Small device, small display
Set it up, plug it in, let it ring? Not quite. In order for the Smart Clock 2 to master music, weather reports or voice control, the small box has to be connected to the home WLAN. The setup does not work directly on the touch display. The Google Home app on the cell phone has to do this. This worked without any problems in the test. The colored screen then shines at you and shows the current time. The look of the time display can be adjusted with a firm press on it.
If you have little space next to the bed, leave out the dock. During the day, there are chic colorful pictures on request, including your own from the Google Photos storage,
Gentle wake-up call: music, sounds, light
The display slumbers at night. The brightness is greatly reduced so that apart from the time nothing disturbs your sleep. If you need subtle light for the night-time trip to the toilet, you can use a separately available dock for the smart clock. Cost: 20 euros. The dock embeds the display on a light ring that lights up with a tap of your finger or the voice command “Ok Google, activate night mode”. To the right, the dock offers a storage area for the smartphone, which wirelessly charges compatible devices with a decent 10 watts. In addition, there is a USB-A charging socket on the back, which charges the smartwatch at night via a cable.
The small loudspeaker, two volume buttons, a switch to switch off the microphones and a USB charging socket in the dock are hidden on the back.
As a daylight alarm clock, the smart clock can slowly get brighter half an hour before waking up to gently wake up sleepers from dreamland. The seven available ring tones have a pleasant sound and increase in volume so that nobody oversleeps in the morning. If desired, the Google Assistant reads out the weather report, the news of the day and upcoming appointments at the start of the day.
The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 comes with a dock for an extra charge. Inside is a night light and a charging station that wirelessly recharges the cell phone.
Music fans can be woken up with their favorite songs. By default, they come from online radio TuneIn or YouTube Music. Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer can also be selected via the Google Home app. The music is controlled by voice. That’s convenient, but sometimes not enough. Just swipe through a playlist and select the desired title with a tap of your finger on the display? That doesn’t work because the Lenovo alarm clock only shows a simple playback screen. Worse: The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is disappointing in terms of sound quality. The music sounds very nasal. The small speaker doesn’t seem to know low tones. And: From half volume, a roaring and creaking joins.
The built-in Google Assistant knows its stuff. When called upon, he presents the weather report, for example.
Videos cannot be played. At Netflix & Co. the Smart Clock is on strike. In the Tagesschau there is only sound, but no moving pictures.
A Google Assistant display on a diet
Except for the sound, the Lenovo alarm clock skimps on the smart functions. Without a camera, no video chats succeed. But the display does not show films and series or clips on YouTube either. It even refuses moving pictures in the “Tagesschau in 100 Seconds”. Only the voice can be heard here, but no news anchor can be seen. Even those who place the device in the kitchen and call up recipes there are quickly annoyed. Lists of ingredients and cooking instructions can be read aloud, but not shown on the display. Little smart! If you link networked lamps or heating controllers in the Google Home app, you can control them on demand. With the surveillance video of a Google Nest camera, the small box had to fit.
Music sounds weak and unbalanced on the Lenovo Smart Clock 2. Playback can only be controlled spartanically via the display. That’s where the Google Assistant has to go.
Test conclusion: Lenovo Smart Clock 2
The slim Lenovo Smart Clock 2 gently takes you out of dreamland – optionally with your favorite music, subtle tones or pleasant lighting. However, the device is disappointing as a smart display. It also lacks a good sound, a camera for video chats or moving images for Netflix, YouTube & Co. The small alarm clock also relies on the built-in Google Assistant for cooking from a recipe and controlling the music, but does not provide any operating aids on its screen. Amazon and Google have more to offer, for example with the Echo Show 5 or the Nest Hub.
The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is available in grey, black and blue and costs 69 euros. If you want a night light and wireless charging for your cell phone, you can order the right dock for a surcharge of 20 euros.