Google Home is a great entry point to the smart speaker market. In terms of functionality, it has already outperformed Amazon Echo. Although it has some issues, the Google Home is a complete device that offers many great features.
Google Home's original Google Home ($130): This is the speaker that has earned the highest value in its segment. It's a good alternative to the more expensive Amazon Echo and it also comes with an interesting feature that other smart speakers don't have: it can play audio from your phone via WiFi.
It's also got a large song library, which means it can play most any song you can think of from services like Google Play Music and YouTube Music. Plus, it's got built-in Google Cast compatibility, so you can stream audio from a connected device to your Google Home.
Sound Quality
The speaker features a 2-inch driver with dual passive radiators (2-inches each), which offer good stereo imaging as well as a sharp, punchy sound. It's surprisingly thumpy for a small speaker, and it can fill a bedroom or kitchen with sound.
The speaker doesn't just have these features. There are also many other useful features. You can use the app in order to manage them. You can turn off the microphone if you don't need it to hear you voice. Additionally, you can group devices together so that they can all be controlled by one voice command.
A separate audio equalizer allows for you to tweak the bass as well as the treble. This isn’t the most complex equalizer we’ve seen but it does a decent job at adjusting for different situations and rooms.
This is especially useful for background music and ambient sounds. It makes it much easier to adjust the volume, without having to change individual tracks or manually. This is also great for audiobooks and podcasts, as it adjusts the volume of spoken words to a more natural setting.
Sound Quality - This is a huge improvement on the original Google Home. And it sounds even better than smart speakers. It has a balanced mid-range, and good low-end detail.
Higher-pitched instruments or vocals can sometimes sound a little dull. If you don't listen at loud volumes, it's difficult for the highest notes to be heard. While the treble may not be as smooth as some speakers, it is not harsh.
The speaker's microphone picks up your voice well and you can adjust the bass or treble with the app. Ambient IQ adjusts the volume to match the surrounding environment.
Voice Recognition
It is not as accurate than Alexa or Google Assistant but it does a decent job understanding what you're saying. It can answer queries about traffic, weather and sports. You can also get your calendar read out by it.