Key Takeaways
- The fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat features a bezel-less design and a Soli sensor for motion detection.
- The new Smart Schedule feature learns your temperature settings and automatically adjusts them based on your behavior.
- The new Nest Learning Thermostat will be available on August 20th for $279.99 and will come with a free second-generation Nest temperature sensor.
Nine years after the release of the 3rd generation Nest Learning Thermostat, Google has finally unveiled a new model. The Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) features an all-new bezel-less design, awareness of outdoor weather and HVAC conditions, and for the first time, a built-in Nest Temperature Sensor (2nd Gen) for even more in-depth monitoring of your home.
The third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat was first released in 2015, and while Google catered to smart home enthusiasts on a budget, adding the cheaper Nest Thermostat E in 2017 and the Nest Thermostat in 2020, the basic experience has remained largely the same. The fourth-gen model promises to shake things up, not only by becoming more aware, but also by being able to make instant temperature adjustments based on your changing schedule.
Google will start shipping the $279.99 Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) starting August 20, but in the meantime, here’s what you need to know about the improvements to the company’s smart thermostat.
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Nest Learning Thermostat gets bigger
The larger the screen and the more sensors, the more data you need.
As the leak suggests, the most noticeable change to the fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat is its appearance. The smart thermostat comes in three colors: dark gray, silver, and gold, all with a sleek, polished finish.
The highlight of the device is, of course, the new Nest screen. It sports a 60% larger LCD than the previous generation, with no bezels thanks to a combination of mirror and color film that displays the temperature, current time, and outdoor air quality as if suspended in liquid form. To me, at least, it’s quite reminiscent of the Pixel Watch’s display, which Google says is intentional.
Like previous Nests, the outer stainless steel ring (which Google calls a “bangle”) rotates with a click if you need to manually adjust the temperature, and there’s more screen real estate, so more information and controls can be displayed at once. Inside the thermostat are temperature, humidity, and ambient light sensors, and Google is using a Soli radar sensor for improved proximity and motion detection. Soli radar was previously used for gesture controls on the Pixel 4, but Google has abandoned the feature on future phones, so it’s great to see it being used again.
Combined with the second-generation Nest temperature sensor, which is now rounder and less obtrusive, the new Nest Learning Thermostat gives you a clearer picture of how long you’re at home and the temperature in each room — all the better for the new AI-powered features Google is rolling out.
The new Nest gives you more insight into your home and beyond
Weather, energy costs and HVAC status are all included
Google / Pocket-lint
Nest’s growing visibility is best seen in its new Smart Schedules feature, which allows the Nest thermostat to set temperature schedules and stop cooling or heating your home based on the time you let it know you’re away, or what it detects based on your movement from the get-go.
Google says that its AI-powered Smart Schedule further automates the process by allowing your thermostat to “learn the temperatures you select most frequently and changes in behavior based on detected movement in your home (like arriving home earlier), then automatically adjust your temperature schedule accordingly.” If you don’t want Nest to make automatic adjustments, you can accept adjustments individually in the Google Home app.
Your preferences and schedule aren’t the only things your thermostat will make changes based on. It now knows the weather and temperature outside, too. If sunlight naturally warms your home on cooler afternoons, Nest can throttle back the heat to save energy. If outdoor air quality is poor, Nest’s new home filtration system controls can block outdoor air until air quality improves. Like our older thermostats, the new 4th Gen model can participate in Nest Renew, letting you schedule heating and cooling for times when the grid is using cleaner or cheaper energy.
Google / Pocket-lint
The included Nest temperature sensor allows the thermostat to make fine adjustments based on conditions in specific rooms or specific areas of your home, just like the befer, but with support for up to six sensors, the new Nest can also detect and set the temperature based on the average of those readings. Combined with Nest’s new HVAC reliability and longevity tracking features, using your thermostat should become even more efficient and hassle-free than before.
The new Nest Learning Thermostat is truly 4.0
Nest has had its ups and downs with Google. While the Nest product line has always been full of great ideas, Google has not consistently focused on the smart home. For example, the company’s smart speakers and displays have been neglected for years, and its home security rollout officially ended in April 2024. At this point, it’s hard to figure out what ambitions Google has for the smart home in a post-Gemini world. How will the company’s new AI products help?
At the very least, the new Nest Learning Thermostat is a welcome update to the device that powered Google’s smart home platform and put Nest on the map. Nest popularized the concept of the smart thermostat, so it’s no surprise that Google is finally returning with arguably the best-looking option yet, when it launches the new Nest on August 20 for $279.99.
