Google Home vs Mini: Choose the Best One for You

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Google offers two smart speakers: the larger and more expensive Google Home, and the smaller and more affordable Google Mini. Wondering which model is right for you? To help you choose, read on to find out how they differ, and the pros and cons of both.

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Google Home vs Mini: Sound Quality

If you’re purchasing a speaker, it makes sense that you want excellent sound quality. The Google Home features a 2-inch driver and dual 2-inch passive radiators, which give it great-sounding bass. The Google Mini has a single 1.6-inch speaker. It’s got a nice sound, and is great for voice commands, but you won’t get much bass out of it.

Bottom line: if you plan on using your smart speaker primarily to play music, the Google Home is your best option.

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Google Home vs Mini: Design and Controls

The design of both the Google Home and the Google Mini is sleek and minimalist. The Google Home is shaped like a small vase with plastic on top, and a fabric or metallic speaker on the bottom, depending on which style you choose. Plus, you can switch out the fabric or metallic bottom whenever you want. The top of the Google Home works as a touch interface. Tap it to pause or play, tap and hold to ask Google Assistant a question, and drag your finger clockwise or counterclockwise to control the volume. A round button allows you to mute the microphone. The Google Mini’s design is also sleek, with fewer visible buttons than the Google Home. It’s about the size and shape of a hockey puck, covered in fabric, and is available in three colors. Tap the sides to control volume, and a hidden switch in the back mutes the device. Both the Home and the Mini feature indicator lights on top to let you know when the device is listening and when it is off.

Bottom line: Both the Home and the Mini offer user-friendly controls and attractive design. But the Google Home offers more design customization.

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Google Assistant Capability

Both the Google Home and the Google Mini operate with Google Assistant, and it functions exactly the same on both devices. You can wake up Google Assistant on both devices by saying, “OK, Google” or “Hey, Google.” From there you can ask questions, play music, add events to your Google Calendar, make phone calls and more.

Bottom line: The Home and Mini are equally matched when it comes to Google Assistant.

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Which should you buy?

The Google Home and the Google Mini are pretty equally matched as far as functionality, the only difference being the Home is better suited for playing music. The device you decide to purchase will mostly be based on personal preference. Do you prefer a bigger device, or a smaller more discreet size? Is the color customization important to you? The final factor to consider obviously is price. The Google Home is currently priced at $69 and the Google Mini goes for $29. Overall, we think you’ll be happy with either smart speaker, but it’s up to you to decide which features fit your personal taste best, and how much you want to spend.

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