Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) Review: A Smart Home Upgrade

Revolution isn’t a term I use lightly, but it’s the best word to describe Nest’s impact on the sleepy thermostat market when it introduced the first Nest Learning Thermostat in 2011. But that was 13 years ago, and it’s been 9 years since Nest brought a new high-end model to market. Nest’s competitors-Ecobee, most successfully-have copied and iterated on all its best ideas in the intervening years. The Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) arrived as a major upgrade to the previous “Learning” model, as well as the mid-range Nest Thermostat from 2020.

Design and Aesthetics

There is plenty to like here, to be sure, as well there should be considering this thermostat’s $280 asking price. It starts with the new thermostat’s sleek industrial design-a refinement over previous generations-and its elegant and informative display. The new design with its massive domed crystal display (60% bigger than previous model) and small bezels really does look like a piece of fine jewelry on your wall, especially without the trim plate behind it. It’s this bulb of floating reflective glass that has this mysterious cloudiness or magical depth to it that will grab your attention as you pass it by. Previous Nest models all had this prominent edge or bezel that you interacted with, while this one almost has a hidden bezel that the domed glass blends into to give it this rounded look. This device does have a rotating piece to it that allows you to jump through settings and change the temperature. You can push the device too, like if it were a giant button, to select items. With Black Friday sales kicking off, I finally decided I’d had enough.

Display and Farsight Technology

The Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) takes full advantage of its 2.7-inch (68mm) diameter LCD, showing a lot more information on its borderless 600 x 600-pixel resolution display than just the current temperature. Google’s Farsight technology, introduced with the previous-generation device, taps the company’s Soli radar-based proximity sensor to change the information that’s displayed when you approach the thermostat. This new model has Dynamic Farsight, which changes the information displayed based on how close to the thermostat you are. When you’re around 10 feet from the thermostat, as measured by the Soli chip, it will display a single piece of information, such as the time, current weather conditions, or the current temperature. As you approach the thermostat-when you come withing about five feet or closer-the display will show additional information, such as your indoor air quality, ambient humidity, and the time.

The new Farsight display looks great. It's a dynamic display that will adjust based on your position to the thermostat. When you're across the room it can show larger digits or images so you can see them but as you approach, it will adjust to show more information. You can show an analog clock, a digital clock, the outdoor temperature, the target temp, and more. When you're close, it can also show things like outdoor air quality, humidity, and other metrics. It works super well and it's very cool to see the display adjust for you. Our favorite of the lot is the outdoor weather face. It can show things like a diffused sun on a sunny day or clouds when it's overcast.

Included Components

In addition to the thermostat, base plate wiring block, and remote room sensor, Nest puts an optional trim plate, a metal plate if you need to mount the thermostat to an electrical box, and several screws for mounting everything to the wall.

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Installation and Setup

And as usual, this thermostat is incredibly easy to install and configure, with a caveat I’ll get to momentarily. Whether you have an Android or iPhone, you’ll need to have the Google Home app installed to set up the thermostat. Here’s the caveat I mentioned earlier. When you click the button in the Google Home app and then indicate you want to add a “Google Nest or partner device” and then select the home you want to add the device to, the app immediately displays an animation beneath the phrase “Looking for devices.” This confused me because the thermostat obviously wasn’t connected to power, so there’s no way the app would be able to find it. Did I miss a step? The animation in the first step of the installation process leads you to think the thermostat was supposed to be connected to power already. Just wait for it to end, and the app will ask what you’re installing. The skimpy paper user manual that came in the box was of no help. It didn’t say much more than to get the Google Home app and follow the steps to install the thermostat (its back page does have adhesive-backed labels for you to apply to and identify the wires in your wall). But as it turned out. Once I chose Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) from the list, the app had me scan the QR code on the back of the thermostat and away I went.

Like other Nest Thermostat devices, this one should be a self-install thing for most people. While messing with your heating and cooling system can be stressful if you aren’t an HVAC professional, Google and Nest include both written and video instructions (with the Google Home app helping too) to help you get setup. For this new Nest Thermostat (4th Gen), that’s the case again and I was able to easily get this device up and running in no time on my own. To get ours installed we needed to create a new Google account -- despite our typical G-Suite account with our custom domain working on other Google Home products. We then had to install it via pro mode, and use an Android device we had nearby. The typical process is it gets discovered in the Google Home app, which also can guide you through the wiring process, before either adds it to your account. Then it highlights the new features and you can set your preferred comfort temperatures.

Wiring and Compatibility

When you wire up the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), I highly recommend that you don’t skip connecting the C wire for power. Google says this thermostat will work without one, by scavenging power from other wires and tapping its built-in battery, but I’ve read too many reports of this causing problems with HVAC systems to recommend it. The app will hold your hand throughout the hardware installation process, and it will verify the wiring connections you’ve made (you can also double-check this in the app at any time). This thermostat supports much more sophisticated HVAC systems than what I have: a two-year-old gas-powered, two-stage, forced-air furnace. I don’t have a central air conditioner, a humidifier or dehumidifier, or a whole-home ventilator, so the wiring went quickly.

The previous Nest Thermostat (2020 model) and Nest Thermostat E only support 1-stage heating systems, but this new Nest Thermostat (4th Gen) supports up to 3 stages.

Dealing with Wall Imperfections

I don’t know who to blame, the previous owner or the previous owner’s HVAC contractor, but somebody punched an unnecessarily massive hole in the wall to pull the HVAC wires through-I can nearly shove my fist in it. I really didn’t want to have to use that optional-and butt-ugly-trim plate, because it really detracts from the thermostat’s design, but the size of that hole left me with no option.

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Features and Functionality

Once I had the thermostat connected and restored power to the system, I added the Nest Temperature Sensor (2nd generation) to the app. When you set temperature preferences at the thermostat (or in the app), you can program the thermostat to prioritize the temperature in the room where the thermostat is installed, in the rooms where the remote sensor is located (multiple rooms if you have more than one sensor), or you can select both and the thermostat will average all those temperatures.

For this Nest Thermostat (4th Gen), you only get to use the Google Home app and I quite like it for the most part. The setup was easy enough, but once you are setup and letting it do its smart learning thing, getting into its settings and adjusting anything is quite simple. Tapping on almost anything gets you more info or options. Looking at your schedules to see if the thermostat has created ones that work for you is as clean as can be. If you ever used the old Nest app schedule page, you’ll know immediately how big of an improvement this is.

Smart Scheduling and Learning Capabilities

Programming? There is no programming, this is a learning thermostat, right? Yes and no. While you can wait for the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) to analyze your comings and goings and create heating and (if you have air conditioning) cooling schedules, you’ll reap the savings and convenience of a smart thermostat like this a lot quicker by doing it yourself. You can set four types of temperature targets-Comfort, Eco, Sleep, and Custom-multiple times per day, and you can have the same or different schedules for every day of the week. For the first time on a Nest Learning Thermostat, you can also opt into two new settings-Adaptive Comfort and Adaptive Eco-that will adjust your preset temperature targets automatically according to ambient conditions. Enable Adaptive Comfort, and the thermostat will trigger your HVAC system to provide additional heating or cooling to make your home’s indoor climate a consistent feel no matter the current weather conditions. Adaptive Eco, meanwhile, aims to achieve the same goal based on weather conditions, keeping the Eco temperature inside your home at a level so that your HVAC system can bring the home to your Comfort temperature preset within one hour.

Using Google’s Smart Schedules feature gives you the best of both worlds. You create the heating/cooling/fan schedule you want, and the thermostat will learn how you adjust your HVAC system throughout the day. It will then either automatically apply those adjustments to your schedule or offer suggestions that you can apply yourself. The 4th-gen Nest Learning Thermostat also has a setting called Natural Heating and Cooling, which when enabled can automatically turn off your HVAC system when outside temperatures can heat or cool your home without consuming any energy at all. On a sunny day, for instance, the thermostat might turn off your heater after a time, allowing the sun to finish heating your home. As outside temperatures drop in the evening, it might turn off your air conditioner so you can open your windows and let that air inside.

Energy Saving Features

Should you choose to enroll in the Nest Renew program (you’ll need to provide the name of your electric utility), you can elect to reduce your carbon footprint by having the thermostat automatically shift your heating and cooling times to when the power grid is using cleaner energy sources. You can log into your Nest Renew account online to see the number of shifts that the system has made for a given week. That site will also show when cleaner energy is available, so you can run your large appliances-dishwasher, washing machine, water heater (if you have something like a Sinopé Calypso)-during those hours. The Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) offers plenty of opportunities to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint, including the Adaptive Comfort and Adaptive Eco settings (right).

System Monitoring

The last big new feature here is system health monitoring. Probably assisted by the new AI backend. It tracks how well it heats and cools your home and will alert you if something is wrong or out of place. Maybe it is taking a lot longer to cool your home than it usually takes. Your thermostat would identify this so you don't errantly run your system when it's not doing anything.

Smart Home Integration

Unsurprisingly, Nest thermostats work well with Google products. But these thermostats support the Matter smart home standard, which means they will work with any major (or minor) smart home platform. In addition to interoperability, Matter futureproofs these two Nest thermostats and ensures they will provide basic functionality for years to come by working locally in your home with whatever smart home system you choose.

To add to Apple Home, you put the thermostat into pairing mode by heading to Settings > Matter. It will give you a QR code that you can scan with the Home app after which it will pair like any other HomeKit accessory. After adding to the Home app you can change your target temperature, switch modes, or turn it off completely. It can be added to any scenes or automations that you create. One of the biggest benefits is you can ask Siri to make the adjustments too. "Siri, Set the temperature to 71."

Google Home App

A graphical touchscreen of the thermostat’s temperature wheel occupies more than the top third of the app’s home screen. You can change the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)’s settings using the Google Home app or at the thermostat itself. A graphical representation of the thermostat’s face occupies more than half of the app’s home screen, so you’ll need to be careful when scrolling up to see the rest of the settings. You can also change HVAC modes here (heat, air conditioning, etc.); tap to see temperature readings from the thermostat and any remote sensors you’ve deployed; create heating, cooling, and fan schedules; and view your “energy dashboard.” This last setting shows the mode your HVAC system is in (heating, cooling, fan); the schedule it’s operating on (and when it’s scheduled to change); and how many hours the system has run on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. You’ll also see how many Nest “Leafs” you’ve earned.

Nest Thermostat vs. Nest Learning Thermostat

The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), $280, is the true descendant of the original Nest. The thermostat attempts to learn what temperatures you prefer and notes when people come and go from your home. Then it uses that information to adjust its heating and cooling schedule to suit your routine. Google calls its learning feature Smart Schedule. In contrast, the Google Nest Thermostat, $130, is polished and pretty, but it acts like most other so-called “smart thermostats” you can buy. Basically, it’s just a programmable thermostat that connects to WiFi. You have to use Google’s Quick Schedule feature in the Google Home smartphone app to program it, or you can walk over to the wall and adjust the temperature manually. It does have some advanced features, though, including the ability to detect when someone is home, adjusting the temperature in response.

The basic Nest Thermostat has a mirrored glass display and a capacitive touch slider on its right side that you use to adjust the temperature. The Nest Learning Thermostat has a bigger, curved glass display covering a metal dial that you rotate to adjust the temperature. The Nest Learning Thermostat has a feature called Dynamic Farsight, which uses radar to detect if you’re standing in front of the thermostat. It then displays information that varies with your distance from the device. From across the room, it will show the set temperature, current weather conditions, and an analog or digital clock. If you walk up close to the thermostat, the display will show more information, such as the current outdoor air quality, indoor or outdoor humidity, and more.

The Google Nest Learning Thermostat can work with a standalone accessory called the Nest Temperature Sensor. One is included in the box with the Nest Learning Thermostat; additional sensors cost $40 each. You can place up to six sensors in different parts of your home for each Nest thermostat you own, with a max of 18 sensors in your home. Using one or more sensors, the thermostat can average the temperature between all the different readings, or use specific sensors at certain times of the day. For example, my home only has one thermostat in my living room. At night, I have my smart thermostat heat or cool the house based on readings from the sensors in the bedrooms.

Both Nest thermostats feature radar-based motion sensors and can also use your phone’s location to figure out when you leave and return home. And, thanks to Google Home, they can also take advantage of motion sensors in other smart home devices. In my own home, both thermostats tapped data from motion sensors in my (now unfortunately discontinued) Google Nest Protect smoke/CO detectors, Google Nest Hub smart display, and Vizio smart TV.

The two thermostats offer different versions of Nest’s Eco mode, which saves energy by adjusting the temperature when no one is home. The Nest Thermostat’s Eco mode will use whatever Eco temperature you set, while the Nest Learning Thermostat’s Adaptive Eco mode will factor outdoor air temperature into the temperature setting it chooses.

The Nest Thermostat and Nest Learning Thermostat differ in how widely compatible they are with the various types of HVAC systems. Google claims the Nest Thermostat will work with 85 percent of HVAC systems, while the Nest Learning Thermostat works with “the most systems,” including those that incorporate whole-home humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and ventilators.

Nest thermostats offer several features to help you feel comfortable while saving energy. Nest Renew, Rush Hour Rewards, and Seasonal Savings work with both models. Nest Renew lets you shift your energy usage to times of the day when energy is being generated by cleaner sources, such as wind or solar-for instance, in the summer it might pre-cool your home midday, when you’re at work, so you don’t need to use as much electricity for A/C once the sun goes down and electricity generation switches to fossil fuels. Rush Hour Rewards is a demand response program in which you allow your utility company to adjust your thermostat during peak demand times in exchange for credits or discounts on your bill. Seasonal Savings involves gradually adjusting your set temperature-“just a fraction of a degree each day,” according to Google-as you approach summer or winter to save energy. The Nest Learning Thermostat offers two additional features: Natural heating and cooling, and smart ventilation. The former uses your local weather to naturally heat or cool your home when temperatures outside are warmer or cooler than they are inside.

When the original Nest launched, one of its hallmark features was that it programmed itself. Instead of punching in a schedule yourself, you would manually adjust the temperature for about a week, and the thermostat would build the schedule for you. More than a decade on, it seems not many people were interested. When setting up the thermostat, you now have to create a basic schedule, just as you do with the base Nest Thermostat. The Learning Thermostat then makes adjustments to that schedule over time as you manually change the thermostat’s temperature setting.

Customer Reviews

Customers are enthusiastic about the Nest Learning Smart Wifi Thermostat, particularly its ease of use and overall performance. Many appreciate the convenience of remote control via smartphone and the straightforward installation process. The thermostat's design and connectivity also receive positive feedback. However, some customers have reported compatibility issues with their systems and concerns about battery life, while a few desire more intuitive scheduling features.

Comparison with Competitors

As deep as this review goes, I haven’t touched on every feature of the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), some of which are carried over from previous generations. Ecobee’s thermostat has many of the same features-including radar-based motion detection-and it can not only work with smart speakers from Amazon, Apple, and Google, it is a smart speaker in its own right (albeit it limited to answering to the Alexa or Siri wake words). And Ecobee’s remote SmartSensors are also occupancy sensors, so the thermostat can ignore empty rooms when calculating ambient temperatures. And if you really want to (I wouldn’t), you can build an entire home security system with doorbells, cameras, door/window sensors, and more around Ecobee’s product. Google’s best Nest thermostat is arguably prettier than Ecobee’s, and the animations accompanying its weather display are fun to watch. Most importantly, if you’re hitching your smart home wagon to Matter, you should connect Nest’s product to your HVAC system.

Ecobee has historically been our smart thermostat of choice. With the addition of the new Nest, it's a bit more of a complicated decision as they each of their benefits and flaws. Visually, both of them look good but we have to give the win to Nest. It looks so sharp and the interface is so well polished. The new Farsight display looks more akin to a pixel watch face than a thermostat. Google has learned a lot here and if we went just by looks, we'd install the Nest. It's also easier to control. Rotating the bezel is so seamless while the touchscreen on the Ecobee can be finicky at times to change as you walk by. Nest also has a leg up with its AI learning capabilities. Ecobee does have smart algorithms designed to save you money with its "feels like" temperature but its not quite as capable. After that though, Ecobee steals the show. It has many more features than Nest alongside better integration with other products.

tags: #google #nest #learning #thermostat #black #review