listening is uninterrupted when necessary.
Your speaker can connect directly with your Google account so you can use various streaming services, such as YouTube Music and Spotify, news briefs, voice control movies and shows on compatible Chromecast devices and order items through Amazon/other retailers using Google Express.
Design
The Google Home Mini is a compact version of its original counterpart, featuring all of its smart features as well as easy setup with automatic pairing and walkthrough prompts.
Home Mini stands out with its minimalist design and discreet size; featuring mesh fabric coverings to match your decor and additional bases to customize its base, it also works seamlessly with other Alexa devices for voice-controlled access to smart home products.
Google Assistant stands out from Alexa with its more natural voice and faster responses, as well as being capable of linking with multiple accounts for personalized features like music streaming or calendar integration.
Sound
Google recently moved away from its air freshener aesthetic of their first smart speaker and its sequel with an elegant yet subtler design that blends better than competitors. Furthermore, its prices are lower while it packs in additional features including carrier calling (US only), Google Duo video call function, ambient IQ (environmental analysis and volume management), as well as carrier calling functionality and carrier voicemail (US only).
Most people should find this smart speaker more than sufficient for their needs. It sounds decent for a PS90 speaker too, reproducing uncomplicated pop music such as Dagny’s Somebody or Blinding Lights by The Weeknd with ease while other genres reveal lack of detail in treble and mids that makes tracks sound muffled; nonetheless it features a basic equalizer.
Connectivity
Google Assistant connects seamlessly with most smart home devices, accessing personal information such as your calendar to provide tailored answers. It is compatible with multiple smart home brands including Philips Hue, Ecobee and Kasa for an enhanced smart home experience.
Google offers its own speaker lineup known as the Nest Series of speakers; this includes both the miniature puck-shaped Home Mini (2nd Gen) and larger Google Home Max models. You can link multiple Google Home speakers together in one room for stereo playback or group them for home synchronisation of music across multiple rooms.
Google Home can keep tabs on up to six users at once, recognizing their voices and tailoring settings accordingly for each person. Unfortunately, however, unlike Amazon Alexa multi-user support it lacks built-in displays so users can check in on security cameras or video doorbells or play fun games such as 20 Questions.
Value
Google smart speakers are ideal for multiperson households as they can keep tabs on multiple users and track their voices and preferences. Furthermore, these smart speakers provide access to other Google services and devices, including Pixel phones and Nest products.
As it’s less costly than its iPhone HomePod counterpart (which can cost up to $100 more), and comes in different colors to complement neutral decor or highlight individual rooms, the HomeBase Mini makes the ideal companion.
Keep in mind that smart speakers rely on servers operated by companys for most of their intelligence, meaning a $50 entry-level model can perform as effectively as more expensive options. This holds true regardless if you want something music focused like the Google Home Mini or something with display for keeping an eye on security cameras or video doorbells or setting timers etc.
