These are the best Google Assistant speakers you can buy

Whether you want an easy way to check the weather, control smart home devices, stream music, or any other multitude of things, Google Assistant speakers are the way to go. They come in many shapes, sizes, and prices, but no matter which one you buy, you get the same core experience. If you’re in the market for your first Assistant device or need another for your growing collection, here’s a list of our current favorites — including the Google Nest Hub as our top overall choice.

Best Overall: Google Nest Hub

Kicking off our list, let’s talk about the Google Nest Hub and why it’s our favorite Google Assistant speaker currently on the market. If your ideal speaker strikes a good balance of design, features, and price, the Nest Hub is perfect.

Starting with that first point, this thing looks great. The fabric base is available in a bunch of fun colors, and the way the screen is positioned on it gives off the impression that it’s floating in mid-air. The quality of the 7-inch screen is fantastic, too. It’s an LCD panel that’s bright, colorful, and automatically changes its color temperature based on the lighting of the room it’s in.

All of your favorite Google Assistant commands work wonderfully on the Nest Hub, and because there’s a display, you can go a step further by being able to watch YouTube videos, follow step-by-step recipes, and see your favorite images on Google Photos throughout the day.

Audio quality is a bit tinny and we’re remiss that Google didn’t include a camera for video calls, but all-in-all, you get a lot for your money with the Nest Hub.

Pros:

• Fits on any desk


• Lovely fabric design


• Display is crisp and colorful


• Ambient EQ feature


• Good value

Cons:

• Tinny speakers


• No camera for video calls

Best Overall

Google Nest Hub

Best for most

Overall, the Nest Hub is the best Google Assistant speaker out there. From the design to features, it does everything so darn well.

Best Value: Google Nest Mini

If you’re in the market for a speaker that’s easier on your wallet, the Google Nest Mini is a much better fit. No, it doesn’t have a display, but this tiny speaker that could packs a surprisingly big punch.

The thing we love the most about the Nest Mini is its design. The donut-like form factor means you can put the Mini virtually anywhere in your home, and thanks to the built-in mount on its underside, it’s even easy to mount it to a wall. The fabric covering also gives off a nice homey sense, and the array of colors it’s offered in are all fantastic.

This isn’t a speaker we’d recommend audiophiles get for jamming out to their favorite tunes, but for casual music listening and catching up on your favorite podcasts, the Nest Mini is better than you might expect. It’s loud and crisp, creating an enjoyable experience at the expense of some bass.

Add that together with well-implemented touch controls and the low price, and the Nest Mini shines bright as the best value pick in this ecosystem.

Pros:

• It’s so small!


• Built-in wall mount


• Very loud


• Great touch controls


• Cheap cheap cheap

Cons:

• Not ideal for audiophiles


• No display

Best Value

Google Nest Mini

Unmatched value

When it comes to getting a good value, you just can’t top the Google Nest Mini. Seriously — this thing is so good!

Best Versatility: Sonos One

Moving over to a non-Google-made smart speaker, we have the Sonos One. The Sonos One has established itself as one of the best in the market ever since the first version was unveiled in 2017. If you live in the Google Assistant ecosystem, it’s hard to ignore.

First thing’s first, the Sonos One looks and sounds incredible. The sleek aesthetic that’s available in black and white isn’t overly flashy and fades nicely into any room of your home. The speakers also kick out an impressive amount of oomph for such a small form factor, with the One delivering a well-balanced soundstage you’re bound to love.

Where things get really exciting is when you learn about everything the Sonos One is capable of. Yes, it’s a Google Assistant speaker, but did you know you can also swap it out for Alexa? There’s also support for Apple’s AirPlay 2, and if you have other Sonos speakers, the One works seamlessly with them via the top-notch Sonos mobile app.

Yes, it’s expensive, but if you want one of the most functional speakers money can buy, the Sonos One is the way to go.

Pros:

• Excellent audio quality


• Sleek design


• Works with Google Assistant and Alexa


• Supports AirPlay 2


• Seamlessly ties in with other Sonos speakers

Cons:

Best Versatility

Sonos One

So many features in one speaker

Few speakers are as versatile as the Sonos One. It sounds great and works with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Apple’s AirPlay 2.

Best Soundbar: Sonos Beam

When you think of smart speakers, you likely think of standalone gadgets you place throughout your home. That’s the shape most of them take, but the Sonos Beam is a little different. Instead, this is a powerful soundbar and Google Assistant speaker crammed into one awesome package.

The Sonos Beam’s hardware is, in a word, excellent. It takes up a lot less room than you’d expect, making it a good fit for smaller entertainment stands. It’s also extremely simple to set up, as it just requires a power cord and an HDMI cable that connects it to your television. That’s it.

Once everything’s hooked up and ready to go, the Beam delivers exquisite sound. Bass is powerful, there’s fantastic channel separation to bring your content to life, and the Beam sounds just as good whether you’re watching a movie or listening to music. It’s also a fully-functioning Google Assistant speaker, along with support for Alexa and AirPlay 2.

We have noticed that the Beam’s microphones can be overly sensitive at times, but minus that one grip and the steep price, this is a nearly perfect offering.

Pros:

• Outstanding audio quality for movies and music


• Impressive channel separation


• Doesn’t take up too much room


• Connects to your TV with one cable


• Google Assistant and Alexa are onboard

Cons:

• Microphones are too sensitive


• Not the most affordable soundbar

Best Soundbar

Sonos Beam

Bring the Assistant to your TV

With the Sonos Beam and it’s heart-stopping sound, you can put the Google Assistant right in the center of your living room.

Best Display: Google Nest Hub Max

The idea behind the Nest Hub Max is simple — take what made the smaller Nest Hub great, add a bigger display, better speakers, and a camera. All of these extra goodies make the Max a good deal more expensive than its smaller sibling, but if you want the ultimate Google Assistant experience, it’s the speaker to beat.

Looking at the Nest Hub Max’s display, it’s incredible. The 10-inch size means YouTube and other video content is comfortable to watch, and the HD resolution ensures everything is as sharp as can be. Ambient EQ is also present, allowing the screen to look its best no matter what room it’s in. The speakers have also been seriously upgraded, with the Nest Hub Max kicking out impressive sound that’s enjoyable to listen to for hours on end.

Perhaps the most notable upgrade with the Max is the addition of its camera. This allows for a few different things, including video calls with Google Duo, hand gestures, facial recognition, and the ability to use it as a Nest security camera to keep an eye on your home when you’re away.

You’ll need to pay a price for all of the Nest Hub Max’s goodness, so while it isn’t the most accessible Assistant speaker, it is one of the most functional.

Pros:

• 10-inch HD display


• Powerful speakers


• Camera for video calls and facial recognition


• Useful hand gestures


• Doubles as a Nest security camera

Cons:

• Not as elegant as the smaller Nest Hub


• More expensive

Best Display

Google Nest Hub Max

Going all out

The Nest Hub Max is a force to be reckoned with. It has a huge display, big sound, and a powerful camera that’s built right in.

Best Mid-ranger: Google Home

Released all the way back in late-2016, the Google Home is the oldest Assistant speaker on our list. In fact, it’s the first Assistant speaker that Google ever made. While the Home is getting up in age, it continues to be a solid speaker for those interested in a good mid-range option.

All these years later, the Google Home still looks great. The fabric base can be easily swapped out for another color/material, and it contrasts nicely with the pure white portion above it with the flat top.

In regards to sound quality, it’s about what you’d expect for a speaker of this caliber: It’s good, but not amazing. Average listeners should be perfectly happy for using the Home to binge playlists and podcasts, but folks that are serious about audio are better off with something like the Sonos One.

The value proposition for the Google Home isn’t what it used to be seeing as how the Nest Hub can be purchased for just a few dollars more, but for some buyers, the original Home is worth another look.

Pros:

• Good mid-tier sound


• Unique design


• Swappable base


• Not too big

Cons:

• Not the best value

Best Mid-ranger

Google Home

A nice option right in the middle

The original Google Home continues to be a strong Assistant speaker, thanks to its good design and sound.

Best Wireless: Sonos Move

Next up, we’d like to talk about the Sonos Move. This is the first wireless speaker Sonos has ever created, and trust us when we say that it’s something special.

Unsurprisingly, the Sonos Move has impeccable audio quality. It’s big, loud, filled with bass, and makes all types of music ring with joy. Cramming in such powerful audio tech results in the Move being on the larger side of things, but if you ask us, it’s a well-deserving trade-off.

Sonos also used the Move’s bigger footprint to cram in a huge battery, removing any sort of battery-anxiety you may have when using other wireless speakers. The built-in carrying handle also feels fantastic, and when it comes time to charge up, you just drop the Move on its included docking station.

Tying everything together is water and dust resistance, Google Assistant, and support for both Alexa and AirPlay 2.

Pros:

• Glorious sound with deep bass


• Fully wireless


• Built-in handle feels great


• Water and dust resistance


• Strong battery life

Cons:

• Potentially too big/heavy for some users


• Average microphone performance


• Expensive!

Best Wireless

Sonos Move

Life without pesky wires

Sonos nearly perfected the wireless speaker with the Move. It sounds phenomenal, gets great battery life, and is easy to transport.

Best Alarm Clock: Lenovo Smart Clock

For our final pick, we want to shine some light on the Lenovo Smart Clock. This is another one of the many display-equipped speakers out there, but it’s quite different from the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max. Why? The Lenovo Smart Clock is insanely small.

The size of the Smart Clock doesn’t translate well in pictures, but when you see it in person for yourself, you’ll know why we’re so impressed with it in this regard. Even if you have the smallest nightstand or endtable, the Lenovo Smart Clock can fit on it with ease. The fabric design is nice, too, helping it fit into any home no matter your decor.

Living up to its “Smart Clock” name, you’ll find a few handy alarm features. Tapping the top of the Smart Clock with your hand when an alarm goes off will instantly snooze it so you can get more sleep, and as night turns into day, the brightness of the screen will gradually increase to help you wake up. We also love the USB-A port on the back, giving you a handy location for charging your phone while you sleep.

All of the smart features found on the Nest Hub don’t make their way over to the Smart Clock’s petite form factor, most notably the ability to watch YouTube videos or see you pictures from Google Photos. However, at this price and size, you may be more than willing to live without those things.

Pros

• Unbelievably small


• Fabric design


• USB port for charging your phone


• Surprisingly good audio for the size


• Low price

Cons

• Not as fully-featured as other smart displays

Best Alarm Clock

Lenovo Smart Clock

The bedside alarm of the future

Thanks to its teeny tiny size and unique alarm features, the Lenovo Smart Clock is the perfect addition to any nightstand.

Bottom line

The ecosystem for Google Assistant speakers has grown a lot since Google debuted the platform a few years ago, and right now, the one that stands out the most is the Google Nest Hub.

It may not have a camera or the best speakers, but overall, it’s the Assistant speaker we think most people will be the happiest with. The Nest Hub looks great, doesn’t take up too much room, has a boatload of features thanks to its screen, and comes in at a competitive price.

This is the Assistant speaker that I have sitting on my desk, and I’ve yet to find something I want to replace it with. Google created something special with the Nest Hub, and that’s why we’re crowning it as the best Google Assistant speaker you can buy in 2019.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Joe Maring is Android Central’s News Editor. He’s a smart speaker believer and currently has six Google Assistant speakers scattered throughout his three-bedroom apartment. Plus, there’s always room for more! Have a tip? Send an email to joe.maring@mobilenations.com or hit him up on Twitter @JoeMaring1

Android, Gadget, Technology, Uncategorized

Android, Gadget, Technology, Uncategorized

Share this post