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Bluetooth Speakers

True Score Methodology v1.0

Google Home Max Review

November 16, 2023

True Score

Mixed Reviews

Experts

3,844

Consumers

Expert Rankings

(

)

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

Overview
What Is Not on the Box
Product Comparison
All Stores
Score Card
Expert Score Breakdown
Customer Score Breakdown
Learn More About Bluetooth Speakers

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.

What Is Not on the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

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.

True Score

Reasons to Buy

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

Reasons to Avoid

Mediocre bass response
No battery

Specifications

	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

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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	75	81	71	NR
Ranking	# 36 / 79	# 17 / 79	# 8 / 241	# / 241
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)	3.07" (h) x 4.88" (w)	–	–
Smart App	Yes	Google Assistant, Hue, Nest	–	–
Speaker Pairing	n/a	n/a	–	–
Dig Deeper		Read review →: Google Nest Audio Review	Read review →: Sonos One Gen 2 Review

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Save $40
$229.00
$188.99
Availability
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$229.99
$229.99
Availability
In Stock
Free Shipping
No
See Deal

Score Card

Expert Score

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

Customer Score

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

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

Expert Score Breakdown

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight

A
Trust Score
100
The Google Home Max is fair for music. Its balanced mid-range can reproduce vocals and… read more
By:
Adam Molina
C
Trust Score
85
The Google Home Max is undoubtedly worthy of its name: thanks to its excellent maximum… read more
By:
Raymond Wong
C
Trust Score
85
If you want a smart speaker with good sound quality, your options are limited. But… read more
By:
Andrew Williams
C
Trust Score
80
Delivering powerful, booming audio, Google’s newest smart speaker is large and in charge. read more
By:
Sam Vafaei
D
Trust Score
80
The Google Home Max is the first smart speaker we’ve seen with serious audio performance. read more
By:
Sascha Segan
D
Trust Score
NR
“No bottom line found for this product” read more
By:
Ryan Whitwam