The Google Home Speaker: A New Era in Smart Home Technology
On its own, the Google Home Speaker is a solid option. It looks good, sounds good, and Gemini works very well. However, it’s not a significant upgrade over older Google speakers and doesn’t perform particularly well compared to the competition. It’s a suitable choice if you need a new Google Home-compatible speaker, but it doesn’t help move the needle forward.
For the first time in almost six years, we finally have a new smart speaker made by Google. As someone who uses Google Home and has long preferred Google Assistant (and now Gemini) over Alexa, I’m thrilled. I’ve been waiting impatiently for Google to update its smart speaker portfolio, and the Home Speaker does just that.
Google is going all out with this update. The company has officially discontinued the Nest Mini and Nest Audio, making the Google Home Speaker the only Google speaker option going forward. Therefore, it better be great.
If you’re looking for your first Google smart speaker or need another one to complement your existing models, the Google Home Speaker is a good, perfectly serviceable option. But was it worth waiting over half a decade for it? I’m not so sure.
What I Like About the Google Home Speaker
Joe Maring/Android Authority
Despite some reservations, there’s a lot to appreciate about the Google Home Speaker – starting with its design. The Google Home Speaker is slightly larger than the super-compact Nest Mini but significantly smaller than the Nest Audio. While you might not find convenient wall mounts for the Home Speaker like you do with the Nest Mini, it will easily fit on any desk, table, or nightstand. Despite its size, the Home Speaker doubles as a thread border router for Matter smart home devices (something the larger Nest Audio doesn’t support). I also really appreciate the rubber base, which is super easy to grip and prevents the home speaker from moving.
There are three touch control areas on the top of the Home speaker: tapping the left will decrease the volume, tapping the right will increase the volume, and tapping the center will pause/resume what you’re listening to. It’s the same control scheme as previous Nest speakers and works just as well here.
The color options also stand out. You can choose between the standard black and white options (Hazel and Porcelain, respectively), but also a bright red Berry and a calming green Jade. I have the color Jade and I absolutely love it, not least because it matches the walls in my bedroom almost perfectly. I’d like to see more colors later, but this is still a great start.
Audio Quality and Gemini Integration
Considering how small it is, the Google Home Speaker sounds pretty good. There’s only a single 58mm driver that outputs all the audio, and for everyday use, I’m happy with that. In my opinion, the home speaker produces pretty solid bass and really clear mid-tones. Most of the time, I use my home speaker to play rain sounds at night and ask random Gemini questions throughout the day, but whenever I’ve used it to play music or a podcast, I’ve been happy with the results.
Joe Maring/Android Authority
The speaker also gets really loud. Even at 50% volume, it easily fills my bedroom and can be heard in the hallway, kitchen, and living room. The sound becomes a little distorted as you move into the 70% range and higher, but I really appreciate having this much volume in such a compact package.
Also unique to the Home Speaker is the ability to pair two Home Speakers with the Google TV Streamer to enhance your TV’s audio via plug-and-play (also with spatial audio support). It’s frustrating that this functionality isn’t available on Nest Audio, seemingly for no other reason than to get people to use the Home Speaker, but it’s still nice to have this option.
Joe Maring/Android Authority
Finally, there are the twins. Google’s AI worked very well in my tests. That’s not surprising, as Gemini on the Home speaker is no different than Gemini on older Google Home speakers, but it’s not a bad thing either. Gemini responds quickly, is (usually) accurate, and can answer a much wider range of questions than Google Assistant ever could.
It’s worth noting that some Gemini features (e.g., Gemini Live and Ask Home) are locked behind a Google Home Premium subscription, but that’s not just for the Home Speaker – it’s something you’ll have to contend with on any Google speaker with Gemini.
Concerns with the Google Home Speaker
Joe Maring/Android Authority
To recap: We work with great design, good sound quality, and a great Gemini experience. If all of this applies to the Google Home Speaker, then what does where I started this review mean? This is because everything that works well on the home speaker also works against it.
We start with the design again. As much as I love the home speaker itself, I hate its power cord. Google has opted for an integrated cable design, meaning the end that connects to the speaker is firmly connected. So if the cable isn’t long enough or is damaged, you’re basically out of luck. What’s even more frustrating is that Nest Audio did have a detachable power cord, but for some reason we don’t get one with the home speaker.
The Google Home Speaker does not stand out from previous Google speakers.
Then there is the sound quality. The Google Home Speaker sounds good for what it is, but as a replacement for Nest Audio it’s undoubtedly a downgrade. As a reminder, the Nest Audio had two drivers compared to the Home Speaker – including a 75mm woofer and a 19mm tweeter. While I no longer have my Nest Audio, SoundGuys did a really good job comparing the two in the video above.
To be fair, the Nest Audio is physically larger than the Home Speaker, so it makes sense that it sounds better – and you could argue that makes any comparison unfair. But considering that Nest Audio had the same $99 retail price as the Google Home Speaker – and that Google replaced Nest Audio with the Home Speaker – I think the comparison is more than valid.
And then we have twins. Gemini is great for the Google Home speaker, but also for Nest Audio, Nest Mini, Nest Hub, and all other older Google speakers/displays. If you buy the Home Speaker, the Gemini version is no different than the version Google launched last October.
That’s an excellent commitment to updating older devices, and I wouldn’t pretend otherwise. However, if that’s the case, the Google Home Speaker needs to do something else to stand out from previous Google speakers. And in the end, it’s just not like that.
Should You Buy the Google Home Speaker?
Joe Maring/Android Authority
If this leaves you feeling confused or undecided about the Google Home Speaker, then you’ve come to the right place.
The Google Home Speaker is not a bad product. It replaced a 4th generation Amazon Echo in my bedroom and for what I want from a smart speaker – something that’s compact and integrates with my other Google Home devices – it’s a perfect fit. And if you find yourself in a similar situation, I think you won’t be disappointed with the Google Home Speaker.
However, when you look beyond the people who are committed to Google Home and need additional smart speakers, the Google Home Speaker is a much tougher recommendation.
After six years of waiting, the Google Home Speaker is disappointing.
If you’re thinking about upgrading your old Nest Audio, the Home Speaker isn’t a suitable replacement. It doesn’t have any Gemini features that your Nest Audio doesn’t already have, and it sounds worse too. If you’re not married to Google Home, Amazon’s Echo lineup is much broader, including options that are cheaper than the Home Speaker and those with better audio quality for the same price – the Amazon Echo Dot Max is particularly tempting ($99.99 at Amazon). And if you want a more sophisticated soundstage in an even smaller space (and are all Apple), the HomePod Mini is the way to go ($99.99 at Best Buy).
Joe Maring/Android Authority
What worries me most about the Google Home Speaker is what it represents for Google’s smart home ambitions as a whole. We’ve moved on from the Nest Mini as a budget entry-level model and the Nest Audio as a more premium but still affordable option to the Google Home Speaker, which tries to fill both of those positions but performs worse in both cases.
Combined with the six-year wait we had to endure for the Home Speaker, the end result is still disappointing, even if it’s far from a complete failure. It’s a good addition to the Google Home lineup, but not much more.
Google Home speakers
MSRP: $99.99
The Google Home Speaker is Google’s first smart speaker designed specifically for Gemini. In addition to its intelligent AI features, it features a 58mm driver in a small, compact body for surprisingly loud sound. If you live in the Google Home ecosystem, the Home Speaker is for you.
Positive
- Compact design
- Gorgeous color options
- Good (and loud) everyday sound
Disadvantages
- Integrated power cable
- Compared to Nest Audio, the audio quality has been downgraded
- Gemini features are available on older Google speakers
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