Google Home vs Amazon Echo – which smart speaker should you buy today?
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THERE'S never been a better time to invest in a smart speaker, but which one do you need: Amazon Echo or Google Home?
We've tested both speakers eventually, and we reckon we can help you pick the perfect AI-powered speaker for your home.
Google Home vs Amazon Echo – what are they, and what different versions can you buy?
Google Home and Amazon Echo are both smart speakers: they can play music, but also perform a whole range of tasks using voice control.
Simply say something out loud to either of them, and they'll do their best to help you out – from checking up on the news or weather, to ordering a pizza from Domino's or turning off your lights at home.
Amazon's speakers are powered by Alexa, while Google uses the Google Assistant, but they're basically the same concept – a virtual helper that's linked up to your smart home.
The Dot and Plus are smaller and bigger versions of the Echo respectively, while the Spot and Show have built-in displays as an added extra.
Google currently only offers the (£129) and the (£49), neither of which has a screen.
Google Home vs Amazon Echo design and specs
Google's Home is a slightly curved pod with a sloped top, and comes with an attractive fabric base. The Home Mini is a smaller disc-like pod covered in the same fancy fabric.
Amazon's Echo speakers are hard cylinders – or soft, in the case of the new Echo – that vary in height depending on how much you want to spend.
For the screen-toting models: Amazon opted for a boxy TV-style design with the Show that looks decent enough. But the smaller, orb-shaped Echo Spot is the real design winner, and looks great in any room.
The Google Home is probably the more attractive device overall, but Amazon has a better range of options to suit your tastes.
In terms of sound, the new Echo features a 2.5-inch speaker and a small tweeter that puts out room-filling audio.
The Google Home, meanwhile, boasts a 2-inch audio driver and two 2-inch passive radiators. It's similarly impressive, although the Google Assistant's voice does sound a little scratchier than Alexa.
Google Home vs Amazon Echo features –what can Alexa and Google Assistant do?
Both the Google Home and Amazon Echo can perform largely similarly tasks – telling you the time or controlling a smart thermostat.
But there are a few key differences between the two speakers.
Amazon's big advantage is its huge base of "skills" – commands built by other companies to work with Alexa.
Because it was first to market, Amazon was offering the ability to order an Uber using your voice before anyone else, for instance.
This head-start means Amazon has a really impressive range of tricks up its sleeve – but Google may catch up, eventually.
Google's big advantage is its incredible artificial intelligence, Google Assistant.
The company handles unfathomable masses of data every single day, and that means it can offer a virtual assistant that (1) feels natural to talk to, and (2) works with all the apps you already use.
If you're an Android phone owner, or you use a Google calendar, the Assistant will be able to offer personalised information – like your plans for the day.
The Google Assistant is also better at contextual questions. So if you ask "what movies has Keanu Reeves been in?"; and then ask "how old is he?", the Assistant will know your second question is still about Keanu Reeves.
Google Home vs Amazon Echo verdict – which one should you buy?
There's no right or wrong answer here – both companies have created amazing smart speakers.
For music playback, both devices function perfectly fine as speakers.
Amazon offers better design choice, but Google will almost certainly follow up with its on spin-off models eventually too.
Where Amazon is really winning is on price – the main Echo undercuts the Home by about £40 – but if you're a die-hard Googler then the added cost might not put you off.
If you're looking to have more general chats with your speaker, or you're a regular user of Google's services, then a Home is probably the one for you.
But if you'd rather power up an entire smart home of gadgets, Alexa and the Echo arguably have the lead right now.
In any case, you'll probably be happy with whichever smart speaker you buy, because they're both revolutionary gadgets that give us a glimpse of the smart home future.
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