Short answer: the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen, if you are buying new. The Google Nest Audio ranks higher than it (#9 vs #12 of 15 powered desktop speakers, 3.3/5 vs 3.1/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen is still sold new at $79.99. The Google Nest Audio’s replacement, the Google Home Speaker, is rated 3.0/5 at $99.99.
The case for 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. The catch: 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.
What the Google Nest Audio does well: An affordable Google Assistant speaker with Chromecast casting and respectable bass from one small box. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen lacks. The tradeoff: Each unit is mono; a genuine left-right stereo pair means buying two and pairing them over Wi-Fi.
Buy the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen new; the Google Nest Audio is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
A small, affordable Alexa speaker with a temperature sensor, eero Wi-Fi extender support and a mic mute switch.
An affordable Google Assistant speaker with Chromecast casting and respectable bass from one small box.
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 Nest Audio | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 each | $99.99 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #12 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #9 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) | External AC adapter (30W, 24V, DC jack) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes (802.11 b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes (Google Home) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| 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) | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver | 75mm woofer, 19mm tweeter |
| 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) | 6.9” x 4.9” x 3.1” (175 x 124 x 78 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect |
| Amplifier Power | - | 30W (2x Class D) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 60.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review via spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 44.3Hz (derived, log-interpolated between ASR’s spinorama -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 1.71 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 4.06 |
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