Despite its name, the $49 Essential is a smart speaker hiding inside a timepiece. And that change in form somehow makes all the difference. There’s something innately comforting about glancing at the time on this classic-looking design in a world that’s been invaded by orbs, lozenges, and other strange smart-speaker shapes. You instinctively know what the Smart Clock does because of its glowing numerals that look right out of a 1980s-era bedside clock.
Smaller is Better
The Essential’s subtle shape might seem like a minor change from other smart devices but it reduces the cognitive load from constantly having to interact with devices that all seem to speak a different design language. It’s similar to the original version of Lenovo’s Smart Clock but at 4.76 inches wide by 2.52 inches tall and 3.27 inches deep, the Essential is shorter and wider. The real difference is that the Smart Clock looks like a smart display while the Essential looks like a clock. It’s got a very bright 4-inch LED screen with retro-looking numerical digits. I loved the fact that the display is big enough to read without my glasses. I hated that there’s no ambient light sensor so it ended up keeping me awake at night unless I remembered to use a voice command to lower the brightness. I remember even my old clock radio from the 1980s had a switch to turn down the brightness so why couldn’t Lenovo have included that feature on this model? The dead-simple design translates to the Essential’s controls as well. On top, there are volume, play, and alarm set buttons. That’s it and the simplicity is welcome when you are fumbling with this thing in the middle of the night.
Tiny Speakers Emit Good Sound
The sound quality was surprisingly good considering the Essential is more of a clock than a speaker. It’s got a tiny 1.5-inch three-watt speaker that somehow manages to sound loud and clear. I wouldn’t use it for music most of the time but it was more than sufficient to listen to news radio shows or play ambient noise before bed. Of course, with the Essential, you are giving up all the advantages of a smart display such as the ability to make video calls, watch movies, or get a lot of graphic information. But that’s the point with this device. If you’re reading this post you probably already have more than one gadget that can do all of the things a smart display can. The Essential made me realize that less is sometimes more. There are real negatives to having a smart display everywhere. First of all, consider that many people will keep the Essential by their bedside. Without a screen or a camera, many users will feel more comfortable that hackers won’t be getting an eyeful. Also, I found there’s value in having fewer distractions around the house. Do I really need to be tempted to watch YouTube when all I need is to know what time it is or set an alarm? The Essential gives me what I need and no more in a smart clock. For the modest price tag, I’m grateful to have it around.
