Smart speakers have evolved tremendously since they were first introduced, and now, the top models deliver impressiveaudio qualityand powerful assistive capabilities to every corner of your home. Whether you want to play music, control smart home devices, access information online, or make calls hands-free, today’s smart speakers enable you to do it all through handy voice commands.
The growing range of options, from budget-friendly models to premium speakers, can make selecting your ideal smart sidekick confusing. This buyer’s guide compares the latest offerings to reveal the best smart speakers for music playback, smart home connectivity, voice assistant features, and overall value.
Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
Alexa, Make Life Easy!
The new Amazon Echo combines powerful audio in a spherical design with Alexa voice control. Its 3-inch woofer and two tweeters fill rooms with immersive sound. Smart home management is easy with Zigbee, while the built-in sensor tracks temperatures. This versatile assistant blends seamlessly into your décor.
The newly designed Amazon Echo (4th Gen) smartspeakerbrings upgrades all around, with its spherical shape sporting 100 percent recycled fabric and aluminum. The 3-inch woofer and dual 0.8-inch tweeters produce clearer audio than previous models. While it falls short of high-fidelity sound, there is decent bass and significantly improved performance over earlier Echos. With its built-in Zigbee hub for connecting smart home devices, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, temperature sensor, and Sidewalk integration, it packs helpful features.
As an Alexa-powered device, the Echo handles numerous tasks like playing music, controlling smart devices by voice, and looking up information. Overall, it makes an excellent smart home hub for those invested in Amazon products. Despite distortions at maximum volumes, its combination of style, audio quality, and functionality makes the latest Echo a versatile, voice-controlled assistant for most spaces. While not meeting audiophile standards, it hits the sweet spot for the features offered.
Sonos Era 100
Sound That Moves You!
Immerse yourself in remarkable audio with the Sonos Era 100. Its innovative design houses two angled tweeters and a powerful woofer, filling your space with crisp highs and deep lows. Support for the latest Bluetooth and Wi-Fi ensures seamless connectivity, while the far-field mics enable handy voice control. Let Trueplay tuning optimize the sound precisely for your room.
Sonos hits the mark again with its newest creation, the Era 100 smart speaker. This cylindrical powerhouse pumps out remarkably clear and balanced audio courtesy of upgraded drivers and Trueplay technology that fine-tunes sound to suit room acoustics. Despite its compact size, it generates beefy bass along with pristine mids and highs to satisfy even discerning audiophiles. Beyond superb solo listening, the Era 100 plays nicely with others. It can pair with a second unit for immersive stereo or surround sound when combined with Sonossoundbarsand rears.
Connecting the Era 100 to music services takes just a tap thanks to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 support. Control music playback via touch gestures, voice commands through Alexa or Sonos’ own assistant, or directly through the intuitive Sonos app. Customize the listening experience further with adjustable EQ. With a sleek contemporary design crafted around next-gen sound quality and seamless whole-home audio integration, the Sonos Era 100 is one for the ears and the eyes.
The Apple HomePod Mini packs impressive sound into a compact smart speaker. Measuring just 3.3 inches tall, its seamless mesh fabric exterior is available in fun colors to match any space. But inside, a full-range driver, dual passive radiators, and Apple’s computational audio technology fill rooms with rich, balanced sound. Four far-field microphones ensure Siri can hear requests over loud music for tasks like setting reminders or controlling HomeKit devices.
Beyond audio, the HomePod Mini offers versatility. Support for AirPlay 2 enables multi-room audio configurations, while the intercom feature lets family members broadcast messages. It can also recognize alarms and integrate with Apple devices thanks to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and handoff features. Sustainability matters, too; Apple uses recycled materials and pledges carbon neutrality. For those seeking robust sound, smart home control, and Siri convenience in one stylish sphere, the feature-packed HomePod Mini delivers.
Echo Studio
Your Smart Sound Companion!
The Echo Studio immerses you in three-dimensional audio, strategically positioned drivers and Dolby Atmos transporting you inside the music. The smart speaker adapts sound to your room’s layout for an optimized experience. With Alexa and Zigbee, voice control music and smart devices effortlessly.
TheAmazon EchoStudio is a high-performance smart speaker that packs powerful audio technology in a compact, aesthetically pleasing form. With its 5-speaker array producing up to 330W of peak power, the Studio fills rooms with deep bass and crisp highs thanks to a dedicated woofer and tweeter. Spatial audio processing via Dolby Atmos enables a rich, multidimensional listening experience. The speaker analyzes room acoustics, fine-tuning playback for optimal sound dispersion.
On the smart functionality front, the Studio’s Zigbee hub effortlessly controls compatible devices through Alexa voice commands. Whether streaming Tidal master recordings or Apple Music lossless audio, the Studio maintains consistent quality across volumes. For private listening, a physical mic switch ensures privacy. The Studio can also be paired with other Echo units for multi-room audio. With premium sound, handy smart features, and attractive styling, the Echo Studio is a versatile option suitable for both music aficionados and smart home enthusiasts.
Sonos Roam
Music on the Move!
Blending powerful audio and rugged portability, the Sonos Roam portable speaker pumps out room-filling sound anywhere thanks to its midwoofer and tweeter array. Its durable, waterproof and dustproof build carries an IP67 rating. Wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth allows convenient voice control using Alexa or Google Assistant.
Sonos hits it out of the park with the Roam, crafting a portable speaker that packs a shocking amount of audio power into a super durable and compact build. Weighing under a pound, you’ll be amazed at the room-filling sound pumped out by the Roam’s duo of amplifiers, tweeter, and mid-woofer, more than enough oomph to provide up to 10 hours of vibrant tunes on the go. Beyond rich sound, the Roam’s rugged design, with waterproofing and dust resistance, lets you take it along on all life’s adventures without worry.
Smart features make the Roam a breeze to operate. It’ll connect to Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth on the move, with Auto Trueplay optimization ensuring great audio in any environment. Toss tunes from the Roam to other Sonos speakers with a tap when you walk in the door. Add voice controls, touch buttons, and AirPlay 2 connectivity to the mix, and Sonos delivers a feat of engineering with the Roam, cramming premium sound, resilience, and intelligent features into one of the best compact speakers money can buy.
Google Nest Audio
Smart Sound, Smarter Home!
With a sleek, adaptable design, the Google Nest Audio smart speaker delivers premium sound. Its integrated tweeters and woofers optimize audio performance while built-in Google Assistant allows handy voice control for music, tasks, and smart home connectivity over Bluetooth and Cast.
The Google Nest Audio smart speaker focuses primarily on audio quality improvements over its predecessor, the original Google Home. With a louder maximum volume, 50 percent more bass through upgraded drivers, and real-time tuning to adapt to room acoustics, the Nest Audio provides richer depth across various music genres. Despite its relatively compact footprint, tuned playback algorithms allow it to fill larger spaces with crisp and balanced sound.
Smart home control also remains a key feature of the Nest Audio. Its far-field microphones respond well to voice commands, facilitating hands-free management of compatible lights, thermostats, and other devices. Multi-room audio lets users synchronize playback across speakers as well, while the physical mute switch and guest mode enhance privacy. With its blend of sleek aesthetics available in multiple neutral colors, intelligent assistance via the Google Assistant, and solid audio performance punching above its size class, the Nest Audio is a strong option in its price range for those seeking a capable smart speaker.
FAQ
What are the key features to look for in a smart speaker?
Look for good sound quality, voice assistant compatibility, smart home integration, and design that fits your space.
Can smart speakers work without an internet connection?
Most smart speakers need Wi-Fi for full functionality, but some offer limited use with Bluetooth when offline.
Are smart speakers always listening?
They listen for wake words, but most have mute buttons for privacy. They only record after hearing the wake word.
Can I use smart speakers from different brands together?
It’s possible, but it’s easier to stick with one brand for seamless integration and multi-room audio setups.
