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Google is relaunching its good speaker ecosystem for the “Gemini period,” because it has said so many occasions with latest merchandise. Whereas I am not totally satisfied this new speaker is a really revolutionary Gemini-powered speaker when in comparison with present Google and Nest audio system, the general high quality of the Google Dwelling Speaker is a superb worth for $99.
Whether or not you are on the lookout for a brand new music-playing speaker that understands fundamental instructions or need an additional speaker to boost your good house, it is a strong selection with some annoying software program points that can hopefully be cleared up within the close to future.
Google Dwelling Speaker value, availability, and specs
The 2026 Google Dwelling Speaker is the primary good speaker from Google that is designed “from the bottom up for Gemini.” It is the primary Google speaker to incorporate a correct NPU for AI processing, an improve over ML processors previously few Nest releases. It retails for $99 and is available in two colours globally — Hazel and Porcelain — whereas U.S. prospects may also select from Berry or Jade varieties. My overview unit is Jade.
Google contains 6 months of Google Dwelling Premium without spending a dime (a $60 worth) whenever you buy a Google Dwelling Speaker earlier than September 30, 2026.
|
Catrgory |
Google Dwelling Speaker |
|---|---|
|
Speaker |
Omni-directional 58mm full-range driver |
|
Microphone |
3 far-field mics, |
|
Dimensions |
86.6mm/3.4in excessive x 107mm/4.2in diameter |
|
Weight |
396g |
|
Energy adapter |
30W USB-C PC/PPS charger |
|
RAM |
1GB LPDDR4 |
|
Storage |
4GB EMMC |
|
Processor |
Quad-core A55 2.0 GHz with NPU |
|
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, Thread 1.3 border router (2.4GHz), Matter |
|
Colours |
Globally: Hazel, Porcelain U.S. unique: Jade, Berry |
Largely the precise priorities
For the previous few years, Google has used the Nest model identify for its good audio system, however I’ve hardly ever known as them that. Whether or not it is the Nest Mini or one of many Nest Hub good shows, my family at all times refers to them audibly because the Google speaker or the Google show.
Due to that, I feel it makes much more sense to maintain utilizing the Google identify as the correct model, and I do know I am not the one one that calls their good speaker “Google” one thing or different. Fortunately, Google rectified the identify with out ruining the wonderful design and the kind of feng shui character of the Nest line of good audio system.
The 2026 speaker remains to be clad in homey material that appears sleek and unobtrusive on a shelf. It is the best dimension between the tiny Nest Mini and the gargantuan Google Dwelling Max speaker, with appropriately sized audio elements. It is even obtained a cute little glowing mild beneath that makes it really feel extra such as you’re speaking to a wise little robotic than mumbling right into a speaker.
However I do not perceive why Google audio system appear to virtually at all times have some bizarre concern with the ability cables. Earlier fashions used barrel plugs and proprietary chargers, creating pointless e-waste. This mannequin makes use of a regular 30W Google USB-C charger, however the cable is hardwired into the speaker, which means you may both need to splice it when it will definitely breaks or toss the speaker and purchase a brand new one. Dumb.
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Because it’s barely smaller than the Nest Audio speaker (sure, there have been a variety of choices over time), the audio high quality will not be fairly pretty much as good, however the Google Dwelling Speaker’s benefit is that its speaker is omnidirectional. Relying on the way you wish to mount it, this might make a giant distinction.
You can even use the Google Dwelling Speaker at the side of a Google TV Streamer to create a encompass sound setup, which is a superb characteristic I am glad Google lastly adopted from Amazon Echo and Hearth TV units.
I am not precisely an audiophile and do not care a lot about top-notch sound, so I discovered these audio system best, as they seem to be a notable improve over the Nest Minis I’ve round the home. Nest Audio followers ought to follow these except they’ve points with utilizing Gemini.
And whereas “constructed for Gemini” must be the precise improve for the Google Dwelling Speaker over another Nest or Google speaker, my expertise with it has been extraordinarily inconsistent. If I ask it to show the lights on or off, test my cameras, and even what the climate might be like subsequent week, responses usually take about 1 second to course of. That is a lot quicker than the opposite Google audio system in my home, for probably the most half.
However some instructions are bizarrely gradual. Setting a timer, for instance, usually takes 20-25 seconds of processing time earlier than I obtain an “OK, setting a timer” response. Asking it so as to add bananas to my grocery record additionally takes 5-10 seconds. This weird habits persists by reboots, so I do not know what to make of it. Clearly, the speaker is not doing as a lot native processing for easy instructions like this as I had hoped. Google is conscious of the problems (as I am not the one one experiencing them), and I’ll replace this overview if they’re resolved.
That is significantly annoying as a result of all the different options I’ve used over the previous week have been nice. Gemini lets you chain a number of instructions collectively and even specific advanced instructions, whereas Assistant can solely do one after the other. For instance, you’ll be able to ask it to “flip off all lights besides for the bed room mild,” a command I concern nightly as I tuck in for studying time.
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This is not significantly distinctive to this new speaker since Gemini has been rolled out to even the oldest 2016 Google Dwelling speaker (which remains to be in operation in my home), however this speaker is definitely going to be supported for years to return, whereas these older audio system will finally obtain an end-of-life replace.
Sooner or later, Google had locked down a number of options behind the annoying Voice Match characteristic. I do not wish to use Voice Match, however I (and others in my home) do wish to test my calendar, and Google lastly permits customers to do this on its good audio system.
This speaker additionally appears to truly perceive instructions, together with easy ones like “cease” when a timer goes off, whereas I swear half my different audio system ignore my instructions half the time. Perhaps time will even flip this one into a reasonably paperweight, but it surely’s fairly nice in the interim.
Do you have to purchase it?
The 2026 Google Dwelling Speaker is a usually good little product that delivers nice audio high quality in a compelling design, with a digital assistant that appears to truly perceive you. Processing time is surprisingly prolonged for some easy instructions (like setting a timer), however that is virtually definitely a bug fairly than a product defect.
If Google can cut back processing time for some instructions, this might be my go-to speaker suggestion for the long run. Gemini has been glorious for good house instructions in my expertise, and way more understanding of each different kind of command than Assistant has been for the previous half-decade, and that is actually all I need out of a wise speaker, anyway.
