Google is undoubtedly one of the biggest automation players in the smart home industry. The company is responsible for a significant share of some of the smart devices you see in the market today.
The reason most homeowners prefer automating their homes using Google is that it is all-rounded. Google has a variety of all kind of smart devices that anyone would need to automate their home.
If you’re one of those planning to automate their homes with Google, you must have come across these two devices. Google Home Mini and Google Nest Mini are small-sized smart speakers that have become increasingly popular among homeowners.
These two devices might be smaller in size, but their features compete with the best in the industry. While these two are great smart speakers, most people tend to confuse them a lot. This might be due to the fact that they are almost similar in their functionalities and overall features.
If you’re one of those people who can’t tell them apart, you came to the right place. Here is a breakdown of the differences between Google Nest Mini and Google Home Mini;
Pricing and availability
Since the beginning, the Google Nest Mini was intended to be the smart speaker that would replace Google Home Mini. After Google decided to give the Nest a little more focus as its premier smart home brand.
As the newer version, Google Nest Mini comes with some better features compared to the Home Mini. Also, the price of Nest Mini as of now is at $50, while that of Home mini stands at $40.
This relatively affordable price for Google Nest Mini makes it a worthy competitor among other smart speakers in the market. In particular, it compares well with what is supposed to be its biggest competitor in Amazon’s 4th Generation Echo Dot.
Most people might argue whether the extra cash is justified for the Nest Mini and the direct answer is yes. The Google Nest Mini downs a better sound compared to its predecessor and has a built-in wall-mounting option.
Smart Speaker Design
One of the factors that make Google smart speakers so appealing to most homeowners is their design. This is not far from the truth regarding these two smart speakers. The Google Home Mini, from afar it just resembles a smaller disk covered in fabric.
This smart speaker comes with three buttons that indicate the activities such as listening, initiating setups, and running processes. If you need to change the volume, mute, or stop a process, you can always tap the sides of the devices.
However, it’s important to note that you might need to tap more than once before you can find these options. At first glance, you might think that the Nest Mini and the Google Home Mini are the same devices.
However, Nest Mini is a bit smaller in size than the Home Mini. The buttons and the LED light on both of these smart speakers give the same functions. For the factory reset on Google Home Mini, you hold the reset button below the power cord for 10 seconds.
For the Nest Mini, there isn’t a specific reset button. Rather, you have to turn off the mic and then hold on to the center of the device for 10 seconds.
Google Assistant
Both smart speakers rely on Google Assistant for their smart home control, which explains the similarity in their functions. Any feature that works on Google Assistant will work on Google Home Mini and Google Nest Mini.
The best thing about this smart speakers’ integration with Google Assistant is that it helps them get a lot done. Both smart speakers can connect to and control any compatible smart devices without a problem. Also, both Home Mini and Nest Mini can run on both Android and iOS devices.
Sound and speakers
If you’re looking for a music-playing device, then you might want to drop Google Home Mini from your list. The smart speaker comes with a 40mm driver for sound, which is the same size as that found in headphones.
The downside to this smart speaker is that it only comes with a micro-USB port for power. This means that if you need to play music, you’ll have to use Bluetooth wireless headphones. While Nest Mini still has the 40mm driver, its bass is way too powerful than the original model.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for an affordable smart speaker that will take care of all your control needs, these two make a great choice. However, if you need better sound quality and a design, Nest Mini is the best option.