5 best smart speakers in 2024
If you are tired of taking your phone out of your pocket just to change the music, then it's time you should switch to a smart speaker. You can control the entire speaker with just your voice, but that's just one of the many things you can do with it. You can use interactive voice assistants that can answer any questions for you. Whether you want to know what the weather is today or how big Jupiter is, these smart speakers with AI assistants can answer them.
This article presents the list of the best smart speakers you can buy. They have a lot of features, and the sound clarity can be quite satisfactory.
Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.
Explore these amazing smart speakers in 2024
1) Sonos One (2nd Gen)
Price: $219.99
Some audiophiles complain that smart speakers cannot compete with the performance of the dedicated large speakers they have at home, but Sonos disagrees. The Sonos One is designed to deliver a powerful sound stage while still delivering the smart features that modern users like so much.
It has a dedicated mid-woofer with two amplifiers to boost the sound coming out of the tweeter. The combined performance of these speakers can provide a mesmerizing sound performance. It also supports voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Pros
- Has an excellent sound stage
- The bass is powerful
- Can use Airplay 2 to stream music locally from your iPhone
Cons
- High price
2) Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
Price: $99.99
The Amazon Echo is the most balanced smart speaker on this list. It has a great speaker system along with a robust set of features that you can use hands-free. It has two tweeters and a large 3" woofer, which delivers a great bass performance. The soundstage is wide, which will fill the room and provide a fulfilling sound experience.
It has the design of a ball with a lightbar at the bottom that reacts when you start speaking with its AI assistant, Alexa. This AI assistant can play your favorite music, help you shop on Amazon without your phone, and even guard your home against intruders by listening to suspicious sounds like glass breaking.
Pros
- Has a robust speaker performance
- Can control your smart home appliances
- Can guard your house
Cons
- The maximum volume isn't as loud as you would expect
3) Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)
Price: $70.99
The Amazon Echo Dot is the smaller version of the Echo smart speaker. It lacks a few features in favor of a lower price tag, which makes it a lot more affordable than its bigger brother. However, it still retains most of the sound performance of the bigger Echo.
It has almost all the features that made the Amazon Echo an Echo device. So, expect the Echo Dot to control your smart home devices and your favorite music. It can even help you shop on Amazon, among other things.
Pros
- Has a small and portable design
- Help you control the smart devices at your home
- Amazon Alexa has a lot of capabilities
Cons
- The speaker inside lacks the depth that the bigger Amazon Echo has
4) Apple HomePod mini
Price: $49.99
If you have a lot of Apple devices, you are probably in the Apple ecosystem, and the Apple Homepod mini can be the perfect addition to that. Under $50, it is easily one of the most powerful speakers out there. It has a total of five tweeters and a woofer to create a perfect balance of high and low frequencies. The sound performance is amazing and worthy of playing music from your Apple Music subs.
It is greatly integrated into the Apple ecosystem, so it can not only manage your Apple devices but also other devices in your Homekit setup. Even Matter smart home devices can be controlled by the Siri voice assistant.
Pros
- Has one of the best speaker systems under $50
- Can control Matter smart devices and other Homekit devices
- Supports Siri voice assistant
Cons
- Needs the Apple Music app to enable the full functionality of this smart speaker.
5) Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen)
Price: $49.99
Siri and Alexa voice assistants are great at what they do but are not on the same level as Google Assistant. That's because it is powered by Google's AI, which allows it to engage in casual two-way conversations. Its natural language processing is a lot faster and more accurate than other voice assistants.
It has a single 40mm speaker, which is a decent driver size at this price bracket and can provide a great sound performance. There's a clear vocal separation in the sound, and the volume is loud enough for you to enjoy your songs.
Pros
- Great device to pair with your Android phone
- Google Assistant runs better than it does on other devices
- Has a voice recognition feature, so the assistant's responses will be different for each individual
Cons
- The sound performance is decent at this price bracket.
These are the best smart speakers that you can buy in 2024. If budget is not a problem, then the Sonos One is an easy recommendation. It has the best sound performance on this list, along with some nifty smart features.
However, if you are on a budget, the Amazon Echo or the Echo Dot is a great alternative as well. Each smart speaker on this list has something unique, so choose something that best suits your needs and requirements.