Visually Reviewed rate the Google Nest Mini an 8.5/10
Quick Summary
The Google Nest Mini is a compact smart speaker with a stylish minimalist design that will blend well with any room. It offers great audio quality with 360-degree sound, three far-field microphones that can pick up your voice from a distance, even when music is playing, and its integration with the Google Home app has received many improvements since the Google Nest Mini’s predecessor. Overall, the Google Nest Mini is best for those looking to listen to podcasts, audiobooks, or music in the background.
Pros
- Affordable price
- Compact design
- Over 1 million actions
- Integration with Google Assistant, Google Home, and third-party apps
- 360-degree sound
Cons
- Limited audio quality
- No audio jack
Google Nest Mini Review
The Google Nest Mini is a compact smart speaker developed by Google and integrated with Google Assistant. Released in 2019, the Google Nest Mini is the second generation of the previously named Google Home Mini, which was released in 2017. The Google Nest Mini is capable of performing over 1,000,000 actions, ranging from answering questions, playing music, adding items to your shopping list, reading recipes, setting reminders, and much more. This Google Nest Mini review will take a look at the specifications, design, features, audio quality, and price of the Google Nest Mini. The review will be concluded with a summary and a Visually Reviewed rating out of 10.
Google Nest Mini Review: Specifications
| Works with: | Google Assistant, Nest, Philips Hue Lighting, Samsung SmartThings, LG |
|---|---|
| Compatability: | Android, iOS |
| Compatable app: | Google Home |
| Connectivity: | WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, Chromecast built-in |
| Colour: | Charcoal, Chalk, Coral, Sky Blue |
| Wall mount: | Yes |
| Dimensions: | 42mm x 98mm x 98mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight: | 181g |
| Release price: | £49 / $49 |
| Released: | 22 October 2019 |
Google Nest Mini Review: Design
The Google Nest Mini is a sleek, and stylish smart speaker with a modern and minimalist design. The smart speaker boasts a compact design with its fabric-covered body providing a smooth finish, resulting in a premium look that blends seamlessly with any interior design. The Google Nest Mini is available in four colours: charcoal, chalk, coral, and sky blue.
Underneath the fabric mesh, the top of the Google Nest Mini features a touch-sensitive surface with LED lights that highlight the touch areas for volume control, play/pause, and can be tapped to activate Google Assistant. The Google Nest Mini also includes an option for wall mounting with a screw, an option that wasn’t available in its 2017 predecessor.
Google Nest Mini Review: Features
The Google Nest Mini is built-in with Google Assistant. If you’re not already familiar with Google Assistant, it’s a virtual assistant that uses voice commands and is capable of performing over 1,000,000 actions. It can answer your questions, play music, add items to your shopping list, read recipes, set reminders, and much more. The smart speaker also has built-in far-field microphones that can pick up your voice from across the room, even if music is playing. Once you have finished setting up the Google Nest Mini, If you want to talk to the Google Assistant, simply say “Hey, Google.”
Setting up your Google Nest Mini is a very simple process – all you need is a Wi-Fi connection and an android or iOS device with the Google Home app installed. The Google Home app allows you to set up and control your Google Nest Mini and other compatible devices such as Chromecast and Nest cameras.
Within the Google Home app, you can:
- Create routines to automate tasks such as turning on lights or setting the thermostat
- Play, pause, and control the volume on your devices
- Group multiple devices to play music throughout your home in sync
- Add and manage multiple users for your devices
- Create and edit voice commands
- View live camera feed from Nest cameras
Google Nest Mini Review: Audio Quality
When it comes to audio quality, the Google Nest Mini offers a solid listening experience. The Google Nest Mini features a single 40mm driver speaker along with three far-field microphones to pick up your voice from a distance, even when music is playing.
The 40mm speaker offers a 360-degree sound that allows you to place the Google Nest Mini anywhere in your room without any difficulty hearing your speaker. As mentioned previously, the Google Nest Mini is the second generation of the previously named Google Home Mini. The Google Nest Mini offers several upgrades over the Google Home Mini, including 2x stronger bass, louder audio, and improved voice recognition.
Whilst the Google Nest Mini brings many great improvements, it’s important to remember that it’s not a replacement for a high-end speaker system. Despite its compact size, the audio quality of the Google Nest Mini is great considering its low price. If you’re looking for an affordable smart speaker with great audio, the Google Nest Mini is for you. However, if you’re an audiophile that enjoys super high-quality audio, it might be best to look elsewhere. With that being said, the Google Nest Mini is perfect for listening to podcasts, audiobooks, and even background music when you’re cooking in the kitchen.
Google Nest Mini Review: Price
The Google Nest Mini was released on 22 October 2019. At release, the price was £49 / $49. At the time of this review, that continues to be the current price. However, there are occasionally discounts that you could look out for, such as the ‘Save £15 / $20 when you buy 2‘ offer currently available at Google.
Alternatively, you can also buy the Google Nest Mini from Argos and Currys.
Google Nest Mini Review: Conclusion
The Google Nest Mini is a compact smart speaker with a stylish minimalist design that will blend well with any room. Whilst the Google Nest Mini is certainly not contesting any high-end speaker system, it does offer great audio quality with 360-degree sound. An upgrade over its predecessor is the three far-field microphones that can pick up your voice from a distance, even when music is playing. The Google Nest Mini’s integration with the Google Home app has also received many improvements since the launch of the first Google Home Mini, leading to more features, better functionality, and improved usability. Overall, the Google Nest Mini is best for those looking to listen to podcasts, audiobooks, or background music. If you’re an audiophile that demands super high-quality audio, unfortunately, the Google Nest Mini is not for you.
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