Is the Google Home Speaker (2026) the smartest speaker yet? In this review, we take a closer look at Google’s new Gemini-powered smart speaker, covering its AI features, sound quality, smart home controls, and how it compares to the Apple HomePod mini. Find out whether Gemini finally delivers the smart home assistant we’ve been waiting for, and whether Google’s new $99 speaker is worth buying in 2026. Subscribe for more smart home, AI, and consumer tech reviews from Digital Trends.
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VIDEO CHAPTERS
00:00 Google Home Speaker (2026) Overview
00:28 Design, Colors & Setup
01:54 Gemini AI Features
03:30 Google Home Premium & Gemini Live
04:19 Sound Quality & Smart Home Features
05:00 Google Home Speaker vs Apple HomePod mini
07:07 Is the Google Home Speaker Worth It?
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Just talking about it, not testing it. Bad video
Waste of money.. does exactly the same as mini, hub max and tablet.. just as inconsistent in follow up chat as other google speakers, was hoping it would function like taking to Gemini ‘live’ on my pixel phone
not worth! if your android phone is near , u cant ask to the speaker directly . 2 device react at the same time
It’s kind of embarrassing for such a big company to have speakers like this—it feels like someone is sitting somewhere far away, listening to my commands, and then searching for the device in File Explorer to turn them on or off, all while the ping is 900 ms. Smaller companies make their speakers smart enough to carry on a conversation as if they were a real person, commands are executed instantly—with a ping of around 20 ms—and they all operate in a different language, even though the programming is done in English. It’s disappointing that a company with such vast resources can’t get a simple device like a speaker to work properly.
Bro I have to ask Google “what’s the low tonight” twice before it’ll tell me the actual low temperature. This Gemini rollout has been an absolute fkin disaster. Light switches not working anymore, nest issues, strongly considering Amazon at this point