Google Nest Audio Review (2024)

RGB Lights No

The Google Nest Audio has a fairly discreet and minimal design. It sits vertically on its base and has a unique, somewhat oval shape. It isn't very tall or wide, so it'll fit easily into most home decor. Four horizontal lights display when the speaker is active. You can get this speaker in several different colors, including Chalk, Charcoal, Sky, Sage, and Sand.

—

Volume

Weight

Power Source

One-Hand Carry

This speaker isn't very portable since it needs to remain wired to a power outlet for it to work. That said, since it's fairly small and lightweight, you can easily move it from one room to another in your home.

—

Material Quality

Water Resistance

Dust Resistance

Impact Resistance

Floats In Water

The speaker's mostly made of plastic, which feels solid and durable. It sits on a rubber-like base. The body is covered in a tight fabric, which feels very nice, though it could collect dust over time. Also, it isn't water-resistant, so be cautious if you plan to use it near water.

—

Ease Of Use

Feedback

Music Play/Pause

Call Answer/End

Volume Up/Down

Track Next/Previous

Microphone On/Off

Additional Controls

On the top of the speaker, there are touch-sensitive controls that let you adjust the volume, play/pause your music, and answer/end a call. That said, there aren't any markings or lights to let you know where they are, so you need to know where to tap the speaker. The horizontal lights on the front help display the volume level. There's a physical mic mute switch on the rear of the speaker, which you can use when you no longer want the voice assistant to listen to you.

—

—

Slope

Std. Err.

Low-Frequency Extension

High-Frequency Extension

The speaker's frequency response accuracy isn't bad. Out of the box, it has a pretty even sound, especially in the mids, where most voices and lead instruments are reproduced. As a result, it's suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. That said, the dip in the treble makes audio sound a bit dull, and it doesn't have as much low-bass as other smart speakers like the Apple HomePod (2nd generation). There are bass and treble adjustments in the app to customize its performance, though.

—

—

Directivity Index

Stereo

The soundstage is mediocre. It needs to be paired to another speaker to play stereo audio, and otherwise downmixes stereo content to mono when using it on its own, which doesn't sound as immersive. Fortunately, its directivity is very good, so its soundstage is perceived as more open and spacious. For a mono speaker with better directivity, check out the Apple HomePod mini.

—

SPL @ Max Volume

DRC @ Max Volume

The speaker gets loud enough to fill an average-sized living room with sound. That said, it isn't meant to fill larger or more open spaces, and as you turn up the volume, there's more compression in the mix.

—

Battery Life

Charge Time

Power Saving

Charging Port

Battery Powered

—

Alexa

Google Assistant

Speakerphone

Siri

Voice Assistant

Voice Activation

Microphone Mute

Far-Field Performance

Ambient Noise Performance

Like the Google Nest Mini, this speaker comes with Google Assistant built-in, which you can activate with your voice. It does an excellent job of understanding your commands from far away, though it doesn't perform as well in noisier settings. There's a mute mic button you can use when you no longer want it to listen to you. If you're looking for a speaker that can understand you better in noisier environments, consider the Sonos One Gen 2/One SL or the Amazon Echo Gen 4.

—

App Name

iOS

Android

EQ

Stereo Pair Mode

Party Mode

Multi-Room

The Google Home app is fantastic. There are bass and treble adjustments to tweak the speaker's sound to your liking, and you can pair the speaker to another Nest Audio to create a stereo pair. You can also use it to connect it to multiple other compatible speakers when you want to amplify your audio across a large space or play different audio in different rooms of your home at once.

—

Aux Input

USB Audio

Other Ports

This speaker doesn't have any wired inputs, aside from the connection for the power cable.

—

Bluetooth

Bluetooth Version

Bluetooth iOS Latency

Bluetooth Android Latency

Bluetooth Range

Multi-Device Pairing

This speaker is Bluetooth-compatible and has an outstanding range, so it can stay connected even if your device isn't very close to the speaker. Unfortunately, unlike the Google Home Max, you can only pair it to one device at a time. Its latency is also likely too high to be suitable for watching movies since it can cause syncing issues between the visuals you see and the audio you hear. Some apps compensate for latency, so your experience may differ.

—

Wi-Fi Version

Wi-Fi Frequency Band

Wi-Fi

Apple AirPlay

AirPlay Latency

Google Chromecast

Chromecast Latency

The Google Nest Audio is Wi-Fi compatible and allows for Google Chromecast. However, it has high latency over this connection which can cause synching issues between audio and visuals, so it isn't great for watching videos and movies. Some apps compensate for latency, so your experience may vary.

—