Google Nest Audio

Good audio quality ; Sounds great when two speakers are paired in stereo ; Attractive minimalist design ; Comes in five colors ; Google Assistant remains a solid option for smart home control ; Reasonable price

Some music fans will want larger speakers with better audio quality ; Music service support is somewhat limited

Superb audio performance ; Charming design for any decor ; Adapts audio quality to any room ; Attractive $100 cost

Dense weight ; Too complacent with feature upgrades

Subtle and unassuming design Picks up voice commands very well Better sound than its predecessor

Missing detail in the mids and trebles Can sound harsh at higher volumes

Google promises big things when it comes to the sound quality of the successor to the original Google Home smart speaker, but while it is an improvement, it doesn’t deliver the jump in performance we were hoping for. However, it does work very well as...

Google Assistant works impeccably ; Easy set-up ; Improved build and finish

Sound lacks weight and punch ; Harsh through the treble ; Not as room filling as expected

If you want Google’s smarts and a slightly louder sound, this could be the device. But it isn’t quite the audio-focused speaker we’d hoped for

Balanced sound with strong, detailed highs ; Supports Bluetooth and Google Cast ; Google Assistant is more useful than ever

Bass isn't particularly powerful

The Nest Audio smart speaker offers Google Assistant functionality and clear, detailed sound in an attractive design for a reasonable price.

Much improved audio quality compared to predecessor Google Assistant can do a lot of stuff Attractive price Can pair two in stereo for a better music experience

Compact size limits the punch of bass and volume output Playing specific music through voice commands can be hit or miss Multiroom voice controls are unreliable

Overall, there’s very little to complain about with the Nest Audio’s sound quality, and most people will be very happy with it for everything from casual background music to more dedicated listening. Its limits are where you’d expect them to be from...

Design ; Decent sound quality ; Google Assistant integration ; Effective touch controls ; Good value for money

Some hiss around Google Assistant audio ; No Zigbee controller to directly setup smart products

Google has clearly positioned Nest Audio to be a natural rival to the Amazon Echo - a speaker to provide music, information and voice control whenever you want it. The competition from Amazon is still fierce, but in the Nest Audio, Google now has a...

Noticeable audio upgrade over Google Home ; Sleek design is sustainable, too ; Google Assistant is fast and attentive ; Aggressive pricing makes multi-room music affordable

Bass still falls short, especially at higher volumes ; No provision for wall/stand mounting ; Have to be okay with Google's microphones in your house