Google - Home Speaker - Smart Speaker with Gemini For Home Voice Assistant and 360-Degree Sound - Berry

I own the "original" Google Home Mini (i.e. the little one before it became Nest) and was impressed on day 1 of its volume and sound quality (and moderately impressed by its Google Assistant responses). Google set a high bar for me back in 2017(?) as far as sound quality in a tiny form factor is concerned. Consequently, I was eager to get my hands on and test the newest speaker release especially now that Gemini has replaced Google Assistant. Unfortunately, for a device 3x the original size, I don't see an improvement in audio quality (and feel it is not as good) but I do see a bump in "assistant" quality. It isn't that this device isn't a good Google smart home speaker, but because of its larger size I expected a more robust audio experience. The out-of-the-box experience is a bit muffled and distant, in my opinion. EQ-ing the music source improves the experience somewhat. The new model does bring a slightly deeper bass, but at the expense of crisp vocals...in my opinion. I have since tweaked the more/less bass and treble slider in the Google Home app for the device and found a satisfactory, but not great, setting for music. Adding the speaker to my existing Google Home experience was a piece of cake. Connect the device to the power source (included--and requiring a 30W power source which is included in the packaging) then open the Google Home app on your phone and click add a device. Your phone will do all the work from there including joining your network and your Google Home environment (with an option to rename the device and join it to a room or speaker group). HOWEVER...we did experience an oddity after setting up the device. Once the device was joined to the network and Google Home, I assumed I was done setting it up. I casted some music from the YouTube Music app on my phone to the speaker. I moved about the house a fair amount--enough to put at least 50-100' of home/walls/garage between me and the speaker at several points. The YouTube Music app on my phone stopped interacting with the Home Speaker (stopped updating the tracks or controlling volume) but the device kept playing my playlist. At that point, I could only control the speaker via the Google Home's "device" controller. Google Home showed the proper song title, volume controls, etc. but the YouTube Music app on my phone had control. I have experienced this phenomenon with older Google cast devices such as the early generation audio and video "chromecast" dongles but assumed it was due to outdated hardware. This was a minor disappointment, me as I prefer to use the YTM app rather than the device's Google Home controls to navigate my music selections. Another oddity after setup was that my Pixel 9 and my wife's Pixel 8 BURNED THROUGH BATTERY for the first 24hrs after I plugged the speaker in. On both phones, we saw the speaker was stuck in a "loading song" loop even though we had quit streaming music on it several hours earlier. We each had to manually kill the YouTube Music and Google Home apps on our phones to return to normal. The problem has not yet reoccurred, so it was likely a one-off problem. Gemini works as well as you would expect it to--which is notably better than the older Google Assistant. You can't really credit the device for that, as it is Google AI working behind the scenes doing all the research and work for you--not the speaker. Nonetheless, I appreciate that the speaker dims audio output when you speak to it and listen to its reply. For the record, I asked the assistant for a 10-day forecast for a city I will be in next week and the response was thorough--we'll see how accurate the forecast was in a few days, but I will not be packing a raincoat as a result of the response! I also asked the device to add a meeting to my calendar for Monday at 1p. Because I have 3 live GMail-based accounts, I was curious to see if it would assume a particular calendar (it assumed my personal account over my work account) or ask me which calendar to update. Given I have about 6 always listening "Google Assistant" devices in my house, Google continues to do a pretty good job of figuring out which device is supposed to listen/respond/act. When I am in the kitchen (one room away from the new Google Home Speaker) where my original Google Home Hub lives, the kitchen knows to respond to a request to set a timer or turn on the TV rather than my phone or the new office speaker...or the old home mini speaker which is also in the office for the sake of this review. Not sure how Google Home figures all of that out, but I am pleased the device's "listening" capabilities didn't override anything my Google Home system previously learned. A few other thoughts related to other reviewer comments about the speaker: - I have not experienced latency between request and response - I have not experienced (but have not yet asked a ton of questions/commands yet) any disconnect between Google Home requests and legacy equipment - I have found interacting with Gemini to be very conversational; virtually no misunderstandings if I stumble or change my mind about a command or question mid-sentence - The speaker still has touch volume controls but no longer has the 4 illuminated dots to let you know how low/high your volume is--or if it is muted - I keep my prompts very simple, logical and straight-forward and have NOT experienced "AI hallucinations" where Gemini assumes something it shouldn't - There is no "on" light to let you know whether or not the device is powered and connected but if the device is muted, there is a "muted" light that will display; the speaker base illuminates in multiple colors when you talk to it or when it is "thinking"--that light can be controlled by the Home app Final thought... I did activate the 6-month Google Home Premium trial included with this device ($10/mo after trial, supposedly) because I have Google doorbell and floodlight cameras and wanted to see the difference between the free tier and the paid tier. Basically, I get a true video history rather than "just the last 4 hours" for my Google camera devices. Additionally, you get facial recognition for the cameras and a "sound detection" that can alert you remotely (?) if your fire alarm or carbon monoxide alarms go off as well as emergency calling from the speaker devices. I would recommend the device because it is properly priced for what it is even though I am a bit disappointed that the larger footprint didn't lead to a more positive, robust audio experience. [I would not recommend the speaker for an audiophile.] The Gemini integration is a definite improvement, but I do worry about some of the initial glitches returning (i.e. YouTube Music getting stuck or only the Google Home app controlling the music).

I've had the new Google Home Speaker sitting in my kitchen for the past few days, and it's been getting a nice workout while I cook, clean, and go about my daily routine. As someone who's used various Google Nest Minis and similar devices over the years, I was curious how this one would stack up, specially since it's been a long wait for a fresh model from Google. Overall, it's a noticeable upgrade that feels more modern and capable, though it's not without a few drawbacks. Setup was a breeze. I literally plugged it in, opened the Google Home app, and it connected to my existing network without any hassle. It synced right up with the rest of my smart home devices, and within minutes I was issuing commands and testing things out nonstop. No complicated pairing or lengthy onboarding, just simple and reliable, which is exactly what you want from a device like this. The design is a bit larger than the old minis, which gives it a more substantial presence on the counter without feeling bulky. I got the Porcelain color, and it blends nicely into my kitchen without standing out too much. One of my favorite little touches is the LED light ring around the bottom. It lights up in a smooth, colorful way when the speaker is listening or responding. It's a cool, futuristic detail that makes interactions feel more engaging, especially in the evening when the kitchen lights are lower. Sound quality is improved but still has limits. Compared to the smaller Nest Minis I've used before, this is definitely a step up. The 360-degree audio fills the kitchen better, with clearer vocals and more noticeable bass for music or podcasts while I'm working. It handles everyday listening really well in a space like this. That said, it's not going to blow you away if you're chasing full, rich sound. It's still a compact smart speaker, not a dedicated audio system. For its category and size, though, it's a clear upgrade and gets the job done nicely for casual use. Where it really shines is the AI and responsiveness. The Gemini integration makes conversations feel much more natural and fluid. Responses come quicker, with more detailed and helpful information than what I was used to. I can chain questions or corrections together without it getting confused, and it handles multi-step requests better during my kitchen tests, like adjusting lights, setting timers, pulling up recipes, or managing routines all in one go. The back-and-forth feels more like talking to a helpful assistant rather than barking rigid commands. These enhancements are a genuine bonus and make daily tasks smoother. My only real hesitation is the subscription side. It comes with a solid 6-month trial of Google Home Premium, which unlocks even more of those advanced Gemini features. After that, it moves to a paid plan, and I'm not thrilled about adding another monthly cost. I already prefer using Grok for my main AI interactions, so I'll likely stick to the free basics on this speaker once the trial ends. Still, I can easily see how the premium features would be valuable for families, heavy smart home users, or anyone wanting the full conversational experience. Final Thoughts: This Google Home Speaker is a worthwhile upgrade if you're in the Google ecosystem and ready for something fresher than the older minis. It's easy to set up, looks good, sounds better than its predecessors, and the smarter AI makes it more enjoyable to use around the house. It's not perfect, especially if you're hoping for audiophile-level sound or want to avoid any future subscriptions, but in its current space, it stands out as a strong, practical choice. I've been testing it nonstop in the kitchen, and it’s earned a permanent spot for now. Recommended for anyone looking to modernize their smart home without overcomplicating things.

In the box you will find the speaker and AC adapter. The cord itself is attached to the speaker. If it ever fails the whole unit will have to be replaced. Definitely a design flaw. There is a sliding control on the bottom to mute the microphone and you can just tap the top or sides of the unit to play/pause or for volume control. Why not just use the voice control? Setup was fairly easy as I already had a Google speaker and the Home app on my phone. It did make me install it twice as I initially declined Gemini and it didn’t like that. Once you upgrade to Gemini you cannot go back to the regular Google Assistant. 6 months of Home Premium were included with this unit (by 9/30/26). Home Premium includes sound detection for breaking class and smoke alarms and Gemini Live which has more integration. Even with the basic Gemini version you can still integrate with your other connected devices; i.e. Nest. Conversing with Gemini Live is more conversational. I asked what was happening in my town today and it provided a list with local activities. It also mentioned the parade at noon, but it had already finished. It should be able to distinguish what has already occurred. As with most AI, Gemini needs some more time to fully be useful. Volume level at 10 is not that loud. Speakers should be able to go louder than this. While I don’t usually use level 10, there are times I need the speaker to go louder. Especially when using as a timer. Sound quality is very good but not as good as a high-quality speaker. I played my Sirius XM subscription and it sounded very good. Dancing while cooking is always fun. I do like the Google Home Speaker. The competitor doesn’t know how to provide a dew point, but Google can. That’s important in the muggy Midwest. Time will tell how Gemini improves.

I have a multiple Google nest hubs, regular google home speakers and now the new Google home speaker with Gemini. I love Google and all the help it gives me around my house. I was pretty excited and wondered why it seemed so long before Google launched new hardware in this space. I think I know why now… they really had nothing new to add. The Gemini software upgrade was pushed to all my “old” google speakers and hubs which I must say I am soooo grateful that they did that. It was wise on their part as well though, if they made me buy all new speakers….maybe I would have tried something new. I digress. The new speaker is well built and the biggest thing I noticed (which was about the only thing as well) is the sound is really really good for a speaker this size. I drifted away from streaming music on my old google speakers because other audio options were way better…but now, at least in the one room I have it in, I might start streaming again. Podcasts also sound really good. Foolks…that’s about it… then bring in the subscriptions….oh great, just what I need another 10 to 20 dollar subscription to get what I can get for free from other AI’s. To be fair Google seems to be the most balanced ideological and probably the smartest one… but you will have to decide if its worth 10 to 20 bucks a month. If you have the google video camera platform it might be… but for me it is not. It’s an Ok upgrade and it’s built well. If your just jumping into the home speaker arena, I don’t think you will be disappointed. The lack of exciting new features and the paywall really dampen my enthusiasm.

My new Porcelain-hued Google Home Smart Speaker arrived in excellent condition, securely packaged. Since I already utilize the Google Home application for my two existing first-generation speakers, the setup process was seamless ~ I simply scanned the QR code located on the base of the unit. After positioning the device in my living room near the television, I synchronized it with my other speakers. I recommend keeping your mobile device nearby to ensure a stable connection. The unit utilizes a Thread network, which significantly enhances its operational performance and efficiency. While I declined the option to share diagnostic data for product improvement, the device handles its own software updates automatically. Upon accepting the legal terms, I activated Gemini for Home, which allows for brainstorming, learning about new subjects, or requesting expert guidance through simple voice commands. I have already begun utilizing it for daily scheduling and general support. The speaker allows for simultaneous control of multiple smart devices. I was glad to find that Google includes a complimentary six-month trial of the Home Premium service although I am currently undecided about long-term subscription since I already pay for other smart home services, it is a nice perk. I upgraded to the Gemini Voice Assistant, which has now replaced the standard assistant across all three of my devices. I personally selected the "Bloom" male voice for its pleasant, calming tone. I also enabled Voice Match, which required reciting a few "Hey Google" phrases to train the system to recognize my speech. I have kept the microphone active and authorized full voice responses, as there are no children in the household. Additionally, I opted-in to sound detection features, such as glass breaking or smoke alarms, though these can be disabled if preferred. I chose to forgo saving my audio recordings in the Google Home history. So far, I have used it to get weather forecasts, listen to a surprisingly high-quality ghost story, and handle various daily inquiries. Am thinking of moving it into my bedroom so perhaps I can listen to some sleep stories as I fall asleep. This model is considerably more sophisticated than my previous ones, and I wholeheartedly recommend it ~ it is a delightful addition to any home!