The compact device provides 360-degree sound in a form factor smaller than the older Nest Audio. It functions as an advanced smart home hub equipped with Matter support and a built-in Thread border router. Users can also configure one or two of the speakers to act as television audio outputs for the Google TV Streamer 4K. While the integrated Gemini technology improves natural language commands, access to continuous-dialogue Gemini Live requires an added monthly fee.
Key points
Google's first smart speaker in several years has reached its lowest price point since it…: Google's first smart speaker in several years has reached its lowest price point since its June debut.
Integrated Gemini software handles complex smart home commands better than the legacy Goo…: Integrated Gemini software handles complex smart home commands better than the legacy Google Assistant despite occasional unreliability.
Unlocking the continuous-dialogue Gemini Live capability requires users to purchase a $10…: Unlocking the continuous-dialogue Gemini Live capability requires users to purchase a $10 monthly Google Home Premium subscription.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
If you’re looking for a good smart speaker, the Google Home Speaker is down to around $79 ($20 off) in all four colors at Best Buy, Walmart, and Target. That’s the best price we’ve seen for the Gemini-powered speaker, which launched in June and represents Google’s first smart speaker in several years.
Google’s Gemini-powered Home Speaker is already on sale for 20 percent off
Google’s latest smart speaker offers surprisingly good sound for its size, Gemini-powered voice controls, and more.
Google’s latest smart speaker offers surprisingly good sound for its size, Gemini-powered voice controls, and more.
In her review, my colleague Jennifer Pattison Tuohy noted that Google’s new Home Speaker offers a nice balance of sound quality, size, and design. It’s smaller than the prior-gen Nest Audio, making it easy to place anywhere in your home. However, despite its small size, it produces loud, clear audio with 360-degree sound. Our own David Pierce even found it sounded cleaner, louder, and sharper than Amazon’s similarly priced Echo Dot Max, though Tuohy preferred the latter’s fuller sound and stronger bass. The older…
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