Short answer: the Marshall Acton IV on measured sound quality, the Google Home Speaker on price. The Marshall Acton IV ranks #3 of 13 powered desktop speakers, rated 3.7/5, at $329.99. The Google Home Speaker ranks #11, rated 3.0/5, at $99.99, $230 cheaper.
The Marshall Acton IV is the better-sounding option. A 4 inch woofer on a 60W amplifier and two 0.75 inch tweeters on 25W each, now with waveguides and a redesigned bass port, and Marshall rates it down to 37Hz. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Google Home Speaker lacks. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Google Home Speaker lacks. Watch for: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked.
The case for the Google Home Speaker: Built-in Gemini support makes it a capable smart home hub, with a Thread border router and Matter support, and the compact 107mm sphere fits almost anywhere. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Acton IV cannot. The catch: This is Google’s current speaker, and reviewers agree it is a downgrade in sound from the discontinued Nest Audio it replaces: SoundGuys measured its acoustic hardware directly against the Nest Audio and found a single 58mm full-range driver against the Nest Audio’s 75mm woofer plus dedicated 19mm tweeter, calling it ‘half the audio hardware for the same sticker price.’
Buy the Marshall Acton IV if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Google Home Speaker if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Acton IV | Google Home Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 each | $99.99 each |
| Ranked | #3 of 13 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #11 of 13 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) | - |
| App | Yes (Marshall) | Yes (Google Home) |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch) |
| Cabinet Color | black, cream | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7”H x 10.2”W x 5.9”D (171 x 260 x 150 mm) | 3.4” x 4.2” x 4.2” (86.6 x 107 x 107 mm) (H x diameter) |
| Drivers | 1x 4” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides | 58mm full-range driver |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) | Yes (Bass/Treble, via Google Home app) |
| Frequency Response | 37Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | USB-C (30W adapter, power only, no USB Audio) |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| TWS | No | No (two units pair only through a Google TV Streamer, not with each other directly) |
| USB Input | No | No |
| Weight | 5.8 lbs (2.65 kg) | 0.9 lbs (396 g) |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes (Wi-Fi 6, dual-band) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| Voice Assistants | - | Google Assistant / Gemini for Home |
| Streaming Services | - | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Marshall Acton IV:
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Marshall Acton IV
- Marshall Acton IV vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Marshall Acton IV vs Google Nest Audio
- Marshall Acton IV vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Marshall Acton IV vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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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The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Acton IV: $329.99 each Estimated Amazon eBay
Older models: the Marshall Acton III (rated 3.7/5) and the Marshall Acton II (rated 3.5/5).
Larger model: the Marshall Stanmore IV (estimated 3.8/5).
Pros: A 4 inch woofer on a 60W amplifier and two 0.75 inch tweeters on 25W each, now with waveguides and a redesigned bass port, and Marshall rates it down to 37Hz. Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3, multipoint, Auracast for linking more speakers, and a 3.5 mm aux input. The Marshall app adds EQ and room calibration, and the new M-button jumps to a saved EQ or Spotify Tap.
Cons: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked. One woofer serves both channels, so its stereo is limited to the tweeters. It needs mains power, has no RCA input (the Stanmore IV adds one), no Wi-Fi streaming and no microphone for voice control.
Full Marshall Acton IV review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) |
| App | Yes (Marshall) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Cabinet Color | black, cream |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7”H x 10.2”W x 5.9”D (171 x 260 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) |
| Frequency Response | 37Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 5.8 lbs (2.65 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Google Home Speaker: $99.99 each Amazon eBay
Older model: the Google Nest Audio (ranked higher, rated 3.3/5).
Pros: Built-in Gemini support makes it a capable smart home hub, with a Thread border router and Matter support, and the compact 107mm sphere fits almost anywhere. Vocals come through clearly on most tracks, which SoundGuys’ side-by-side listening called the one thing this speaker does well.
Cons: This is Google’s current speaker, and reviewers agree it is a downgrade in sound from the discontinued Nest Audio it replaces: SoundGuys measured its acoustic hardware directly against the Nest Audio and found a single 58mm full-range driver against the Nest Audio’s 75mm woofer plus dedicated 19mm tweeter, calling it ‘half the audio hardware for the same sticker price.’ In their listening test there was barely any bass, the sound turned thin and tinny outside the midrange, and pushing the volume up made high notes shrill. There is no aux input or any wired audio connection at all, the single USB-C port is power only, and Bluetooth is limited to the SBC codec with no AAC support. SoundGuys scored it 6.0 of 10 overall, with a Value score of 4.0.
Full Google Home Speaker review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Google Home) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4” x 4.2” x 4.2” (86.6 x 107 x 107 mm) (H x diameter) |
| Drivers | 58mm full-range driver |
| 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 | USB-C (30W adapter, power only, no USB Audio) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No (two units pair only through a Google TV Streamer, not with each other directly) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant / Gemini for Home |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (396 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6, dual-band) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Google Home Speaker vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Google Home Speaker vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Google Home Speaker vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Google Home Speaker vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Google Home Speaker vs Google Nest Audio
- Google Home Speaker vs Denon Home 150
- Google Home Speaker vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Google Home Speaker vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- See all 29 comparisons