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

Wish I got something else but was convinced I was only getting this mainly as a bedside table clock. Speaker quality is atrocious and cant hear u say ok google when it is delivering music. Now sitting in our spare bedroom.

I was extremely excited when Lenovo first showed off the Smart Clock Essential. As a simpler, cheaper version of the Smart Clock, one of our favorite smart home gadgets , it seemed like an easy winner.

Easy-to-read display, Built-in USB charging port

Auto-brightness is unreliable, Inconsistent voice commands, Manual alarms are awful, Poor value

If you're just looking for an alarm clock with Google Assistant, the Lenovo Smart Clock will satisfy. If you want a smart display with good sound or useful video features, look elsewhere.

Inexpensive; Attractive; Google Assistant works well.

Poor audio quality; No video playback or photo frame functionality; Little visual information from Google Assistant.

“The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential will wake you, but it's a snoozer knowing what else is out there.”

Compact design; Clearly displays the time; Affordable price; USB port for charging gadgets

No way to set alarm through Google Home app; Requires a firm tap to snooze; Not great for music playback

For just a few more dollars, Lenovo's Smart Clock improves on the Google Home Mini with an always-on display for showing the time.

Responsive Google Assistant ; USB port for charging separate device ; Visible display with good viewing angles

Limited use of display ; Weak sound quality ; Doesn't work as digital photo frame

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

The Lenovo Smart Clock disappointed us with its lack of video features for a smart display, as well as poor audio quality. The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential is a slightly different story. It’s a smart speaker that has a clock on it, and at $49.99, it costs much less than the Smart Clock or any other smart display. It works well as a way to access Google Assistant with your voice, but it suffers from the same disappointing sound quality as the Smart Clock. Still, it’s a capable alternative to a conventional clock radio, and Google Assistant remains excellent for voice control. That said, the Amazon Echo Dot With Clock offers far better sound in a similar package and price.Design The Smart Clock Essential looks no different from any other modern, big-readout digital clock radio. It measures 2.5 by 4.8 by 3.3 inches (HWD) and weighs 11.5 ounces, with a rounded, rectangular glossy black face holding a white alphanumeric LED readout. The time appears in big characters in the middle, wit...

The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential is a bedside-friendly Google Assistant smart speaker that offers plenty of useful features, but quality audio isn't one of them.

Big, easy-to-read time display; Works with Google Assistant voice commands; Night-light functionality

Weak audio quality; Display doesn't show timers

Just buy a Smart Clock

Rather than simply squeezing the current Google Smart Displays into a smaller package, the Lenovo Smart Clock has been built to be an alarm clock first and foremost, which makes it easier to use and better suited for its primary function.

Works well as an alarm clock; Neat looks and small body; Works well as a smart assistant

Display feels underutilised; Some features missing from full-size Smart Displays