Friday, December 18, 2020

Amazon Echo Dot vs Google Home Mini: Which Should You Get? Wirecutter

Born and raised in Canberra, Australia, Christian moved to the U.S. in 2012 to study music production. That same year, he started writing about consumer tech, having been interested in gadgets and all things tech his whole life. After Christian received his Bachelor's Degree of Science in Music Technology, he moved to California, winding up in the San Francisco Bay Area — right next door to the Silicon Valley. Since then, his writing has appeared in Digital Trends, TechRadar, Reviewed, and more.

With beefed-up sound at the price of a standard Echo model it's well worth looking at the third-gen Echo if you're thinking of buying a new smart speaker. However, lots of users who have put the two devices head-to-head believe Google Assistant could be the smarter of the two. Learning experience, and wider variety of voices than Alexa, it has the biggest potential for the future. Having said that, Alexa tends to be better when it comes to support for a wider range of devices, as well as better smart home integration. So if you have a lot of smart home devices already, Alexa might be your best bet.

For Amazon Alexa Echo Dot 3rd Generation Outlet Wall Mount Hanger Holder Stand

While Echo Dot has retained its 4 button layout, Home mini keeps the profile sleek with capacitive touch buttons hidden under the fabric shell. One other point worth mentioning is the Google Home Mini's array of far-field microphones. In almost all of my tests, they were able to hear me about as well as the ones in the Echo Dot. Both did a great job in a quiet setting, but required the occasional raised voice during music playback. One other small concern -- from a distance, it isn't always easy to see the indicator lights on the top of the device that tell you it's ready for a command. It's an oblong orb of plastic and fabric with no visible buttons, save for a slider to mute the microphone that's hidden in the back.

To adjust the volume, you can tap the left and right sides of the home mini. There are other gestures like long press on either side to play/ pause a song, end call, etc. Unlike the fixed buttons on Echo, home mini gestures can be updated and more gestures can be added later on. Goes from here forward, the Dot has an important hardware feature that the Mini surprisingly lacks -- a line-out jack. You can plug the Dot into your own speakers to make up for its own lack of sound quality.

Why is Google Home Mini better than Amazon Echo Dot?

If you have more than one user account, the Nest Mini can even differentiate who is talking by the sound of their voice . But the Google portion of the Nest Mini isn’t quite as capable as we’d like. And while it has some smart-home integrations and third-party Actions comparable to Alexa’s Skills, it has fewer of either than Alexa does, though it continues to improve.

It's best to place each of your devices in a separate area to prevent any instances where they begin communicating with each other. There isn't a true winner in the cost department, as both devices regularly sell for around $49. However, they both do go on sale on occasion, so it's a good idea to keep an eye on sales that can bring significant cost savings. Volume is the quantity of three-dimensional space enclosed by the product's chassis or, in simpler terms, the space the product occupies. Resolution is an essential indicator of a screen's image quality, representing the maximum amount of pixels that can be shown on the screen.

Can Alexa make phone calls?

As the brainchild of Google, Google Assistant excels at general search and information requests. It’s the equivalent of using Google instead of Bing or Yahoo for search. As well, the Assistant is better at understanding more complex queries and strings of commands; with Alexa, you need to dictate one command at a time. While it’s a subtle difference, you’ll notice how the Google Home Mini seamlessly blends into your existing decor.

google home mini or echo dot

Both devices work well at picking up voice commands, so long as you speak clearly and there is no major background noise. The Mini features microphone muting via a rear switch along with subtle touch-sensitive volume controls on either side of the device. Control various devices in your home using voice commands (such as lights, TVs, locks, etc.). The Google Nest Mini 2022 has a 2x more substantial base and richer sound than previous models. Say commands to Google from across the room with improved voice recognition. Alternatively, if you already have a set of speakers you like, the Echo Dot is the better option because it can connect wirelessly to any Bluetooth speaker.

What Do These Speakers Have in Common?

Insider Pickswrites about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective. If you're looking for a small Echo speaker, your best best then is the Echo Spot, which despite its size, offers a richer sound.

Google’s offering is certainly smaller at this point but is expanding quickly, adding features like a multilingual mode, a translator mode, and step-by-step cooking instructions. The Nest Mini may not have a clock option, but it still uses LED dots to communicate, and it’s available in chalk, charcoal, coral, and sky. Again, the build quality is excellent, and the Nest Mini’s pincushion form gives the device its own identity. Google’s recent design upgrade made the nest Mini more eco-friendly too. But, what sets it apart is the notch on its underside, which allows you to hang it on a wall. Once the Alexa skill is enabled, you can start using voice control by saying, Alexa, _____.

Buy the Google Home Mini for $29 from Best Buy, Target, or Walmart (originally $

While it’s not a big difference, the audio quality and loudness are slightly better in Echo dot 3. If you’re also looking into buying one of the two devices, there are certain factors you need to keep in mind. I’ve used and tested both the devices extensively and covered all the distinguishing features. For the most part, though, Alexa and the Assistant are more or less interchangeable. Much of that stems from the fact that the two are locked in a fencing match for features, thrusting with each new trick and parrying to match the tricks of the other. From voice calling to TV controls, new features are constantly coming to each platform.

google home mini or echo dot

Best On-Demand Streaming Services 2022 If you’re looking for great on-demand content, check out our top five best streaming services... Because of the speaker configurations inside the Echo Dot, it sounds better than the Nest Mini. And as far as music, they're both pretty comparable to each other. Now, looking at a smart home, essentially pick your assistant. But as far as the device hardware, the Echo Dot did get an upgrade this year, where the Nest Mini is still running on 2019 hardware.

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