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. It also has Google Cast compatibility so that you can stream audio from any 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 isn't limited to these features. It also offers a variety of other features, which you can manage using the app. You can silence the microphone and create groups so that multiple devices can be controlled with one voice command.
A separate audio equalizer allows for you to tweak the bass as well as the treble. It is not the most advanced equalizer that we have seen, but it does a decent task of adapting for different environments and rooms.
This is especially useful when controlling background music and ambient sound. It's also great for podcasts and audiobooks, because it can adjust the level of spoken word content to a more natural setting.
Sound Quality: This smart speaker is a significant upgrade to the original Google Home. It's also better than many other smart speakers. It's balanced in the middle and has good low-end detail.
Sometimes, the higher-pitched voices and instruments can sound a bit dull. You won't hear the full impact of the high pitches unless you are listening at extremely loud volumes. The treble isn't quite as smooth as other speakers, but it's not too harsh either.
The microphone on the speaker picks up your voice very well. You can adjust the treble and bass through the app. Ambient IQ adjusts the volume to match the surrounding environment.
Voice Recognition:
While it's not as accurate or as Google Assistant or Alexa, it understands what you say. It can answer queries about traffic, weather and sports. You can also get your calendar read out by it.