Short answer: the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen. It ranks #12 of 15 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.1/5, at $79.99; the Google Home Speaker ranks #13, rated 3.0/5, and costs $99.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
Why pick the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen: A small, affordable Alexa speaker with a temperature sensor, eero Wi-Fi extender support and a mic mute switch. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Google Home Speaker lacks. The tradeoff: What Hi-Fi’s one real complaint was distortion at higher volumes, and bass force and detail both fall off at the low end, typical for a speaker not much bigger than a hockey ball.
Why pick the Google Home Speaker: A compact Gemini smart speaker that doubles as a smart home hub with a Thread border router and Matter support. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen lacks. Watch for: This is Google’s current speaker, and reviewers agree it is a downgrade in sound from the discontinued Google Nest Audio it replaces: SoundGuys measured its acoustic hardware directly against the Google Nest Audio and found a single 58mm full-range driver against the Google Nest Audio’s 75mm woofer plus dedicated 19mm tweeter, calling it ‘half the audio hardware for the same sticker price.’
Buy the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Google Home Speaker and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
A small, affordable Alexa speaker with a temperature sensor, eero Wi-Fi extender support and a mic mute switch.
A compact Gemini smart speaker that doubles as a smart home hub with a Thread border router and Matter support.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen | Google Home Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 each | $99.99 each |
| Ranked | #12 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #13 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) | USB-C (30W adapter, power only, no USB Audio) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) | 0.9 lbs (396 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes (Wi-Fi 6, dual-band) |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes (Google Home) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) | Yes (3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch) |
| EQ | No | Yes (Bass/Treble, via Google Home app) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | No (two units pair only through a Google TV Streamer, not with each other directly) |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver | 58mm full-range driver |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 3.9” x 3.9” x 3.5” (100 x 100 x 89 mm) (H x W x D) | 3.4” x 4.2” x 4.2” (86.6 x 107 x 107 mm) (H x diameter) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Google Assistant / Gemini for Home |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.4 |
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