Lenovo is Google’s one and only partner that has stuck with the Google Assistant ecosystem for a variety of products. Apart from smartphones and PCs, they have also been making smart clocks and displays with Google Assistant baked in. A while back, we had reviewed the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential, which was basically a stripped-down version of the original Smart Clock for a different set of audiences.
Now the brand is back with the Smart Clock 2 with a twist. The clock now has a dock, and the model that has been launched in the country comes with the Wireless Charging Dock. Launched at a sticker price of INR 6,999, the Smart Clock 2 promises to offer a lot. We have been using the Smart Clock 2 for upwards of two weeks and here’s our full review.
Box Contents
- Lenovo Smart Clock 2
- Wireless Charging Dock
- micro-USB Cable
- Charging brick
- User Manual
- Other Documentation
Design
Since this is a product with Google Assistant baked in, Google has a specific design language for such products and Lenovo has been adhering to it. The previous-gen products from the brand have had a similar design. The new Smart Clock 2 looks like a slightly bigger version of the original Clock. We get a triangular-shaped product with soft-touch fabric covering the body. The Smart Clock 2 is being offered in the market in just one shade which is Chalk Gray.
On the front, we get a 4-inch LCD panel with a single speaker unit placed on the back. We have a two-button layout, the volume up and down keys placed at a distance from each other. On the back, we find the power port, along with a mic on/off switch. There are contact points on the bottom that come in use to power in the Wireless Charging Dock. The nightlight that was earlier stuck at the back of the Smart Clock Essential has been stuck on the dock and we get a full-sized USB-A port on the dock as well.
Design-wise, Lenovo has stuck with the old approach that has been tried and tested on two products already. The Smart Clock 2 can be considered a mashup of the Clock and Clock Essential.
Setup & Connectivity
Setting up the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is easy, just download the Google Home app from the App Store or Play Store and start with the setup. Choose the option to add a new device, power on the Smart Clock and select the model in the app.
From there on the process is very streamlined and the complete setup should be complete in under 5 mins. Following the complete setup, you can add services like Spotify and YouTube Music from the Home app. Since there is a small speaker on the clock, you can essentially listen to your favourite songs and podcasts on this little product.
In terms of connectivity, the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential works on both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Since this is a product meant to be placed on your bedside and takes up the wall outlet. The need for a Dock arises to charge your phone and your smart wearable simultaneously.
Alarm & Sound Quality
This is a Smart Clock at heart, so let’s get down to the basic functionality. The process of setting up the alarms is easy and can be carried out in many ways. You can always interact with the touch screen and set up the desired alarm or you could ask Google Assistant to set one up for you. The same is the case for reminders and other nifty items. The 4-inch LCD panel upfront would show you the alarm set time along with the current time and weather.
On standby mode, the Clock can display images and videos that are taken from Google Photos. Apart from this, you can see the current playing tracks on Spotify, see some recipes’ and more. Coming to the sound quality, there is a rather small speaker inside the Clock. The unit here is 3W and the sound output of the speaker is quite high for a Clock. Moving to the wireless dock, the connection between the dock and the Clock is done via pogo-pins and magnets. You just need to place the clock on the dock and this gives you access to the Nightlight and the wireless charger.
The wireless charger outputs at 5W which is standard for such types of accessories and will come in handy to charge your TWS earbuds. If you’re looking to charge the phone, you can always hook it up to the USB-A port present on the dock.
