Short answer: the Google Nest Audio. It ranks #4 of 9 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $99.99; the Sonos Era 100 ranks #12 and costs $219, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Google Nest Audio: Google Assistant is built in at no extra cost, and Chromecast lets you cast from almost any music app over Wi-Fi rather than only Bluetooth. The tradeoff: Each unit is mono; a genuine left-right stereo pair means buying two and pairing them over Wi-Fi.
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 Nest Audio. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sonos Era 100 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Skip the Sonos Era 100 if sound quality matters to you. It ranks near the bottom of the 16 powered desktop speakers.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Google Nest Audio | Sonos Era 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 each Discontinued | $219.00 each |
| Ranked | #4 of 9 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #12 of 16 in Medium 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, Chromecast built-in) | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (30W, 24V, DC jack) | External AC adapter |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| App | Yes (Google Home) | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch) | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble, via Google Home app) | 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 | 75mm woofer, 19mm tweeter | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer |
| Discontinued | Yes | No |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 30W (2x Class D) | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.0 | Yes, 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 6.9" x 4.9" x 3.1" (175 x 124 x 78 mm) (H x W x D) | 7.2" x 4.7" x 5.1" (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) |
| 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 | 0.97 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 3.32 | - |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa |
| Streaming Services | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 |
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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 Nest Audio: $99.99 each Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Google Assistant is built in at no extra cost, and Chromecast lets you cast from almost any music app over Wi-Fi rather than only Bluetooth. Audio Science Review’s Klippel measurements put bass at 50Hz at -6dB and 60.4Hz at -3dB, respectable output for a single 75mm woofer at this price, and the predicted in-room response is unusually smooth for a compact single-box speaker. The Google Home app includes a two-band bass and treble EQ. Measured bass extension of 60.4Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Each unit is mono; a genuine left-right stereo pair means buying two and pairing them over Wi-Fi. On-axis measurements show more unevenness than a dedicated monitor, an average deviation of 0.569dB against roughly a tenth of that on the most neutral speakers measured this way. There is no 3.5mm or other analog input at all, no battery, and no IP rating, so it needs a stable Wi-Fi connection and a permanent outlet to work at its best. Discontinued.
Full Google Nest Audio review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 30W (2x Class D) |
| App | Yes (Google Home) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44.3Hz (derived, log-interpolated between ASR's spinorama -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review via spinorama.org) |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9" x 4.9" x 3.1" (175 x 124 x 78 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 75mm woofer, 19mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble, via Google Home app) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (30W, 24V, DC jack) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 0.97 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 3.32 |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Google Nest Audio vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Google Nest Audio vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Google Nest Audio vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Google Nest Audio vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Google Nest Audio vs Google Home Speaker
- Google Nest Audio vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Google Nest Audio vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Google Nest Audio vs B&O Beosound 2
- 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 Google Home Max
- 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
- See all 23 comparisons