Google has always taken a slow and steady approach to smart speakers. Rather than dropping multiple new versions every year or two (looking at you, Amazon), the company kept the lineup tight and waited years between models. Yes, it's taken six years to see a new version of a Google smart speaker.

The new Google Home Speaker comes 10 years after the original Google Home. It doesn't resemble the original, instead adopting a familiar design from competitors like the HomePod Mini, with a short and round stature.

It's designed around Google Gemini instead of Google Assistant, and works well for what it is. It's easy to control smart-home devices, can be used as a stereo pair or surround sound if you have a Google TV Streamer, and has a snappy response time to questions. The new Gemini assistant is a little smarter and sounds more human than Alexa+. If I had to choose a favorite of this next generation of smart speakers, this would be the one. It's unfortunate, though, that some of its best features sit behind a paywall.

It might look like a HomePod Mini, but the color options make it feel distinctly Google. It's a shame that shades like Jade and Berry (pictured above) are exclusive to the US, though. The rest of the world is stuck with Hazel and Porcelain.

There's a new light ring on the bottom of the speaker that feels reminiscent of an Amazon Echo's light ring, though it shows off more colors than just shades of blue. When you tap the top of the device, two white dots appear along the edges to show exactly where to tap to adjust the volume. You can also tap the top to pause and play media. There are a handful of new voices to choose from, all of which sound much more human than the Google Assistant.

The big appeal of the Google Home Speaker is that it's designed with the Gemini assistant and all the improvements large language models have introduced over the last few years. That means you can speak to it more naturally, string more commands together in the same breath, and even fix an error in your query—Gemini will still understand. Gemini is available on every Google smart speaker as an opt-in experience, but it's the default here, and there are some extra perks exclusive to the latest device.

Some of these perks are locked behind a subscription. The subscription tiers also include Google's video storage plans for its video doorbells and security cameras, so it's a better buy than just paying for an assistant, but it's still a cost that wasn't there before. You can get the base Google Home Premium tier with a six-month free trial, and after that it’s $10 a month, which includes 30 days of event history, intelligent alerts, the ability to request specific routines for the assistant to create, and access to Gemini Live, the conversational experience that lets you talk one-on-one with Gemini without needing to use wake words. The Advanced tier ($20 a month) gives you 24/7 video history, six months of video event history, searchable video history, daily summaries of what happened in your home, and more.