42

out of

260

Speakers

True Score Methodology v1.0

Google Home Max Review

Name: Google Home Max
Brand: Google

By

Kenn Muguna

5/23/2023 5:38 PM

True Score

81

Absolutely Fresh

82

25

Experts

88

4,247

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Expert Pick

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

(

25

)

The Google Home Max impressed testers with how well it could pick up Google Assistant voice commands from a distance. They also liked that they could adjust the speaker’s bass & treble levels and that its controls were easy to use. However, its bass response was mediocre, and its portability was poor since it didn’t have a battery.

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot
Overview
Consensus
- {post.0.post_title} Specs
- Test Results
Product Comparison
All Stores
Score Card
Expert Score Breakdown
Customer Score Breakdown
Learn More About Speakers

Product Snapshot

Overview

The Google Home Max is a top-shelf Bluetooth speaker that was first launched in late 2017, then later discontinued by Google. Like other top-tier speakers, the Home Max offers support for both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, but those content with Bluetooth connectivity might want to explore our list of the best Bluetooth speakers. The Home Max is an indoor speaker that ships with built-in support for Google Assistant and can also be used as a speakerphone when taking calls. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker has support for both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so check out our Bose Portable Smart Speaker review if that sounds more considerable. The microphone on the Home Max can be muted in case owners need to keep it from hearing them, and since it also supports multi-device pairing, owners can stream music from two different sources.

Consensus

our Verdict

Product reviewers were delighted with their experience with Google Assistant on the Google Home Max. After testing, analysts from Rtings confirmed that the speaker could pick up voice commands even from a distance, and they also liked that they could adjust the speaker’s bass and treble levels through the speaker’s Google Home app. They also appreciated its support for stereo pairing mode, commended its easy-to-use controls, and agreed its well-balanced vocals were OK for videos and music. Expert testers from Sound Guys liked its ability to self-adjust its EQ based on positioning. The Home Max does have some small lights behind the fabric that light up sometimes, but if you’d prefer a speaker with more profound RGB lighting, our DOSS SoundBox Plus review might be worth checking out.

They were disappointed with its mediocre low bass response – an issue that the Sonos Five deals with very well (find out more about it in our Sonos Five review). They also didn’t appreciate its poor portability.

Reason to Buy

Works great with Google Assistant
Bass and Treble are adjustable
Speakerphone functionality
Multi-device pairing
WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity

Reason to Avoid

Mediocre bass response
No battery

Google Home Max Specs

	Battery Life	n/a
	Built In Microphone	Yes
	Charge Time	n/a
	Size	13.2" (w) x 7.4" (h) x 6.0"(d)
	Smart App	Yes
	Speaker Pairing	n/a
	Water Resistant	n/a
	Wattage	30W
	Wireless Range	n/a

All Specs

Test Results

Battery Life (Hours)	0
Volume Output (dB)	93.75
Low End Roll Off (Hz)	63.496
High End Roll Off (Hz)	9,805.857

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Product Comparison

	Google Home Max Review	Google Nest Audio Review	Sonos One Gen 2 Review	Apple HomePod Review Draft
True Score	81	82	65	NR
Ranking	# 42 / 260	# 34 / 260	# 89 / 260	# / 260
Market Context	The Google Home Max is a top-shelf Bluetooth speaker that was first launched in late 2017, then later discontinued by Google. Like other top-tier speakers,… The Google Home Max is a top-shelf Bluetooth speaker that was first launched in late 2017, then later discontinued by Google. Like other top-tier speakers, the Home Max offers support for both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, but those content with Bluetooth connectivity might want to explore our list of the best Bluetooth speakers. The Home Max is an indoor speaker that ships with built-in support for Google Assistant and can also be used as a speakerphone when taking calls. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker has support for both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so check out our Bose Portable Smart Speaker review if that sounds more considerable. The microphone on the Home Max can be muted in case owners need to keep it from hearing them, and since it also supports multi-device pairing, owners can stream music from two different sources.	Picking between the Google Home Max and the Google Nest Audio depends on whether the size and stereo output matter to you. The Home Max… Picking between the Google Home Max and the Google Nest Audio depends on whether the size and stereo output matter to you. The Home Max is larger than the Nest Audio and has a stereo output, while the Nest Audio does not. The Home Max can also be paired to two devices, while the Nest Audio only pairs with one. If the Nest Audio sounds interesting, read more about it in our Google Nest Audio review.	The Google Home Max supports a Bluetooth connection, while the Sonos One Gen 2 does not. While the Gen 2 is smaller in size, the… The Google Home Max supports a Bluetooth connection, while the Sonos One Gen 2 does not. While the Gen 2 is smaller in size, the Home Max has a stereo function while the Gen 2 does not, but the Gen 2 has built-in support for Alexa while the Home Max does not.	The Google Home Max also works over Bluetooth while the Apple HomePod does not, and it also allows for adjustments to its bass and treble… The Google Home Max also works over Bluetooth while the Apple HomePod does not, and it also allows for adjustments to its bass and treble while the HomePod does not. Lastly, the Home Max has in-built support for Google Assistant, while the Apple HomePod has in-built support for Siri. Have a look at our Apple HomePod review to see what else it’s got in store.
Battery Life	n/a	n/a	–	–
Built In Microphone	Yes	Yes	–	–
Charge Time	n/a	n/a	–	–
Size	13.2" (w) x 7.4" (h) x 6.0"(d)	–	–	–
Smart App	Yes	Google Assistant, Hue, Nest	–	–
Speaker Pairing	n/a	Yes	–	–
Water Resistant	n/a	n/a, No	–	–
Wattage	30W	30W	–	–
Dig Deeper		Google Nest Audio Review →	Sonos One Gen 2 Review →

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

82

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

88

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

81

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight.

102.6
Category Trust Score
100
The Google Home Max is fair for music. Its balanced mid-range can reproduce vocals and… read more
By:
Adam Molina
98.76
Category Trust Score
85
The Google Home Max is undoubtedly worthy of its name: thanks to its excellent maximum… read more
By:
Raymond Wong
54.9
Category Trust Score
80
The Google Home Max is the first smart speaker we’ve seen with serious audio performance. read more
By:
Sascha Segan
68.04
Category Trust Score
80
Delivering powerful, booming audio, Google’s newest smart speaker is large and in charge. read more
By:
Sam Vafaei
55.87
Category Trust Score
85
If you want a smart speaker with good sound quality, your options are limited. But… read more
By:
Andrew Williams
42.51
Category Trust Score
88
Although too expensive for mass appeal, the Google Home Max is the best-sounding smart speaker… read more
By:
Luke Edwards