Google has released a new smart speaker priced at $100 to compete with Amazon's Echo and Apple's HomePod mini.

CNET tested the device on June 24, 2026, and found it delivers clear sound and decent bass, with enough volume to fill a small to medium-sized room. For a speaker this size and price, that's a key achievement — it means the device can actually be your main speaker, not just a side gadget on a desk.

The speaker uses Google Assistant — Google's voice control system. It works with Chromecast (for controlling your TV) and other smart home devices like thermostats and lights that are compatible with Google. You simply speak commands like "turn on the bedroom light" or "set the temperature to 72 degrees."

Smart speakers fall into three price brackets. Budget speakers cost under $50. Premium speakers cost $200 or more. The $100 range in the middle is where many people buy — the price is low enough to grab without much thought, but high enough to expect solid quality. Google's previous speaker, the Nest Audio, launched at this same $100 price in 2020.

Building a small speaker that sounds good involves choices. A compact box that produces strong bass often can't handle mid-range sounds as precisely. Adding volume requires more power, which makes the speaker harder to move around. CNET found this new speaker holds its own against other $100 speakers, though without detailed technical testing from independent reviewers, a full comparison to other models isn't yet possible.

The real strength here is how well the speaker connects to Google products you may already own. If you use an Android phone, watch videos on your TV through Chromecast, and have a Google Nest thermostat, the speaker integrates smoothly. You set it up once and it works. If your home uses a mix of different brands — some Google, some Amazon, some Apple — the benefits shrink, because the speaker can only control Google-compatible devices.

Google has released smart speakers less often in recent years. In 2022, the company reorganized its hardware team to focus on fewer, more polished products rather than rapid releases. A new speaker at the same $100 price in mid-2026 suggests Google is keeping this product alive in stores and in its ecosystem, rather than trying to change how people think about smart speakers entirely. Amazon, by contrast, releases new Echo models more frequently.