Echo Dot vs Google Home Mini Specs, Price Comparison: What Entry-Level Smart Speaker Is Worth Buying?

By Jessica Ferrera, Christian Post Contributor Tuesday, October 17, 2017

More technology companies and manufacturers have recently confirmed they have ongoing projects that will put them in the race for the best smart speakers in the market. However, two companies have already made significant advancements in this area -- Amazon and Google.

Amazon has pioneered the development and release of a smart speaker with the launch of the Echo speaker in 2015 and powered with its own smart assistant named Alexa. Google followed through and introduced the Google Home in 2016 with their own AI platform simply called the Google Assistant.

Luckily, Amazon and Google offer the Echo Dot and Google Home Mini, respectively, with smaller builds and cheaper prices without sacrificing much in terms of functionality. So the pressing question now is which of these two products are worth trying.

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Design

Since smart speakers will become a central part of a buyer's home, design is one key point of comparison. And from the time Google challenged Amazon's smart speaker lineup, the former is obviously winning in the design department.

Both smart speakers come in very compact builds, but the Google Home Mini sports the signature fabric-draped design which makes it look more homey than the Echo Dot's plain look.

Smart Assistant: Alexa vs. Google Assistant

When comparing smart assistant platforms, what matters most is the wide array of third-party support and compatibility. And since Amazon has been in this game a year earlier than Google, there is no wonder that the company was able to establish more third-party support than its competition.

On the other hand, both Alexa and Google Assistant have been recently updated to support free phone calls and voice recognition -- two key features for a smart speaker and its platform. Alexa can call phone numbers in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while Google Assistant can do this as well but excludes Mexico.

Both can also send text messages and support various music streaming platforms.

Functionality: Home Connectivity

According to the Amazon Alexa's page, the smart assistant can support and be linked to hundreds of home appliances. This means Echo Dot users have more options in remotely controlling their home locks, thermostat, lights, security cameras, electric outlets and more.

Meanwhile, Tom's Guide reported that Google Assistant's third-party support is currently limited to around 50 companies and developers only.

Hardware Specs: Audio and Microphone

Another important aspect to consider is if a smart speaker can hear the owner well from a considerable distance and if they can be heard clearly too.  And obviously, these aspects have something to do with the audio and microphone features.

In Tom's Guide hands-on comparison, they placed the Google Home Mini and Amazon Echo Dot about 15 feet away from the user and proved that the devices were able to hear them even when they spoke in a "library-quiet voice."

However, when it comes to audio quality, the same report gave more props to Google Home Mini. Tom's Guide said the Google Home Mini produced a "louder, richer and fuller sound" compared to Echo Dot's audio with "thin, reedy vocals with almost no bass."

Price

Both the Echo Dot and and Google Home Mini are priced $50 which is a good starting point for someone just wanting to get a feel of having a smart speaker around.

However, the price similarity becomes a plus point for the Echo Dot if one will consider the wider options and greater functionality it entails, thanks to the commanding lead Alexa has had in terms of third-party support and compatibility.