There are a ton of great innovations that have come out this year. In the case of deciding on one of the popular smart devices for the home, there are two competitors to look out for. Amazon and Google have frequently battled each other for their two smart speakers to come up on top of the other. Of course, this started when Google released Google Home in 2016, a smart speaker that was said to be the best match for Amazon Echo with Alexa, that came out two years earlier. Both devices are pretty similar on the surface, but there is still some things we can examine about them. In doing some research on these hot items, it's apparent which one may be best for the consumers of this year.

Let's start with Google Home, a smart speaker that has the Google search engine to its advantage. Google Home is said to provide a more personalized experience with Google Assistant. Recently, looking at the Google store homepage, it seems they no longer have their original Google Home model, but they do have the Nest mini, Google Home Max, Nest Hub Max and Nest Hub (all varying in price, with Nest mini being the cheapest). 

Best Features to Know for Google Devices:

• Answers questions with more accuracy
• Can set up reminders through Google apps, like calendar, weather, notes
• Smart speaker uses Google Assistant and voice settings can be customized.
• Voice recognition is more accurate; meaning it can detect your voice patterns and still know its you
• The feature voice match, can let you add up to 6 people with a google account, and they can make commands to google and personalize their experience
• Google Nest Mini starts at a low price of $49

Worst Features to Know for Google Devices:

• The original Google Home is no longer being sold, just the Nest Mini (2nd Generation)
• Sound quality may not be as good as other high end products like Sonos One
• The answers to questions are only as accurate as you may find on the internet through Google; some answers are a miss
• Doesn't work with the entire smart home; some devices like smart TVs and lights need to be compatible
• And skills that are gained from the Google Assistant happen as they come to it; they're not already built-in

Even with the pricing being a bit lower than expected for the Nest Mini, it seems that the issues still have an impact on its performance. It would be fine for someone who may be looking for a general smart speaker, but maybe not as sufficient for someone who wants more smart home control. 

Next we have Amazon Alexa and there are a lot of devices available this year. Right now, the hottest item is Amazon Echo Plus, starting with the discounted price of $99. Amazon has a lot of pride in it's work with the well known Alexa being at the forefront. They have even added Echo dot to the family, to assist with sound coverage for an entire house. 

Best Features to Know For Amazon Devices: 

• Affordable price now for the Amazon Echo Plus(2nd Gen); the Plus controls more things pertaining to smart home, than its predecessor Amazon Echo(3rd Generation)
• Sounds better with Dolby 360, and is said to be louder than it was before
• Skills for Alexa have grown to over 1,000 in her library
• Has commands to control all devices in the smart home efficiently
• Privacy controls for the microphone has improved. The different color glow of the light indicator, helps the person know if someone else is listening into their conversation. They can also turn the microphone off at any time, and simply use it as a speaker
• Users can update Alexa with their personal preferences including privacy settings on the app; they can even delete recordings and history

Worst Features to Know For Amazon Devices:

• Sound quality is not better than more high end devices like Sonos One

So, to wrap up, both speakers have changed a lot since they were released. It seems that 2020 has been the best year price-wise for these devices as well. However, the ratings for Amazon Echo with Alexa far outweighs the ratings for Google Home (or Nest). Of course, based on your own preferences either one can possibly work very well for you. Though even now, Amazon seems to offer more bang for anyone's budget. 

Resources for Research:

Tom's Guide Amazon Echo Review

TheVerge Amazon Echo Review

Cnet Google Home Review

DigitalTrends Google Home Review