Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation)
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/amazon-echo-dot-2nd-generation/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 5 stars out of 5 (Spectacular)
The good: The second-gen, mini-size Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker is just as smart as the first at nearly half the cost, and it’s better at hearing you, too. It’s also the only Echo product you can connect to an existing audio setup.
The bad: Amazon’s Echo products still can’t offer audio that syncs across multiple devices in multiple rooms.
The cost: $49.99
The bottom line: The new and improved Echo Dot takes Amazon’s best-in-class smart home speaker and wraps it in an ultra-affordable package.
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Sonos One
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/sonos-one/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding) The good: The Sonos One integrates full-fledged Alexa voice control, just like an Amazon Echo speaker but with better sound quality. It offers most of Alexa’s smart home controls and its far-field microphone performs similarly to an Echo. The Sonos One works seamlessly as part of a Sonos multiroom system, and can pair with another One for stereo sound. In 2018 Sonos will add Google Assistant, and Apple AirPlay 2 support is coming too.
The bad: The One costs twice as much as the new Echo. It cannot form a stereo pair with an existing Sonos Play:1. It doesn’t work how you’d expect if you have an Echo within earshot. There’s no Bluetooth.
The cost: $199.00
The bottom line: The Alexa-powered Sonos One is the first smart speaker that actually sounds good with music — and even more new features will be coming to it in the months ahead.
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Google Home Mini
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/google-home-mini/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The Google Home Mini is a stylish-looking speaker with surprisingly strong sound quality. The Google Assistant is a capable Alexa competitor, especially thanks to its ability to search out detailed answers to a wide variety of questions.
The bad: There isn’t much the Home Mini does that Alexa can’t do, too. It also lacks a line out jack, and requires Chromecast Audio in order to connect with at external speaker setup.
The cost: $49.00 to $49.99
The bottom line: The Google Home Mini is a great device, and a no-brainer for existing Google Home users — but it isn’t the Echo Dot-killer Google probably needs it to be.
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Apple HomePod
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-homepod/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: Apple’s $349 HomePod has excellent bass and consistently superior sound quality across a wide variety of music genres. The speaker is easy to set up and Siri can hear you from across a room.
The bad: You’re stuck with Apple-only audio services when using voice commands and the HomePod only works on iOS. Some key features, including multiroom audio and stereo pairing, aren’t yet available but are coming soon. Siri and HomeKit lack Alexa and the Google Assistant’s polish and device compatibility.
The cost: $349.00
The bottom line: Apple’s HomePod won’t slay Amazon Alexa out of the gate. But if you’re an iPhone user who prizes sound quality above all, you should seriously consider this speaker.
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The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Senior Associate Editor Ry Crist, Senior Associate Editor Ty Pendlebury, Senior Associate Editor Megan Wollerton and Senior Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
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