Lenovo was the first to launch a smart display last year, using the Google Assistant , with the Lenovo Smart Display. In 2019, it's looking to pioneer another form-factor for smart displays. And that's a smaller, more compact smart display that is effectively a clock.

Before it got into the smart screen market with the Nest (nee Home) Hub, Google opted to let its hardware partners do the heavy lifting. Last year at CES, it announced a trio of devices from JBL, LG and Lenovo.

So, yeah, that’s about it. It’s an alarm clock with Google Assistant built-in. Is it worth $79? While I do enjoy it very much so, the fact that you can’t stream any videos to it is a big disappointment.

Nice design; no built-in camera; dedicated mute switch; simple interface

Can't play videos; audio quality is just OK; seems a bit expensive

Google Assistant branches out into your smart home

The Lenovo Smart Clock does is job brilliantly thanks to a slick design that features everything one would want from an alarm clock. With the physical privacy shutter and the USB charging port, it is an excellent bedside gadget.

Great clock design; Good sound quality; Charging port; Privacy audio shutter

Display brightness significantly lower than competitors; Fewer Skills Than Alexa

There is no shortage of devices that you can stick on your bedside table to use as a voice-controlled alarm clock. You can, of course, just use your phone, but you can also put a small smart speaker, such as Amazon’s Echo Dot , Google’s Nest Mini , or Apple’s new HomePod mini there and bark commands...

Displays time; weather conditions; current alarms; Has the full Google Assistant capabilities; Doesn’t take up a lot of space; Is inexpensive

Speaker doesn’t sound great; Nightlight feature isn’t very practical; Tap-to-snooze is unreliable

Just buy a Smart Clock

At its core, the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential is simply a Google-powered smart speaker with a built-in alarm clock. It’s easy enough to operate and there’s even a nightlight on the back. You can adjust its various settings using your voice.

Simple clean design; Decent smart home control; Built-in nightlight; Can tap to snooze; Affordable

No ambient light sensor; Have to adjust brightness with voice; Not much cheaper than the more feature-rich Smart Clock

For someone looking to get a basic alarm clock that happens to work with Google Assistant, it's hard to go wrong with the Smart Clock Essential.

LED display is informative; Nightlight is a helpful addition; Excellent alarm clock

Speaker is subpar; LED can be too bright a night; Some issues in a wider smart home setup