- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Updates
- Comparison
- Best Speakers
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We've currently bought and tested three Google speakers. Google produces a wide variety of Internet-related products, including smart speakers that offer compatibility with other technologies in the Google ecosystem. They're mostly designed for home use and tend to have Google Assistant built-in.
Updates
- 12/14/2021 Google Nest Audio updated
- 01/06/2021 Google Nest Mini reviewed
- 12/14/2020 Google Home Max reviewed
Best Google Speakers
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Best Google Speaker
Music6.2Videos/Movies5.7Podcasts6.2Voice Assistant8.3Outdoors4.9BluetoothYesWi-FiYesSpeakerphoneYesVoice AssistantYesBattery PoweredNoThe Google Nest Audio is the best Google home speaker we've tested. Out-of-the-box, it has a balanced mid-range that ensures vocals and lead instruments reproduce clearly and with detail in the mix, which is good for vocal-centric content like audiobooks and podcasts. Higher-pitched voices and instruments sound dark and dull at times, though. Fortunately, you can tweak its sound to your liking, thanks to the bass and treble adjustments featured in its Google Home app. It's also loud enough to use in smaller rooms like your bedroom or on your desk in your home office.
It comes with Google Assistant built-in, which you can activate with your voice. It also has little trouble registering your commands from far away and in noisy rooms, and you can mute its mic when you don't want it to hear you. You can also pair this speaker to two compatible Google speakers to create a stereo pair or to multiple speakers when you want to play different audio in different rooms at once. Unfortunately, it needs to be paired to a second unit to play stereo audio and downmixes stereo content to mono when using it on its own, which isn't as immersive.
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Best Cheap Google Speaker
Music5.6Videos/Movies4.9Podcasts6.4Voice Assistant8.3Outdoors4.9BluetoothYesWi-FiYesSpeakerphoneYesVoice AssistantYesBattery PoweredNoIf you're looking for a cheap Google speaker to add to your home, check out the Google Nest Mini. Like the Google Nest Audio, it has a balanced mid-range, so voices and dialogue sound clear and present in the mix, which is great for listening to vocal-centric audio content like audiobooks and podcasts. There are also bass and treble adjustments featured in its companion app, which you can use to tweak its sound to your liking. It doesn't produce an as extended low-bass, though. You can pair this speaker to another Nest Mini to create a stereo pair or to multiple other compatible speakers when you want to listen to different audio in different rooms of your home at the same time.
It offers great voice assistant support and does an excellent job of understanding your voice from far away. There's also a mute microphone switch you can also use when you no longer want it to listen to you. However, it has high Bluetooth and Chromecast latency, so it isn't suitable for watching videos and movies over these connections. Some apps compensate for latency differently, and your experience may differ.
Compared to other brands
- Built-in Google Assistant capabilities. Google's speakers come with built-in voice assistant support for Google Assistant, which you can activate using your voice. You can also mute the speaker's microphone if you don't want Google Assistant to hear you.
- Pair together for Party Mode and Multi-Room features. You can wirelessly pair multiple Google speakers together in the Google Home app to amplify your audio across a crowded party or to play different audio content in different rooms of your house at the same time.
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatible. Google speakers support Google Chromecast, which lets you wirelessly stream audio from other Chromecast-enabled devices to the speaker when connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Conveniently, their speakers also offer Bluetooth compatibility for those who prefer to stream their audio without an Internet connection.
- Wired design isn't very portable. The Google speakers we've tested are for home use, and their wired-only design means that you can't use them to listen to audio when you're on the go.
- No advertised dust or water resistance. The Google speakers we've tested don't advertise an IP rating for dust or water resistance. As a result, you should be very careful if you plan to use them in a room with running water, like a kitchen.
- Some speakers lack low-bass. Smaller Google speakers may have trouble reproducing the deep, thumpy low-bass found in bass-heavy music and action-packed movie scenes. It's due to their size.
Overall, Google makes wired-only smart speakers with lots of wireless connectivity options. They're compatible with other technologies in the Google ecosystem, including Google Assistant and Google Chromecast. Unlike other Bluetooth speakers on the market, they're for home use, and their wired-only design means they aren't suitable to bring with you on the go. However, since the Google Home Max was discontinued, the manufacturer currently has only two speakers on the market that don't come with built-in displays.
Notable Mentions
- Google Home Max: The Google Home Max is a wired Google home speaker that can produce a more extended low bass than the Google Nest Audio and can get louder with less compression at max volume. Sadly, it's been discontinued and is difficult to find in new condition. See our review
Recent Updates
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Jun 17, 2022: Minor updates to text for consistency and accuracy. No changes made to product picks.
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Feb 18, 2022: Text updated for clarity and accuracy; no changes to picks.
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Oct 21, 2021: Verified picks for accuracy, and updated text for clarity.
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Jun 23, 2021: Removed the Google Home Max from our recommendations since it's been discontinued, and updated the text for consistency.
Conclusion
Google makes smart speakers for home use that support Google Assistant. You can easily pair multiple Google speakers together to enhance your listening experience, and you can stream audio over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections. They aren't for outdoor use, and they may struggle to reproduce a thumpy low-bass.