Which smart speaker to choose: the 10 best

What is a smart speaker? It is a speaker capable of accessing the Internet through WiFi, which gives access to a multitude of features, starting with voice assistants. A Google connected speaker and an Amazon connected speaker do not have exactly the same features, but for the most part, the proposal is similar: allow you to listen to the music of your choice, do voice searches or even control your connected objects without other device available than your speaker. Bose, JBL and even Apple are among the brands that offer connected speakers today, which allows you to enjoy Google Home, Alexa or Siri in any room. You may be wondering which is the best smart speaker:the answer to this question is not necessarily obvious, since there are a large number of quality references on the market. Our selection is there to prove it to you, and to help you make an informed choice, which corresponds exactly to your needs and your budget. Let's go !

our selection

Nest Hub Max smart speaker, Google  

Echo Dot 4th generation smart speaker, Amazon

Nest Mini smart speaker, Google

Portal Mini connected speaker, Facebook

Nest Audio smart speaker, Google

Smart speaker Mini HomePod, Apple

Connected speaker Uxbridge Voice, Marshall

Echo Studio smart speaker, Amazon

Multiroom smart speaker, Sonos One

Connected speaker with screen Echo Show 10, Amazon

Home Speaker 500, Bose

Citation 300 smart speaker, Harman Kardon

Why buy a smart speaker?

The connected speaker is a device that can very quickly become central in your home, as long as you have compatible connected objects. Indeed, one of the first advantages of connected speakers sold on the market is that they allow you to

control hundreds of devices by voice

, ranging from connected lights to smart home automation in your home, including your vacuum cleaner. robot, your thermostat, your TV, and more. You can also use it to

listen to your favorite radio stations for free, or use your accounts on paid music streaming services.

, like Deezer or Spotify to name a few. Some speakers have a screen and a webcam, which not only allows you to make video calls, but also to connect it to your home's surveillance system, if you have a compatible set. Finally, a connected speaker also makes it possible to

carry out research on the Internet

, for example cooking recipes, information on the weather and road traffic… if you have any questions, ask your speaker, they will probably have an answer for you.

It is clearly a clever device, which can provide you with many services on a daily basis, and there are therefore many reasons to equip yourself with it.

It is also a safe bet that once you have equipped one of the rooms in your home, you will want to add it everywhere, to benefit from its many advantages at all times.

This can be a big budget, so it's important to choose the smart speaker system that best suits your needs right from the start.

How to choose a smart speaker?

The first criterion to take into account when buying a connected speaker concerns the voice assistant inside. Indeed, voice assistants are not compatible with each other, and if you want to equip your interior with several speakers over time, it is better to stay consistent and take the same assistant everywhere.

Three references are available on the market: Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri

.

By choosing Google Assistant, you are choosing the most universal of voice assistants.

Alexa is more focused on the use of Amazon tools and services, but it remains open to a wide range of third-party features.

There are some new offers, such as reading audiobooks via the Audible service, for example.

Siri, on the other hand, is a voice assistant that is focused quite strictly on the services offered by Apple: a HomePod speaker that has it is therefore intended to be installed in an Apple-dominated environment, and you must have one. iPhone to make the settings.

Then you have to ask

yourself where you want to install your speaker

, because this can affect the size and the sound power offered. This question is closely linked to that of use: if you just want to listen to the radio in your office while you work, while being able to benefit from the other connected features of the device at any time, then a small model with standard sound power is sufficient. If you want to listen to music in high-fidelity quality from a service like Qobuz or Amazon Music, for example, then you need to invest in a more efficient, more massive and more expensive speaker. Finally, you can also ask yourself about your needs for interaction with those around you through this device: some connected speakers have a screen anda webcam which makes it possible to make video calls via the Internet, and therefore free of charge. Be careful, however: just because a connected speaker has a screen does not mean that it automatically embeds a webcam, it is better to make sure of this before purchasing. Today, the connected speaker market is large enough for everyone to find something there, which is a real advantage.

How does a connected speaker work?

The smart speaker uses an Internet connection, via WiFi, to obey your voice and provide you with all the information you need to use it.

It allows direct access to compatible services, while a Bluetooth speaker must, for its part, go through a smartphone to stream music.

This is the main difference between these two types of speakers, by the way.

In addition,

the connected speaker must not only be connected to WiFi, but also to the mains.

: it is indeed very rare to find a connected speaker that works on battery, even if they exist. Finally, to meet the criteria of connected speakers, they must have a voice assistant, but that, we bet that you have understood it since time. When using your connected speaker for the first time, you must have a smartphone on which you have downloaded the mobile application associated with your model. Thanks to the speaker's Bluetooth connection, you can pair it with your smartphone, and use the latter to connect the speaker to your Internet connection, via WiFi. Once this step is done, you should no longer need your smartphone, except possibly to perform some updates, but this situation is quite rare.Smart and connected speakers are intended to be permanently connected to the Internet, they cannot function without.

Renowned brands of connected speakers

As already mentioned above,

the most famous brands that offer connected speakers are Amazon, Google, and Apple

. But there are others:

JBL, Bose, Marshall or Sonos

connected speakers

offer either Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa depending on the model. Siri is only available on Apple devices. Choosing a connected speaker from a brand other than those developing their own voice assistant can take advantage of additional technologies, and higher-end sound quality. But the prices of these products are often very high. However, this has the merit of providing a very large market for users who can find exactly what they are looking for this way.

Some tips for using your connected speaker

As soon as your speaker is installed, the associated application offers you to

perform a complete configuration of the recognition of your voice

: it is recommended to do so, to have a more precise response from the speaker. If several people in your household use the device, it is also very useful that each one carries out this process, since the speaker is able to identify the voice of each person, to offer them a personalized service. Connected speakers carry a sophisticated microphone system, and since the start of their marketing, respect for private life has been an issue. To cut short the debate, the vast majority of manufacturers of connected speakers have integrated a physical button in their devices, which simply allows you to deactivate the microphone when you are not using it. You therefore have no risk of being "spied on" by your speaker,which sometimes picks up requests that are not.

Models with a webcam often offer a cover to hide the sensor, again for privacy always respected with certainty. From time to time, your smart speaker may benefit from a software update, which allows it to take advantage of new features. When these functions are only for the voice assistant, the updates are transparent, but sometimes you have to go through the mobile app associated with your device to activate the upgrade. To always enjoy the best possible experience, it is therefore wise to take an interest in the news of your connected speaker, in order to be able to update it as soon as necessary.