Short answer: the Sonos Era 100, if you are buying new. The Google Home Max measures as well as it (#15 vs #16 of 29 powered desktop speakers, 3.6/5 vs 3.6/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Sonos Era 100 is still sold new at $217.99.
The case for the Google Home Max: A large Google smart speaker with two woofers, automatic room tuning and stereo pairing, praised by owners for its bass. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Sonos Era 100 lacks. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Sonos Era 100 lacks. 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: A compact Wi-Fi smart speaker with stereo from two angled tweeters, Trueplay room tuning, Alexa and Sonos multiroom. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Google Home Max. The catch: 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 Sonos Era 100, since the Google Home Max is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
A large Google smart speaker with two woofers, automatic room tuning and stereo pairing, praised by owners for its bass.
A compact Wi-Fi smart speaker with stereo from two angled tweeters, Trueplay room tuning, Alexa and Sonos multiroom.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Google Home Max | Sonos Era 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399 each Discontinued | $217.99 each |
| Ranked | #15 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #16 of 29 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 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 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 |
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