Josh Bozin
In 2019, if you own your own home, it has almost become imperative that one should own their own smart assist technology, like a Polk Assist with an in-built Gooogle Assist. Because, why do everything and anything yourself when a very smart, smooth and somewhat sexy voice can tell you the weather, your list of groceries for the week or remind you to call your mum?
This here is the future, guys!
Somewhat sceptical to the efficiency of these robot-like devices, we decided to test run the all-new Polk Assist around Man of Style HQ, and the first thing that impressed was its stellar design; it’s a seriously good-looking unit.
But more than its charming good looks, the Polk Assist is rich and vibrant in sound, with fantastic highs and lows that permeated throughout our office.
It’s safe to say that our Polk is here to stay. But first, here’s how it stacks up…
Design
Aesthetically, the Polk Assist is pleasing. It will fit seamlessly into any design-driven apartment or home, with a midnight black or cool grey colourway both available to choose from. On the top of the Polk Assist unit are four buttons that include play/pause, volume up and volume down, as well as a button to get Google Assistant’s attention should your voice be a bit croaky in the morning. These buttons are out of sight and don’t detract from the unit’s overall design.
If Google Assistant is activated (by voice or touch) its two lights – red and white – will flash from the top of the device, again, doing so in a subtle way as to not take away any design elements from the unit itself (unlike Google Home’s colourful rainbow wheel which you either love or hate).
The front of the Polk has its small, silver branded logo which isn’t an eyesore in this instance. On the back, you’ll find a power port and mute button that allows you to manually disable Google Assistant should you wish to do so.
Functionality
When looking at the functionality of this little machine, it’s evident that the Polk Assist packs in all of the technology that can be found in some of the best smart speakers on the market. In our opinion, its software and hardware rivals that of a Google Home, but what wins you over is the fact that its audio is as crisp as you’ll hear thanks to its custom tweeter and woofers which deliver amazing room-filling sound.
Listening to your favourite music is also enjoyable and immersive thanks to its in-built Chromecast which allows compatibility with audio apps such as Spotify and Pandora – a given in today’s saturated market of smart speakers.
The Polk Assist is responsive, quick and adaptive and it’ll find its place in your home in no time, whether it be the kitchen, lounge or bedroom.
Performance
The million-dollar question: how does it perform?
After trialling the Polk Assist for some time, it exceeded all expectations. Performance-wise, you can expect warm mids and highs and good bass response. Audio is clear across the spectrum, and it’s honestly loud enough to fill most rooms, being perfect for small-to-medium apartments in particular. The Google Assist voice is clear and can be understood from around the room, with voice commands incredibly sharp and reactive.
When investing in a smart speaker, it would be assumed that you’re not necessarily investing in an audio-driven unit, but rather one that can do both audio and technology (Google Assist) extremely well. That’s what the Polk Assist does, bridging the gap between speaker and smart assistance.
Final verdict
At $200, the Polk Assist is a fantastic investment for those that want the best of both worlds: audio and smart assistance. Its smart technology may not be revolutionary but it sure does the job and it does so with the added bonus of quality audio playback. It’ll fit into your lifestyle seamlessly.
To purchase the Polk Assist, continue to the website here.
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This article was made in partnership with Polk