The Link Portable is the best Google Assistant-enabled speaker that you can move from room to room, dock, or use as a Bluetooth speaker out of the house. It gets about 8 hours of battery on a charge and can take commands as well as any Google speaker, though it doesn’t have as accurate a microphone array for listening as many of the stationary speakers, so it will occasionally miss a command if you don’t speak up.
Nest Hub for $50 ($40 off)
The Nest Hub lacks a security camera, and its speaker is nothing to write home about, but if you’re building out a smart home with stand-alone security cameras and speakers—which is the best way of doing it—there’s little need to pay extra for a hub with these features built in. I’ve been using one for six months, and its 7-inch screen is more than enough to view from across my apartment. Walmart’s deal includes a $20 Vudu credit for watching television shows and movies on its streaming channel.
Nest Hub Max for $180 ($50 off)
Target, Walmart, Best Buy, B&H Photo Video
The Hub Max isn’t perfect. When I reviewed it, I noted that its camera’s lack of night vision made it a poor choice for a security camera, but the Max’s 10-inch touchscreen and better speakers give it a leg up on its smaller 7-inch-screen Nest Hub, especially if you’ll be gazing at it across a large room.
Lenovo Smart Display for $60 ($40 off)
Lenovo makes smart displays to rival Google’s own Nest Hub devices, and they pack the same Google Assistant along with what I (subjectively) feel is a more attractive design. WIRED reviews editor Jeffrey Van Camp gave it an 8/10, WIRED Recommends score and praised its ability to work with most Google-compatible devices and apps. Unlike the similarly priced Nest Hub, it comes with a built-in cam. If you want that in a Google-brand display, you’d have to step up to the $230 Net Hub Max.
Lenovo Smart Clock for $35 ($45 off)
This is a very small smart display—too small for watching video. But it is good at displaying photos, the weather, and showing the time, which is why it made our list of great Google Assistant devices. Read our full review to learn more about it (7/10, WIRED Recommends).
Google Home Max Party Speaker for $150 ($150 off)
Best Buy, B&H Photo Video (Backordered)
It’s showing its age by now at three years old, but at this price, the Home Max is still a good option if you want a smart speaker with relatively good audio quality but have no need for a screen. WIRED senior editor Michael Calore said the Home Max sounded fantastic when he reviewed it in 2017, and if you already use Google Assistant as your AI voice of choice on your phone, then it integrates especially well with your smart home flow.
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Nest Audio
Photograph: Google
