After some good experience with Google Nest Mini speaker, I was tempted to try its larger sibling: Google Nest Audio. This is essentially the same product with one obvious difference: its size. Thanks to its larger size, Nest Audio can packs more powerful components, resulting in louder and richer sound. To be fair, I probably would not spend money of this if not because I saw a good sale to exchange some loyalty points with this nice little speaker.

Instead of going wider, Google Nest Audio opt to have a taller design, allowing smaller footprint for the product. Initial setup was easy, thanks to Google Home app that is already in my phone. After some connection steps, the speaker is ready to use and can be easily paired to my phone. Just like its smaller sibling, Nest Audio connects to Wifi network and can be used to play music from some streaming services such as Spotify or YouTube Music. However, Nest Audio also allow Bluetooth connection from another device, making it an ideal AC-powered Bluetooth speaker.

Just like other smart devices from Google, Nest Audio can respond to “Hey Google” and we can use it to ask questions or control some smart home devices on Google’s platform. Since I am basically using this speaker as a Bluetooth speaker, I turn off its microphone right after initial setup.

Now, time for the most important question: how is the sound quality? As expected from a speaker this size, it deliver much better music compared to Nest Mini. Audio quality is richer and it is definitely loud enough for a medium-sized room. It is nowhere near the level of Sonos One, but I am fairly satisfied for a device this size, at this price range.

One thing I did not realise before trying the speaker at home though, the tall design means that this speaker would not deliver omni-directional sound. If omni-directional sound is important for you, Apple HomePod Mini or even the smaller Google Nest Mini do it better.

Overall, this is a good smart speaker that does what it should. Nest Mini still won the place to stay in my bedroom thanks to its omni-directional sound, but this Nest Audio definitely has its own use cases. Happy with the product and will experiment further to find where it would work best.