Difference Between Google Home and Google Mini

The main difference between Google Home and Google Mini mainly lies in the sound quality and size. Google Mini is smaller than Google Home and comes with a circumoral speaker. Google Home comes with a 2-inch driver and dual 2-inch passive radiator that will drive a low-end speaker very well.

Both units are functionally identical. But, there is other worthy to note difference between Google Home and Google Mini. Let us take a closer look at each of the units in detail and see what they have to offer.

Key Areas Covered

1. Google Home 
     – Features and Functionality
2. Google Mini
     – Features and Functionality
3. Difference Between Google Home and Google Mini
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Google Home, Google Home Mini, Google

Google Mini – Features and Functionality

Although Google Home mini was overshadowed by the announcement of Pixel 2 at a recent Google event, it is actually an important addition to the company’s hardware collection.

Google Home mini is a plastic puck that is covered in fabric and is an inexpensive entry to Google’s smart home collection. It comes with a speaker that lacks bass as with most voice assisted devices. It is triggered with “OK Google” and offers a number of commands with the help of Google Assistant. Google Assistant is Cloud-based and works with the help of AI and is the back end of what is powering Google’s search engine.

The Google Home Mini is smaller in size. If you think the sound is not good enough on the Google Home Mini, you can have connected it to a chrome cast audio connected speaker system. The price of Google Mini is great, and this can turn out to be a great holiday gift.

Google Home – Features and Functionality

Google Home is a smart speaker built with Google Assistant. It comes with a couple of far-field microphones that can pick up a person’s voice even when ambient noise is present. It has four colored LEDs and a touch-sensitive top. The LEDs dance up and down when the device is activated. It is powered with the help of a proprietary DC power connection. It also comes with a button to mute when you do not want the device to be listening to you.

Google Home has a better sound quality than Google Mini. It comes with 2-inch speaker driver, dual microphones with far-field voice recognition, and dual 2-inch passive radiators.

Difference Between Google Home and Google Mini

Size

Google Home Mini is smaller in size than Google Home. The dimensions of Google Mini are 42 x 98mm while dimensions of Google Home are 142.8 x 96.4mm. The former weighs 173g while the latter weighs 477g.

Controls

Google Mini does not have the touch control of Google Home. Google Home’s Mini’s microphone sensitivity and absolute volume are also less when compared to Google Home. The Mute function in Mini is controlled by a switch and not a button. The volume of the Home mini can be controlled by tapping left and right edge of the front while its counterpart’s volume is controlled by and more functional and tactile way of moving your finger over the touch panel.

Sound Quality

The sound quality is a key difference between Google Home and Google Mini. Google Home comes with a 2-inch driver and dual 2-inch passive radiator that will drive a low-end speaker very well. It can be used to enjoy music as well. Google Home Mini comes with a circumoral speaker. It does not come with a bass generating woofer. The larger Home has an emphatic low end and a wider range when it comes to sound. 

Conclusion

To conclude after analyzing the difference between Google Home and Google Mini, the Google Home Mini is an affordable device. For a larger house, Google Home Mini would be a great idea as each one of them can be installed in a room. It can be made to work in conjunction with Chromecast Audio enabled speaker which will make it even more of an ideal option.

If it is a smaller apartment, Google Home would be the ideal option. It has sound fidelity, balance of volume and bass for a small or medium sized apartment. Its microphone is also an accurate one.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Google Home Mini – grey” By Andrea Marchitelli – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Google Home sitting on table” By NDB Photos – Google Home tech (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia