Why Google's Newest Home Speaker Still Outpaces Amazon's Echo Dot Max

The latest Google Home Speaker adds a colorful light ring, touch controls, more human voices and Gemini Live, and it holds its own against Amazon's Echo Dot Max on sound while handling calendar requests more reliably.

The newest Google Home Speaker steps ahead of its predecessor in both looks and listening, starting with a fresh light ring on its base that recalls the one on an Amazon Echo, except it glows in far more colors than just shades of blue.

Touch controls and more human voices
Tap the top of the device and two white dots surface along the edges, pointing to exactly where you press to turn the volume up or down. A tap on top also pauses and plays whatever is on. There is a handful of new voices to pick from, and every one of them sounds far more human than the old Google Assistant.

Talking with Gemini Live
Gemini Live is another way to hold a conversation with the speaker, and for now it only works on some older devices. Say "Hey Google, let's talk" and it switches into a conversational mode that chats back and forth on whatever subject you raise. It can carry a rolling exchange about a 3-year-old's sleep schedule, how to treat a sunburn on your scalp, or a summary of the previous night's episode of Love Island, though it didn't yet have a recap of an episode that had aired only a few hours earlier.

Gemini also throws in follow-up questions to keep the chat going, yet shifts gears the moment a new topic comes up. It works as intended, but its usefulness inside the home is debatable, since people tend to reach for this kind of thing on a smartphone instead. It isn't the obvious way to learn or talk through new information, though audio learners may genuinely enjoy it.

Sound quality against the Echo Dot Max
Set beside the Amazon Echo Dot Max, the sound quality feels very close. Music comes across strikingly similar on both, with the piano keys of "Dark Blue" by Jack's Mannequin ringing out nicely and the softer tones of "Fast Car" easy to pick out. The biggest gap is the smart assistant itself. Asking to "Play 'Fast Car'" had Google check which version of the song was wanted, while Alexa wrongly assumed the newer Luke Combs version. The Google Home Speaker carries one fewer microphone than the Echo Dot Max, three against four, yet it consistently heard commands over the music or its own voice.

Calendars and everyday tasks
On calendars, neither speaker could correctly dig out a clearly labeled first day of school. Gemini surfaced the next summer Friday marked on the calendar, while Alexa shut off its listening ring after the same question, twice in fact, as if it had something against Fridays. Google, on the other hand, easily shuffled and added the calendar invites under discussion; asked to put swimming with friends on Wednesday, Gemini first confirmed the exact time and then dropped it straight onto Google Calendar.

What this means for you
For smart speaker shoppers:

• If you want richer, more human voices and a speaker that hears you over loud music, the Google Home Speaker is a strong pick even with one fewer microphone than the Echo Dot Max.
• Sound quality is nearly identical to Amazon's Echo Dot Max, so your choice may come down to whether you live in Google's or Amazon's ecosystem.
• Gemini Live's chatty mode is handy for audio learners but may feel more useful on a phone than in your living room.

Questions & Answers

1. What's new in the Google Home Speaker's design?
It has a new light ring on its base that shows multiple colors, and tapping the top reveals two white dots for volume that also let you pause and play media.

2. What is Gemini Live and which devices support it?
Gemini Live is a way to converse with the speaker, and for now it only works on some older devices. Saying "Hey Google, let's talk" activates a conversational mode.

3. How does the sound compare to the Echo Dot Max?
The sound quality of both speakers is very similar, with music coming through in a strikingly close way.

4. How many microphones does the Google Home Speaker have?
It has three microphones, one fewer than the Echo Dot Max's four, yet it still heard commands over the music.

5. Which speaker chose the right version of the song?
Asked to play "Fast Car," Google checked which version was wanted, while Alexa wrongly assumed the newer Luke Combs version.

6. How did the speakers handle calendar requests?
Google easily added and moved calendar invites, but neither speaker could correctly find a clearly labeled first day of school.

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