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Best smart speakers & displays for state-of-the-art smart homes
Tuesday February 11, 2025. 08:00 PM , from PC World
Here are our top picks in several categories. If you want information about smart speakers in addition to our top recommendations, scroll down the page to read our in-depth buyers’ guide. Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and writers have been testing smart speakers since the early days of Alexa Siri, and Google Assistant, giving us more than a decade of experience with these devices and their accompanying mobile apps. Michael Brown has been evaluating home audio gear for just as long. He designed his own custom-built smart home in 2007 and has tested nearly ever smart speaker that’s come to market since then. James Barber has worked in music and technology for more than three decades as a music producer, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and reviewer of both audio gear and recorded music. We’ve evaluated basic smart speakers, models designed for audiophiles, portable speakers, and smart displays with built-in audio. You can trust TechHive to recommend the best smart speaker for you. Our top picks in smart speakers Amazon Echo Spot (2024) — Best smart speaker for most people Pros No camera Fabulous smart alarm clock features Ultrasonic motion detection can trigger Alexa routines Bright, easy-to-read display Can be used as a home intercom (with other Echo speakers) Cons No camera Can’t stream video, photos, or security camera feeds Can’t be used as Wi-Fi extender with Eero mesh routers Not great for music listening Why we like Amazon Echo Spot (2024) Alexa is the most popular voice assistant, and the 2024 edition of the Echo Pop is the best value in Amazon’s smart speaker lineup. While it’s not a true smart display, it is equipped with a touchscreen that can display the time, date and date, weather conditions, and other information. It can also show album art while streaming music (not that we recommend this speaker for that task). It’s also the smartest alarm clock you could hope for, capable of controlling your entire smart home. Who should buy the Amazon Echo Spot (2024) There are less-expensive Echo smart speakers in Amazon’s stable, but you’ll be well rewarded for spending a little more to step up to the 2024 edition of the Echo Pop. Read our full Amazon Echo Spot (2024) review Google Nest Mini — Best smart speaker for most people, runner-up Pros Improved sound quality Google Assistant rarely gets stumped Works great with other Nest devices Inexpensive Cons Capacitive buttons are easy to miss Sound quality still isn’t that great No cable management to go with the new mounting hole No analog audio output Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $49 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $49 at Google Why we like the Google Nest Mini The Google Nest Mini has an attractively low profile. In addition to supporting all Google apps, the speaker gives a user voice control for YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, iHeart Radio, Deezer, and SiriusXM. Who should buy the Google Nest Mini If you want the most diminutive smart speaker, you’ll find the Google Nest Mini easier to hide away than the spherical Echo Dot series. Google Assistant also offers better answers to general questions than Amazon’s Alexa, and Android users who depend on Google Assistant on their smartphones will appreciate being able to use the same commands with the Nest Mini. Read our full Google Nest Mini review Apple HomePod mini — Best smart speaker in the Apple HomeKit ecosystem Pros Impressive audio quality for its size Easy setup Works as a Thread border router for Matter “Intercom” feature lets you broadcast messages to family members Temperature and humidity sensor was recently added, along with sound recognition for smoke alarms Cons No physical mic mute control Intercom doesn’t support two-way calls Supports third-party music services, but only a few are on board We’ve heard better-sounding smart speakers in the Mini’s price range Still pricey Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $99 at Apple Why we like the Apple HomePod mini The Apple HomePod mini offers the best audio quality in the small smart speaker category, a feature that goes a long way to justifying its higher price when compared to the Amazon Echo Dot and Google Nest Mini. Apple has significantly polished the smart home experience for users who own devices that support its HomeKit ecosystem. Who should buy the Apple HomePod mini The Apple HomePod mini offers native support for Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Deezer, making it a solid choice for audio playback, especially when creating a stereo pair with a second HomePod mini. AirPlay 2 support allows you to stream Spotify, Tidal or Qobuz from another Apple devices. Apple users who have invested in HomeKit-compatible smart home devices will appreciate the HomePod mini’s ability to control their home setup. As for the larger HomePod (2nd Gen), that Apple shipped in 2023, we think it’s still too expensive for what it has to offer. Read our full Apple HomePod Mini review Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) — Best budget-priced smart speaker Pros A very inexpensive voice-powered smart home controller Very good audio reproduction Pretty industrial design Cons Still not recommended for critical music listening Google Nest Mini offers tighter integration with Android smartphones Why we like the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) The Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) offers all the same features as our top pick, minus the display, at a lower price. Who should buy the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) If you’re looking for a solid smart speaker at the lowest possible price, the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) lists for $15 less than the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) with clock. If you’re looking to put multiple Alexa-compatible speakers around your house, the savings can add up when deploying speakers in locations where you don’t care about seeing the time or temperature. Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin — Best smart speaker for music Pros Best-in-class stereo performance from a tabletop speaker Impeccable industrial design Streams high-res audio Cons Alexa is the only supported digital assistant Control buttons are difficult to see Why we like the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin justifies its high price with its arresting design and spectacular true stereo sound. The Zeppelin supports AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, while the B&W app offers support for Tidal, Deezer, and Qobuz, with access to 24-bit/96 kHz streams where supported. Who should buy the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin The current Zeppelin supports Amazon Alexa, making this model B&W’s first smart speaker. If you’ve got the cash and want a music-first speaker with interactive support, the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin will be your most impressive choice. And if you have other B&W audio gear—such as the magnificent Formation Duo—you can set up a multi-room audio system using the Formation app. Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin review Sonos Era 100 — Best smart speaker for music, runner-up Pros Honest, full bodied, stress-free sound Unusually well carved bass, natural-sounding mids, and whistle-clean highs A great smart speaker with either Amazon Alexa or Sonos Voice No one does multi-room audio better than Sonos Cons No support for Google Assistant You might need two to fill your listening space Lacks the channel preset buttons found on some competing speakers Optional accessory required to get line-level input and/or hardwired ethernet connectivity Price When Reviewed: 279 € Best Prices Today: Retailer Price €279 View Deal Sonos €279 View Deal Macway FR €294.55 View Deal €310.91 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket €279 at Cdiscount FR€279 at Sonos€294.55 at Macway FR View more prices from Darty FR Close × Best Prices Today: Sonos Era 100 — Best smart speaker for music, runner-up Retailer Price €279 View Deal Sonos €279 View Deal Macway FR €294.55 View Deal €310.91 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Why we like the Sonos Era 100 The Sonos Era 100 delivers spectacular audio with a very small footprint, and the speaker supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. You get access to the manufacturer’s own Sonos Voice digital assistant but can use Amazon Alexa if you prefer. Like all Sonos speakers, you can control playback with the company’s outstanding mobile app. Who should buy the Sonos Era 100 One Sonos Era 100 speaker offers outstanding sound, but invest in a pair and you’ll get outstanding stereo sound at a significantly lower cost than the B&W Zeppelin. If you want to create a multi-room audio setup, Sonos delivers an unparalleled experience. The platform that popularized seamless home audio has yet to be matched. Read our full Sonos Era 100 review Sonos Era 300 — Best smart speaker for spatial audio Pros Dramatic, embracing, and exotic sound from a shockingly small package A great smart speaker with Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity Cons Doesn’t support Google Assistant Trueplay Advanced Tuning depends on an iOS device; cross-platform Quick Tune isn’t as effective Price When Reviewed: 499 € Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Sonos €499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket €499 at Sonos Why we like the Sonos Era 300 Sonos adds support for Dolby Atmos surround sound for users who want a more immersive experience. It still delivers the same excellent smart speaker experience as the Sonos Era 100 and similarly outstanding two-channel sound in a stereo pair. Who should buy the Sonos Era 300 To appreciate the Sonos Era 300’s immersive audio, you’ll need to subscribe to a streaming service that supports Dolby Atmos. Apple Music, Amazon Music HD, and Tidal subscribers will be able to enjoy these speakers, but Spotify users may want to opt for the less-expensive Sonos Era 100. Movie lovers can also use the Sonos Era 300 as surround speakers with a Sonos soundbar. Read our full Sonos Era 300 review Amazon Echo Studio — Best smart speaker for spatial audio, runner-up Pros Great audio performance for the money Supports 3D audio (Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio) Can be paired with Amazon’s inexpensive subwoofer and/or a second Studio for stereo Cons Lack of Z-Wave support weakens its abilities as a smart home hub You must subscribe to Amazon Music to get 3D audio Speaker enclosure is insufficently isolated from the surface it’s placed on Why we like the Amazon Echo Studio The Amazon Echo Studio speaker offers excellent spatial audio support for Amazon Music HD and sounds even better with a second speaker for a stereo pair. The speaker can do double duty as a Zigbee smart home hub. Two can be paired for stereo, and if you crave deep bass, you can add Amazon’s beefy Echo Sub to the mix (actually, you can add an Echo Sub to many Amazon Echo models). Who should buy the Amazon Echo Studio Amazon has limited immersive audio support to its Amazon Music HD service, so you’ll need to have a full commitment to the Amazon ecosystem to take full advantage of the Echo Studio. Amazon Music HD competes with Tidal, Qobuz, and Apple Music on the top tier of music streaming services (and costs less!), so the service is worth a look if you’re already an Alexa user and want a higher-quality speaker option. Read our full Amazon Echo Studio review Sonos Roam — Most convenient portable smart speaker Pros Exceptional sound for its size Auto Trueplay now works over Bluetooth Sound Swap feature lets you “swap” music with other Sonos speakers Small and light, with a waterproof design Cons Slow wireless charging (at least with third-party chargers) Sound Swap doesn’t work across Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AirPlay 2 modes Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Sonos $169 View Deal $179 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $169 at Sonos$179 at Adorama Why we like the Sonos Roam A portable speaker should be, you know, portable. The Sonos Roam is the perfect size to stuff in a backpack while delivering the excellent audio experience you’ll get from the company’s larger speakers. Who should buy the Sonos Roam There’s a lot of competition in the portable speaker category, with plenty of excellent options priced less than $100. It’s the smart speaker features that justify the extra cash for a Sonos Roam. If you’ve integrated voice assistants into your daily routine and regularly ask Alexa for intel, you’ll appreciate being able to take that convenience with you (connect it to a mobile hot spot if you’re out of Wi-Fi range). Read our full Sonos Roam review Sonos Move 2 — Best-sounding portable smart speaker Pros Excellent audio performance—in stereo! Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity—simultaneously! Very wide sound stage Incredibly long battery life Cons Still no support for hi-res Bluetooth codecs Still best described as luggable $50 more expensive than the already pricey original Price When Reviewed: 499 € Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Sonos €499 View Deal €499.99 View Deal €499.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket
https://www.pcworld.com/article/583168/best-smart-speakers.html
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