Short answer: the Google Home Max on measured sound quality, the Sonos Era 100 on price. The Google Home Max ranks #11 of 16 powered desktop speakers at $399. The Sonos Era 100 ranks #12 at $219, $180 cheaper.
The case for the Google Home Max: The most capable driver set of Google’s own smart speakers, with two 4.5-inch high-excursion woofers and two 0.7-inch tweeters across six Class-D amplifiers. The tradeoff: Discontinued by Google since 2020, so it can no longer be bought new; used and refurbished stock is what remains, and RTINGS calls its soundstage mediocre despite the driver count.
The case for the Sonos Era 100: RTINGS lists room correction tools and bass/treble adjustments as its real strengths, and its balanced midrange suits a wide range of genres, with wider stereo separation than the mono Sonos One SL it replaced thanks to two angled tweeters plus a 25% larger mid-woofer than the original Sonos One. The tradeoff: RTINGS’ own two listed cons are not loud enough for larger rooms and very little low-bass thump, so genres like EDM and hip-hop lack rumble even with the tone adjustments.
Buy the Google Home Max if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Sonos Era 100 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
The Sonos Era 100 is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 16 powered desktop speakers; there are better options higher up.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Google Home Max | Sonos Era 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399 each Discontinued | $219.00 each |
| Ranked | #11 of 16 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #12 of 16 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Input | AC power cord | External AC adapter |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 11.7 lbs (5.3 kg) | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| App | Yes (Google Home) | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (6 far-field mics for Smart Sound room correction) | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| EQ | Yes (Media EQ + Room EQ, automatic via Smart Sound) | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| Drivers | 2x 4.5in high-excursion woofers, 2x 0.7in tweeters | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer |
| Discontinued | Yes | No |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Aux, USB-C | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | Yes | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 6x Class-D amplifiers | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 4.2 | Yes, 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 7.5" x 13.2" x 6.1" (190 x 336 x 154 mm) (H x W x D) | 7.2" x 4.7" x 5.1" (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa |
| Streaming Services | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Google Home Max compares with other leading options:
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Google Home Max
- Google Home Max vs JBL Authentics 200
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Google Home Max
- JBL Authentics 200 vs Sonos Era 100
- Google Home Max vs Sonos Roam
Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 AM 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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The Two Speakers In Full
Google Home Max: $399 each Discontinued eBay
Pros: The most capable driver set of Google’s own smart speakers, with two 4.5-inch high-excursion woofers and two 0.7-inch tweeters across six Class-D amplifiers. Its Smart Sound feature uses six built-in microphones to measure the room and adjust the equalizer automatically. Owner reviews on Walmart consistently single out its bass depth and clarity, with one directly comparing it favorably to the Amazon Echo Studio and Apple HomePod. Two units can be wirelessly stereo-paired for left/right separation, and it can be grouped with other Google/Nest speakers for multi-room audio.
Cons: Discontinued by Google since 2020, so it can no longer be bought new; used and refurbished stock is what remains, and RTINGS calls its soundstage mediocre despite the driver count. It never gained Apple Music or Tidal support over Wi-Fi. At launch, voice commands could fail to register over loud music, and Bluetooth tops out at version 4.2 with no aptX. At 5.3kg it is heavy and needs real shelf space, and $399 was expensive even in 2017 next to the far cheaper Nest Audio. Discontinued.
Full Google Home Max review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 6x Class-D amplifiers |
| App | Yes (Google Home) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (6 far-field mics for Smart Sound room correction) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.5" x 13.2" x 6.1" (190 x 336 x 154 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 4.5in high-excursion woofers, 2x 0.7in tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Media EQ + Room EQ, automatic via Smart Sound) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Aux, USB-C |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) |
| USB Input | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant |
| Weight | 11.7 lbs (5.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Google Home Max vs JBL Authentics 200
- Google Home Max vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Google Home Max vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Google Home Max vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Google Home Max vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Google Home Max vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Google Home Max vs B&O Beosound 2
- Google Home Max vs Google Home Speaker
- See all 23 comparisons
Sonos Era 100: $219.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: RTINGS lists room correction tools and bass/treble adjustments as its real strengths, and its balanced midrange suits a wide range of genres, with wider stereo separation than the mono Sonos One SL it replaced thanks to two angled tweeters plus a 25% larger mid-woofer than the original Sonos One. Alexa is built in with a far-field mic, and it ties into the wider Sonos S2 app ecosystem for multi-room audio.
Cons: RTINGS’ own two listed cons are not loud enough for larger rooms and very little low-bass thump, so genres like EDM and hip-hop lack rumble even with the tone adjustments. There’s no Google Assistant, the USB-C line-in needs a separately purchased adapter, and there’s no battery.
Full Sonos Era 100 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 4.7" x 5.1" (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Streaming Services | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| USB Input | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sonos Era 100 vs JBL Authentics 200
- Sonos Era 100 vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Sonos Era 100 vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Sonos Era 100 vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Sonos Era 100 vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Sonos Era 100 vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Sonos Era 100 vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Sonos Era 100 vs B&O Beosound 2
- See all 23 comparisons