If you want to invest in a cheap connected speaker, capable of offering good sound reproduction and practical on a day-to-day basis, one of its two models could well please you. Between Google and Amazon, which one to choose? We will try to answer it in this comparison.
Amazon and Google, two tech giants, offer good quality products. Among them, we find the Google Nest Mini and the Amazon Echo Dot 3. Two space-saving connected speakers, each of which integrates its home assistant to make everyday life easier. These two references are not new, but their functionality and simplicity make them always interesting devices, especially since both represent a truly affordable gateway to home automation.
It remains to be seen which of the two best suits your needs and which voice assistant appeals to you more between Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. We will try to enlighten you in your choice through this comparison.
The two speakers connected in promotions:
A minimalist and discreet look in both
The two manufacturers wanted to offer a compact and discreet product. The Mountain View signature speaker boasts of being the smallest assistant in the Nest family. It must be said that with its name “Mini”, the device is compact thanks to its small dimensions: 4.2 cm in height and 9.8 cm in diameter. The Nest Mini takes the shape of a pebble and sports a sleek look with gray fabric covering everything. As a result, it blends in very well with any interior and can be easily moved from room to room at 180g. Note that this time Google used recycled plastic. As for the controls, they are tactile and easy to find thanks to the LEDs placed under the cloth.
On the side of the Echo Dot 3, again, discretion is required. We are also dealing with a small pebble about 9.9 cm in diameter and 4.3 cm in height that can go unnoticed everywhere. Unlike its rival, Amazon’s speaker isn’t completely covered in fabric, but also has a plastic surface on top that accommodates buttons to interact with the object. So we have the classic volume buttons, one that allows you to mute the microphone, and a last “action” button to launch Alexa without speaking or to interact with the object in different ways depending on the “Skill” launched. Finally, a strip of blue light at the base reflects off surfaces when Alexa is requested.
Small effective reinforcement speakers
For the audio part, whether offered by Amazon or by Google, the two speakers cannot be used to provide the sound system overnight. They are, on the other hand, additional tools ideal for listening to music. For the audio part of the Echo Dot 3, Amazon integrates a single 41-millimeter speaker, without an additional tweeter or boomer to enhance sound quality. At full volume, the sound will tend to clip and not be very pleasing to the ear. Given the small size of the object, the bass will not be very present and the treble muffled, but the speaker works well in the midrange. At low volume in a bedroom, the Echo Dot does its job perfectly for a little lullaby before bed. It’s a shame not to find the IP67/68 certification to be able to enjoy it in a bathroom. For a richer and more powerful sound, it is possible to connect it to an existing audio system via Bluetooth or its jack port.
The audio part of the Google Nest Mini is more robust. The small pebble from the American firm consists of two more powerful basses than in the previous model, the Google Home Mini. We were also able to see a real difference between the two devices during our test. Compared to its predecessor, which offered muffled sound, here the Nest Mini offers better audio quality with a punchier, clearer and more natural delivery. For its small dimensions, the audio output is correct, and in this model the sound does not spit out so much, although it is true that we will not have fun turning the volume to the maximum. This is not the vocation of the Nest Mini, which remains above all a communication tool rather than a loudspeaker to accompany your evenings.
Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa?
Amazon and Google offer their own personal assistants. These are simply artificial intelligences that can respond to your spoken requests and aim to make your daily life easier.
For the Jeff Bezos signature compound, it is Alexa who is in command. In general, the voice assistant will effectively respond to all of her queries, with the ability to easily set alarms and other timers, or hear the latest news in the morning. Speech recognition is pretty good, but during our test, Alexa struggled with some requests, especially sentences that mixed multiple languages.
Having myself, the Echo Dot 3 (2018), it is not uncommon to have needed to repeat my request several times to Alexa. Once closer to the speaker, the voice assistant picks up the voice better and takes a while to respond to you. However, I have nothing to say about its audio capabilities, which are perfect for a small room.
We especially appreciate Amazon’s voice assistant for ” skills“. These are types of applications that allow you personalize the user experience. You can also control your connected objects in your home, such as lights, thermostats, locks, cameras, and more. Everything is controllable with your voice. For example, you can order a product on Amazon, book an Uber ride, play your music from your streaming platform, or even set alarms or reminders.
The Nest Mini can rely on the Google Assistant. It is the most powerful voice assistant today. It better understands queries and returns more relevant results most of the time. It must be said that the audio device houses a processor and a chip dedicated to machine learning, to process requests locally. Specifically, the Nest Mini can perform tasks without a Wi-Fi connection — Convenient if you have network problems. But what we like is its responsiveness and faster response time than some of its competitors. Like any self-respecting assistant, it incorporates microphones to obey your voice, and then respond through the speakers on topics such as news, weather, recipes, organizing your schedule, or even to start a timer or a song. Of course, if you have connected objects at home, you can control them too. To do this, you’ll need to download the Google Home mobile app.
The Nest Mini or the Echo Dot? Which to choose ?
After having developed the qualities and defects of each one, it is time to take stock to help you in your choice.
The one designed by Google provides good sound reproduction, without being able to liven up an evening. Installed in a bedroom, or in the kitchen, the voice assistant will be ready to listen to your requests. It turns out to be very efficient with good responsiveness and short response time. It understands all your queries, which is not always the case with Amazon’s voice assistant. Otherwise, the Nest Mini is unobtrusive and practical thanks to its excellent personal assistant.
where to buy the
Google Nest Mini at the best price?
Although Google’s solution is a bit more efficient, we recommend Amazon’s Echo Dot if you’re used to ordering fairly regularly on Amazon’s giant platform. With its luminous circle, the speaker follows the delivery and indicates the arrival of your package. takes advantage of the famous skills that allow you to personalize the user experience through third-party apps, such as Marmiton or Philips Hue. Therefore, all you have to do is say “Alexa, how to make an apple pie”?, and from there, the speaker will retrieve the application chosen by the user. So it’s a good device that, with a galaxy of connected objects, will quickly find its place.
Where to buy
Amazon Echo Dot (2018) at the best price?
For a more complete review:
If any of its two models does not meet your criteria or if you simply want to discover other existing references on the market, we invite you now to consult our guide to the best connected speakers in 2023.
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