After nine years with thethird-generation Nest Learning Thermostat, Google is finally announcing a new model. The Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) features an all-new, bezel-less design, an awareness of outside weather and the health of your HVAC, and, for the first time, a pack-inNest Temperature Sensor(2nd gen) for more fine-tuned monitoring inside.
The third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat was originally released in 2015, and while Google added the cheaperNest Thermostat E in 2017and the Nest Thermostat in 2020 to accommodate smart home enthusiasts on a budget, the fundamental experience hasn’t really changed. The 4th generation model should hopefully shake things up, not only by being more aware, but also better able to make temperature adjustments on the fly based on your changing schedule.
Google plans to start shipping the $279.99 Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) on August 20th, but in the meantime, here’s what you need to know about what’s been improved in the company’s smart thermostat.
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The Nest Learning Thermostat goes big
A bigger screen and more sensors means more data
Likethe leaks suggested, the most noticeable change in the fourth generation Nest Learning Thermostat is how it looks. The smart thermostat comes in dark gray, silver, and gold, all with a shiny, polished finish.
The star of the device is, of course, the screen on the new Nest. It has a 60% larger LCD compared to the previous generation, which, thanks to a mix of mirrors and color films, appears bezel-less, almost like the temperature, current time, or outdoor air quality are floating in liquid. It’s also, to me at least, pretty reminiscent of thePixel Watch’s display, something Google says was intentional.
Similar to previous Nests, the outer stainless steel ring (Google calls it a “bangle”) turns with a click when you need manual temperature adjustment, and the extra screen real estate should mean more information and controls can be displayed at once. Inside the thermostat, there are sensors for temperature, humidity, ambient light, and Google is using it’s Soli radar sensor for better proximity and motion detection. The Soli radar was previously used for gesture controls on thePixel 4, a feature Google abandoned in future smartphones, so it’s neat its getting used again.
Combined with the rounder and more discrete second-generation Nest Temperature sensor, the new Nest Learning Thermostat should have a much clearer picture of when you’re home and what the temperature of individual rooms are. All the better for the new AI-powered features Google is rolling out.
The new Nest has more insights inside your home and out
Weather, energy costs, and the health of your HVAC are all included
The increased awareness of the Nest is best represented in its new Smart Schedule feature. Nest thermostats have been able to set temperature schedules and stop cooling or heating a home based on when you’ve told it you’re away or what it can detect based on your motion since the beginning.
With the AI-powered Smart Schedule, the thermostat now “learns which temperatures you choose most often or changes in behavior based on motion detected in your home – like coming home earlier – and automatically adjusts your temperature schedule to match,” Google says, automating the process even further. If you don’t want the Nest to make automatic adjustments, you can also accept them individually in the Google Home app.
Your preferences and schedule aren’t the only criteria the thermostat uses to make changes – it’s also now aware of the weather and temperature outdoors. If sunlight usually naturally heats up your house in the afternoon during the colder months, the Nest can lay off the heat to save energy. If the air quality is poor outside, the Nest’s new control over in-home filtration systems can block outdoor air until it improves. Like Google’s older thermostats, the new fourth generation model can also participate inNest Renew, and schedule heating and cooling around when the grid is using cleaner or less expensive energy.
The included Nest Temperature Sensor allows the thermostat to make tweaks based on the conditions of a specific room or region of your house like befer, but with support for up to six sensors, the new Nest will also be able to find and set a temperature based on the averages of those readings. Taken with the Nest’s new ability to track the reliability and longevity of your HVAC, using the thermostat should feel even more efficient and hands-off than before.
The new Nest Learning Thermostat is a proper 4.0
Nest has had its ups and downs at Google. While the Nest line has always been filled with good ideas, Google’s eye hasn’t been consistently on the smart home ball. For example, the company’ssmart speakers and displayshave been neglected for years, and anexpansion into home securitywas officially wound downin April 2024. At this point, it’s hard to get a sense of what Google’s ambitions are for the smart home in a post-Gemini world. How do its new AI products help?
At the very least, the new Nest Learning Thermostat is a shot in the arm for Google’s smart home platform and a welcome update to the device Nest made its name on. Nest popularized the concept of a smart thermostat, so it only makes sense that Google would finally swoop back in with what might be the best looking option out there when it launches the new Nest on August 20th for $279.99.
