Support our independent tech coverage. Chrome Unboxed is written by real people, for real people—not search algorithms. Join Chrome Unboxed Plus for just $2 a month to get an ad-free experience, access to our private Discord, and more. Learn more about membership here.
START FREE TRIAL (MONTHLY)START FREE TRIAL (ANNUAL)
The Google Home Mini is now official and soon the Home Max will offer a more robust user experience for those interested in upping their smart-speaker game. For those looking for alternatives to the #madebygoogle lineup, Mobvoi may have exactly what you’re looking for.
The makers of Ticwatch smart wearables just launched the TicHome Mini portable speaker and for a very limited time, you can save $20 off the regular price of $99. So, why choose the TicHome over a Google Home Mini?
Glad you asked.
Don’t get me wrong. So far, I am more than happy with my new Google Home Mini and for $49, it definitely delivers a lot of bang for the buck. With all the functionality of the full-size Google Home, it’s not hard to forgive the lack-luster audio experience simply because of the low price.
The TicHome Mini falls much closer to the price of the original Google Home but offers some unique features that may convince you to spend the extra cash. The new speaker has the Google Assistant built-in so it will perform all the same tasks as your Google Home devices but let’s look at what sets it apart in this newly emerging market.
First, it’s portable. The rechargeable smart-speaker is touted to last up to 6 hours on a single charge via the included micro USB charging cable. This is one feature I would have loved to have seen on the Google Home Mini but again, it’s only $49. At roughly the same size as Google’s Mini, the TicHome is small enough to throw in a backpack or coat pocket and travel with you.
Second, the TicHome Mini features “tap connect” which allows instant BlueTooth pairing using the NFC chip on your mobile device. Whether connected to Wifi or not, a simple tap of your phone and your set to stream music on the go.
Next on the list is the IPX6 splash-proof rating the TicHome Mini carries. While not fully water-resistant, the rating means you can take it in the shower granted you don’t submerge it. This makes it the perfect device for poolside or leisurely nights around the hot tub.
Last but by no means least is sound quality. We will be looking to get our hands on the TicHome Mini very soon to run it through the paces. Until then, the jury is out on just how good the speaker sounds. However, according to Mobvoi, the downward firing, dynamic 360-degree speaker offers the best audio of speakers in its class. The only caveat here is that there aren’t many speakers in this niche yet so we don’t have much of a plumb line to compare to, yet.
Check out this promo video from Mobvoi.
Long story short, the TicHome Mini could be a big addition to the Assistant-enabled speaker lineup. With other manufacturers following suit, competition will be heating up fast and we can’t be more excited.
For the next 36 hours, you can pick up the TicHome Mini for the discounted price of $79 directly from Mobvoi.
