Google's smart speaker just got smaller. The Home Mini is, as you can deduce from its name, a smaller version of the Google Home speaker the company launched last year. It has all of the same capabilities as its larger forebear, but comes with a smaller price: $49 versus the larger speaker's $129...

Good sound quality for voice responses; Attractive design; Impulse purchase pricing

Fabric may not last long; Limited audio output options; Fewer smart home tricks than Amazon's Alexa

Compact, yet powerful, the Google Home Mini is the best-sounding miniature smart speaker yet.

Individual voice recognition gives tailored responses; Seamlessly integrates all the features of the Google platform; Affordable; Improved AI that responds quickly; Compact and attractive

Poor hands-free calling sound quality; Spanish-speaking feature needs improvement

The Google Home Mini is a no-brainer for anyone who's already enjoying a Google Home, but it's not the right smart home controller for everyone.

Pretty design; Google Assistant is more sophisticated than Amazon's Alexa; Low price makes it easy to deploy in multiples

Lousy for music reproduction; Compared to Amazon's Echos; Google Home devices aren't as broadly compatible with third-party products; Can be paired...

When it debuted last fall, the Echo Dot made big waves for its low price; it has never been easier to get Alexa in your home. The $49 Google Home Mini is poised to do just that for Google's Assistant. Not only is it inexpensive, but it also outperforms the Echo Dot in audio quality and design.

Attractive design; Inexpensive; Great audio quality for size; Can control Android TVs and Chromecast

Hard to see status lights from across room; Doesn't work with as many smart-home devices as Alexa; Can't pair with Bluetooth speakers and no line-out

The Google Home Mini isn't flawless, owing to a dearth of developer support compared to Amazon, the inability to drill down for hyper-specific commands and odd design choices (where's the headphone jack?). But for US$50 or less, it's an ideal introduction to the world of smart speakers.

For just $49 (£49, AU$79), the affordable Google Home Mini does something that the best Bluetooth speakers can't even fathom: it comes equipped with Google Assistant, which is always at the ready to help you find answers, turn on the tunes, dim the lights, start a TV show and more by using nothing...

Plays nicely with Google Cast products; Offers Bluetooth support; IoT-friendly; Incredible value

Sound performance is weak

While it's not quite the perfect experience, it's hard to complain too much about what the Home Mini does. It is primarily a good voice assistant, with the ability to control other devices.

Affordable Google Assistant; Chromecast compatibility; Fine sound for speech radio

Sound quality is average for music; No aux or Bluetooth output; Device support could be better

Interested in Google Home? Don't want to pay a fortune? Simply get the Google Home Mini – it's smaller, cheaper and just as good

Looks Good; Google Assistant Is Very Impressive; Voice Recognition is Great; New Features Added All The Time

Sound Quality (For Music) Isn't Great

When it comes to shifting smart speakers, Amazon is streets ahead of Google. The Google Home came late to market; by the time it turned up, it didn't just have to contend with the Amazon Echo – it also had to face the much smaller and cheaper Amazon Echo Dot .

Good looks; Affordable

No 3.5mm or Bluetooth audio output; No top touch controls besides volume

It's been a long time coming, but Google's Home Mini can now make and receive calls. After almost six months of waiting, the Home Mini, along with its bigger brother, now has support for hands-free video calling.

Affordable; Stylish design with touch controls; Integrated Google Assistant and speaker

No 3.5mm jack output