Which smart speaker should run your home?
Google and Amazon are well-matched competitors in the smart speaker space
with a slew of feature upgrades, device integrations, and new hardware. The
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/smart-home-reviews/nest-mini-review/> Nest
Mini, an upgrade of the
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/smart-home-reviews/google-home-mini-review/>
Home Mini, is a great companion device that can also act as an independent
assistant, with the same Google Assistant controls that larger Nest devices
leverage.
On the other side of the fence, Amazon and
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/what-is-amazons-alexa-and-what-can-it-do
/> Alexa have been tied together for quite some time building up a portfolio
of gadgets used by many people. Now on its third generation, the
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/smart-home-reviews/amazon-echo-dot-review/>
Echo Dot has been wowing Alexa fans for years and now even has an
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/smart-home-reviews/echo-dot-gen-3-with-clock-
review/> LED Clock option. The third-generation Echo Dot can be fetched for
around $35, while the LED clock variant generally sells for $45.
So, Google Nest Mini versus Amazon Echo Dot - which is best? We put the two
devices side by side and ran them through the gauntlet (OK, not literally)
to find out which device is better. It's showdown time!
Specifications
While you could be forgiven for thinking that Google Nest Mini and Amazon
Echo Dot are similarly priced devices offering similar specifications, a dig
into the spec sheets reveals some important differences. Yes, these are both
entry-level, compact, smart assistant controllers, but there are nuances.
Amazon Echo Dot in Sandstone
Alexa is compatible with more than 60,000 smart home devices.
<https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0792KTHKJ/?tag=digitren08-20&ascsubtag=158230117
6660m288> $35 FROM AMAZON
The third-generation Echo Dot has a 1.6-inch speaker, and you can connect
the Echo Dot to a larger speaker if you want.
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/how-to-improve-sound-and-voice-recogniti
on-on-a-google-home-device/> You can also improve the sound on your Google
Home device by connecting a more powerful speaker through the Google Home
app. With an array of four far-field microphones, advanced Bluetooth audio
support, and a 3.5mm audio jack, the Echo Dot is a low-cost Alexa
controller.
In contrast, the Google Nest Mini only has three far-field microphones for
voice detection, but it does have a 1.57-inch driver. There's Bluetooth
support, but the device lacks an audio port. Integrated Chromecast and
Chromecast Audio streaming and enhanced audio format support demonstrate
Google's belief that Nest Mini can serve as a competent, if compact,
stand-alone speaker, alongside other duties. But, the Echo Dot 3rd gen still
has the Nest Mini beat.
The Google Assistant-powered Mini speaker is an affordable way to run your
smart home.
<https://goto.walmart.com/c/123412/565706/9383?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.c
om%2Fip%2FGoogle-Nest-Mini-2nd-Generation-Coral%2F594838444&subid1=158230117
6660f01c> $35 FROM WALMART.COM
When it comes to aesthetics, Amazon and Google have taken slightly different
approaches that have wound up in almost the same place, with two small
puck-like devices covered with fabric and using LED lights to communicate.
The Dot and the Dot with Clock both retain the iconic blue and orange LED
status ring. It adds a little interest, but also makes the Echo Dot more
noticeable. The Echo Dot with Clock can also serve as a good bedside
companion, given its auto-adjust display.
The Nest Mini may not have a clock option, but it still uses LED dots to
communicate, and it's available in chalk, charcoal, coral, and sky. Again,
build quality is excellent, and Nest Mini's pincushion form gives the device
its own identity. What sets it apart is the notch on its underside, which
allows you to hang it on a wall Google's designers have even spent time
crafting Nest Mini's circular power adapter, which fits neatly in the hand
and protrudes from the wall far less than the Echo Dot's power supply. There
are even clips on the power cable to tidy up any slack. These are small
touches, yes, but they demonstrate a level of design detail and care that's
the hallmark of a great device.
Winner: Google Nest Mini (unless you really need a clock)
Connectivity
Amazon's Echo Dot has been around much longer than Google's Nest Mini, so
that has given Amazon time to build out a relatively strong ecosystem. From
calling features, whisper mode,
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/everything-amazon-announced-at-september
-2019-event/> doorbell concierge, and
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/how-to-build-your-own-alexa-skills/>
Blueprints that let you make (and even publish) your own Alexa skills, Alexa
seems to learn new stuff almost every day. Alexa's reminders and routines
are getting more advanced too, allowing users to set location-based
reminders and create advanced routines (you can have Alexa turn off your
lights, wait 15 minutes, and then turn off the TV for instance). You can
also announce messages through all of your Echo Dots throughout your home.
Amazon Echo Dot with Clock
The new Echo Dot With Clock has an adjustable LED display screen.
<https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N8RPRF7?tag=digitren08-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&ps
c=1&ascsubtag=1582301176660aw7f> $60 FROM AMAZON
<https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-2942700-13784829-1581487575199?url=https%3A%2
F%2Fwww.brandsmartusa.com%2Famazon%2Becho%2F240110%2Fecho%2Bdot%2B3rd%2Bgen%
2Bsmart%2Bspeaker%2Bwith%2Bclock.htm&cjsku=240110&sid=1582301176660qndd> $39
FROM BRANDSMART USA
Both devices can connect to and control a swathe of smart home stalwarts
like
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/smart-home-reviews/philips-hue-outdoor-sensor
-review/> Philips Hue lighting, power outlets, smart locks and more. Google
is working with partners to rapidly build out hardware integrations, but
Amazon still has its nose in front.
<https://blog.aboutamazon.com/devices/amazon-devices-event-september-2019>
Alexa can control more than 85,000 smart home devices. Nest compatibility is
a thornier issue: In 2019 Google revamped its Nest brand with a new focus on
privacy - some compatibility partnerships ended, some continued, and some
were stuck in development limbo for the foreseeable future. This has slowly
worked itself out over time, but Nest compatibility is simply more limited
than it was, and you'll need to study each smart device carefully to make
sure it's compatible with the Nest Mini today.
Alongside hardware connectivity, both devices can also access "
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/best-alexa-skills/> skills" or "
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/google-home-most-useful-skills/>
actions" that deliver enhanced features like news reports, recipes,
reservation bookings, jokes, quizzes, and more. Again, the Echo Dot leads
here, with a plethora of different types of skills available for the device
(some of which you may actually wish to use). Google's offering is certainly
smaller at this point but is expanding quickly, adding features like a
multilingual mode, a translator mode, and step-by-step cooking instructions.
Before jumping in with Amazon Echo or Google Nest, be sure to review the
streaming entertainment services you currently use. As per usual, Amazon
very much sees Echo as a gateway to service subscriptions and heavily
promotes Amazon Music over other options. However, Amazon has begun to
support more services on Alexa like Spotify Premium, Pandora, iHeartRadio,
TuneIn Radio, and even Apple Music.
With Google Nest Mini, there are fewer compatible music services sources,
but you can use Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, Deezer, and Google Play music,
among other options. Both brands continue to add services.
Winner: Amazon Echo Dot
Ease of use
One thing you should know before purchasing either smart speaker is that
both Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant are in active development with
perpetual changes. This means both devices are regularly enhanced with new
features, but you may also find that commands that worked previously no
longer work or might require a slightly nuanced voice instruction. Or, they
might seemingly work for everyone else except for you. It can be a real
frustration with both Amazon and Google services.
That said, both devices work well at picking up voice commands as long as
you enunciate, even when you're blaring out tunes
at full volume. The Echo Dot's design, with an overt LED status ring and
physical buttons for volume, mic muting, and triggering Alexa on the top of
the device, gives Amazon a slight edge in terms of usability. Google Nest
Mini supports microphone muting via a rear switch and subtle, LED
indicators, touch-sensitive volume controls on either side of the device,
all of which work well.
Winner: Amazon Echo Dot
Audio output
The third-generation Echo has a larger driver and the sound is much better
than ever before. The Nest Mini has 360-degree sound and a 40mm driver that
makes it a "smart speaker for any room" (according to Google). But how do
they stack up?
Google Nest Mini delivers louder audio with punchy bass. At full volume, the
speaker manages to keep distortion in check, but there's a lot of treble,
and it's quite harsh. There's little-to-no separation, and the overall
effect is muddy. You can use the equalizer to adjust the treble and bass;
and sure, it's a step up from your phone's speakers but not a match for a
decent, dedicated
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/best-bluetooth-speakers/>
Bluetooth speaker.
However, it's Amazon that has really made the biggest strides here. Since
Amazon upped the sound game on the third-generation Dot, the Dot has the
3.5mm jack, and the Dot third gen is louder and boasts a much richer, fuller
sound, so it edges out the Nest Mini.
Winner: Amazon Echo Dot
Which should you buy?
If you're already invested in a smart assistant ecosystem, neither Amazon
Echo Dot or Google Nest Mini delivers compelling reasons to switch to the
other side.
Amazon should be celebrated for creating this compact, smart controller
category with the original Amazon Echo Dot, which delivers much of the magic
of its big brother(s), but at a fraction of the price. It's clear that
Google's engineers and designers have spent time understanding and then
building on the Echo Dot's foundations. It looks better, and while it lacks
the Echo Dot's wealth of integrations, Google is catching up quickly.
If you are a die-hard Amazon customer, you'll want an Echo Dot so it agrees
with your existing devices (like Fire TV), and likewise for the Nest Mini.
However, if you don't have Amazon or Google products, the decision becomes
more difficult. We suggest starting with the Echo Dot as an easy way to see
how you like these smart devices. However, know that these smaller devices
often function better as satellites or little desk helpers rather than as
full alternatives to large smart devices.
By Erika Rawes <https://www.digitaltrends.com/users/erikarawes/>
Website:
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/google-home-mini-vs-amazon-echo-dot/
