Multiroom audio support, as well as support for nearly every audio streaming app around, are what really set Sonos apart from other major smart speakers. It’s just so easy to integrate them into your space. With the new Bluetooth connectivity offered by the Era 100, you can even wirelessly connect a turntable. (I know, blasphemy!) If you want to keep things wired, the USB-C port on the back of the Era 100 lets you connect other devices with a dongle.
As with its predecessor, you’re able to use a couple of Era 100s as surround speakers with Sonos soundbars in your home theater, and you can pair two Era 100s for use as stereo speakers. It’s worth noting that Sonos was in a bit of hot water in 2020 over the fact that its older speakers weren’t going to get software updates. There is now a fix to support legacy hardware, but unfortunately, this is a reality for computer-powered speakers. Unlike their analog predecessors, you can’t expect them to last forever. Sonos smart speakers, however, have a track record of lasting longer than anything else we’ve tested, and that will likely continue in the Era era.
Connects to Alexa, Sonos App, and AirPlay 2. Has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Best Alexa Speaker
Amazon’s Echo speaker (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a cute ball of sound that brings the same bold bass and wide soundstage as the previous model, but with more room-filling sound than ever before. You can put it anywhere—kitchens, bathrooms, even smaller living rooms—and it easily fills the space with 360-degree sound.
Compared to Google’s Nest Audio speaker, this is the one I’d pick for off-axis listening (i.e., when you’re not sitting directly in front of the speaker). Alexa also makes getting news and weather updates convenient, and it’s dead simple to set kitchen timers and alarm clocks. We also like that you can turn off the microphones with a physical button, for when voice-assistant-wary friends and relatives are over. If you’re after a simple, audio-focused Alexa speaker that doesn’t get in the way and won’t break the bank, this is the best you’ll find.
Connects to Alexa.
Best Google Assistant Speaker
The Nest Audio (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is Google’s direct Echo competitor, and it fares extremely well. It’s got a compact, pillow-like shape and great sound that will easily fill small and medium-size rooms. We really like using two Nests as a stereo pair because they combine to offer some of the best audio quality you can achieve in a smart speaker for $200.
As with all Google Assistant–powered devices, you can ask the Nest Audio to set timers, play music, or tell you the weather, and you can ask it anything you’d search on Google. The Google Home app makes it easy to pair up the speakers with any other Google-friendly smart device you have too.
Connects to Google Assistant.
Best Smart Soundbar
Sonos’ second-generation Beam is the best smart soundbar you can buy right now. It might look similar to the first-generation model, but it’s got major sound upgrades. The Beam also has plenty of inputs, has immersive Dolby Atmos, and pairs with both Alexa and Google Assistant. It’s easy to use with other Sonos speakers as a multiroom audio system, too.
Connects to Alexa or Google Assistant, Sonos App, and AirPlay 2. Has Wi-Fi, HDMI eARC, Ethernet, IR receiver for TV remote.
Best Google Assistant Smart Display
Smart displays are great in a few different parts of the home, like the kitchen or an entryway, but might go mostly unused. The Google Pixel Tablet (7/10, WIRED Recommends) fixes that by marrying a tablet and a smart display into one handy device. The 11-inch tablet sits on the included Docking Station to turn it into a smart display, appearing almost identical to the Google Nest Hub Max, and you simply pop it off the display to turn it back into a tablet. (There may be a slight learning curve to properly disengaging it from the magnet base.)
Popping it onto the dock activates the tablet’s Hub Mode, and you can customize the display to either show your Google Photos or select one of the fun clock designs. You can easily control smart home devices by tapping the Google Home icon on the lock screen, which will pull up an overlay of your favorite smart home devices to let you control them and and check camera feeds on doorbells and Wi-Fi cameras. This feature is only available while docked, so your camera feeds are safe from strangers if you take the tablet out and about with you.
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