Lenovo Smart Clock 2 review: wireless charging makes everything better

When Lenovo unveiled its original Smart Clock back in January of 2019, we were pretty impressed. They essentially took all the features that we love about smart displays and shrunk the size down into something that’s better suited for the nightstand.

Since it’s been a few years since the first one made its debut, we now have the new Lenovo Smart Clock 2 that comes with a few subtle tweaks that make it a better option if you own a smartphone or accessories that can charge wirelessly.

Lenovo Smart Clock 2 specifications

• Processor: MediaTek™ MT8167S Processor (1.50 GH)
• Display: 4.0″ LCD IPS Touchscreen
• Memory: 1 GB RAM + 8 GB Flash
• Audio: 1.5″ 3W front-firing speakers, farfield microphone array
• Dimensions: 93.30mm x 113.48mm x 71.33mm
• Color: Abyss Blue, Heather Grey Soft-touch fabric
• Connectivity: 802.11 a/b/g/n, 2.4GHz
• Buttons / Switches: Microphone mute toggle, Volume up / down
• Sensors: L-Sensor, G-Sensor
• Expandability: pogo-pin connected wireless charging dock with USB-A port
• Wireless Charger: 5W, 7.5W, 10W
• Nightlight: 11 lumens

While there is a subtle difference in the design of the Smart Clock 2 when compared to the original, all the main components and internal hardware are essentially the same. The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 sports a MediaTek™ MT8167S Processor, 1GB or RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a 4-inch IPS LCD display, and 1.5″ 3W front-firing speakers that were featured on its predecessor as well.

What has changed is the height of the Smart Clock 2, sitting 14mm taller. The reason for this change is to accommodate the new pogo-pin connection on the bottom of the clock for the optional wireless charging dock which will allow you to charge your phone, earbuds, smartwatch, or any other device you may have in your house that’s Qi-compatible.

The base price for the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is $69, but you can typically pick one up for $20 less, thanks to the revolving discounts Lenovo offers on its website. But if you want to pick up the Smart Clock 2 with the optional wireless charging dock, you’ll need to shell out an additional $20. When you consider that it’s impossible to find a high-quality wireless charging pad for under $30, adding the dock is really a no-brainer.

As far as the Smart Clock 2 goes, you get the same functionality as you do on the original. Lenovo gives you a helpful array of clock faces to choose from or there’s always the option to show your favorite Google Photos albums as a slideshow. Swiping left and right on the screen gives you quick access to set an alarm, listen to YouTube Music or check the weather forecast. Swiping down on the screen will display quick actions for setting an alarm, starting the Google Assistant “Good Morning” routine turning on the Night Light that’s built into the dock, and more. A swipe up from the bottom of the screen gives you access to the display’s brightness settings, volume and do-not-disturb controls, and access to device settings.

Due to the size of the display, you don’t get the same home screen dashboard as you find with other Google Assistant display devices and you also don’t get the option of playing videos from YouTube, Netflix, or Display+ either. Some may see this as a dealbreaker, but parents who are linking about buying the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 for their kid’s room can rest assured that their kids won’t be watching videos they should be sleeping.

Besides the video playback limitation, the Smart Clock 2 can still perform all the same tasks as other smart displays through voice commands. Simply use the “Hey, Google” or “Ok, Google” hot words and then ask the clock to play your favorite music, control the smart devices in your house, check the weather, ask a random trivia question or just ask it to tell you a joke. The far-field microphone array does an amazing job of picking up your voice from across the room without needing to speak loud, even when music is blasting from the 1.5″ 3W front-firing speakers. The audio quality isn’t going to blow you away, but it’s good enough if you want some background music or if you don’t have picky audiophiles living in your house. The Smart Clock 2 can also be added to Speaker Groups so that you can synchronize and play your music through your house will all the different Google Assistant speakers and displays you have in different rooms. It’s a great feature to have when throwing a holiday party.

My only real complaint with the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is that they removed the USB port on the back and placed it on the dock instead. Having a USB port on the back of its smart displays has been a signature feature for Lenovo for a few years now, giving you an added charging option for your USB-powered devices without needing to have an extra wall charger plugged in. It’s definitely not an issue if you’re planning on buying the wireless charging dock as well, but it would be nice to still have the USB charging port for those who are simply interested in the clock on its own.

While the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 isn’t much of an upgrade over the original, the addition of the wireless charging dock makes it much more interesting and certainly more appealing for anyone who already has a clock and wireless charger on their nightstand. I think we can all agree that consolidating two gadgets into one is always a good thing.