Google Nest Audio

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

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...

– Easy to set up, enhanced audio and pleasing design

– Pesky bugs

Google Nest Audio is the Amazon Echo 4th Gen rival that Google fans have been waiting for – offering a similar Google Assistant experience to past devices with significantly enhanced audio. Unfortunately, the Nest Audio falls short of greatness with...

Improved sound on Google Home ; Voice commands are picked up well ; Neat, unassuming design ; Good value

Sound lacks some detail and dynamism ; Can distort at loud volumes

If you’re focused on sound quality, you might find the Nest Audio wanting. Look at it as a smart speaker with improved audio prowess, and it absolutely delivers.

Effective voice recognition ; Reasonable price ; Sounds great

No 3.5mm audio output/input ; Slightly fiddly touch controls

Otherwise, there’s plenty to shout about here. Indeed, the long-awaited Google Nest Audio is the successor the Google Home has long deserved.

Beautiful design ; Compact size ; Great, full-bodied sound ; Low price

Design not for everyone ; Bass can be a bit too heavy ; Works best only when using the Google ecosystem

Great, room-filling sound for the money, can be paired, made of recycled plastic, Google Assistant, Bluetooth 5.0, wifi, native BBC radio playback.

No 3.5mm input, potential privacy concerns of a smart speaker, no separate Assistant volume, Ambient IQ auto-volume not strong enough, doesn’t play with non-Google speakers.

If you just want a voice-assistant to answer questions and set timers, the Nest Mini is often less than half the price. But the Nest Audio is a good-sounding, good value Google Assistant smart speaker that brings Google back up to par with Amazon’s...