Nest Thermostat vs. Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen): Is It Time to Upgrade?
Naila Syifa
Updated October 2024
The 2020-released Nest Thermostat is now four years old. it may still function well for many users, but the newly released 4th-Gen Nest Learning Thermostat offers several advanced features and improvements over its predecessor. Is it time to upgrade, or does the original Nest Thermostat still hold its own?
Key Takeaways
The Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) brings major upgrades in design, features, and compatibility. It boasts a larger, customizable display and improved learning capabilities. New features like Adaptive Eco and Smart Ventilation boost energy savings and comfort. The 12 terminals also support humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and ventilation, making it work with more HVAC systems than just 6 terminals on the Nest Thermostat.
| Nest Thermostat | Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 3.3” x 3.3” x 1.07” | 3.9” x 3.9” x 1.1” |
| Display | 2.4” (240 x 320) | 2.7” (600 x 600) |
| Dynamic Farsight | ❌ | ✅ |
| App Control | ✅ | ✅ |
| Schedule | ✅ | ✅ Auto |
| Home/Away | ✅ Eco | ✅ Eco & Adaptive Eco |
| Natural Heating/Cooling | ❌ | ✅ |
| Smart Ventilation | ❌ | ✅ |
| Work with Nest Temperature Sensor | ❌ | ✅ Included |
| Work with Nest Renew | ✅ | ✅ |
| HVAC Issues Alert | ✅ | ✅ |
| Matter-Compatible | ✅ | ✅ |
| Compatible HVAC | Heating, Cooling, Heat Pump, Fan, Power | Heating, Cooling, Heat Pump, Fan, Power, Humidifier, Dehumidifier, Ventilation |
| C-Wire Required | Some Systems | No |
| No of Wire Terminal | 6 | 12 |
| Terminals | R, W, Y, G, C, OB/* | Rc, Rh, W1, W2, Y1, Y2, C, OB, G, AQ+, AQ-, * |
Nest Thermostat
Essential Smart Thermostat
✓ 2.4” Display
✓ Quick Schedule & Savings Finder
✓ Matter-Certified
✓ 6 Wiring Terminals
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Generation)
Intelligent Energy Saving & Comfort
✓ 2.7” Display with Dynamic Farsight
✓ Smart Schedule & Adaptive Eco
✓ Matter-Certified
✓ 12 Wiring Terminals
Design
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) retains the circular shape of the 2020-released Nest Thermostat, but now comes larger at a 3.9” diameter and 2.7" display compared to the 3.3" diameter and 2.4" display of its predecessor.
The LCD is still not a touchscreen, but now has a borderless appearance with a higher 600 x 600 pixels resolution, offering sharper visuals than the Nest Thermostat with 240 x 320 pixels display resolution.
The upgrade isn't just to the look, but also to the display functionality and user experience. The home screen of the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) is customizable. We can choose what information shows up when we're standing far away or up close, as the Dynamic Farsight feature adapts the screen as we approach or move away from the thermostat.
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) comes in three metal finishes – Polished Silver, Polished Obsidian, and Polished Gold – while the Nest Thermostat offers four color options – Snow, Sand, Fog, and Charcoal.
Features
Similar Features
Nest Thermostat
Both the Nest Thermostat and Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) support remote control from the Google Home app and are Matter-compatible, allowing seamless integration with major smart home ecosystems like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and Samsung SmartThings. That being said, both thermostats can be controlled using voice commands using compatible smart speakers or displays.
Both thermostats work with Nest Renew, a free service that helps optimize energy usage based on grid conditions—like shifting energy usage to times when energy is cleaner or less expensive.
Both thermostats also offer HVAC monitoring. They can detect potential issues with your heating and cooling system and send alerts to your phone. For example, they can notify you if your furnace is taking longer than usual to heat your home.
Different Features
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)
While both thermostats offer scheduling, the 2020 version Nest Thermostat requires manual setup of schedules through the Google Home app, while the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) learns your preferences and automatically creates schedules based on your habits.
After the schedule is set up, both thermostats over time can suggest energy-saving adjustments to the schedule, which you can accept or reject. This feature is known as Savings Finder in the Nest Thermostat and Smart Schedule in the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen).
When both thermostats detect nobody's home or if "Away" mode is activated, they will automatically run at Eco Temperature, which is optimized to save energy. However, the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) also offers optional Adaptive Eco, which will find an energy-efficient temperature that can quickly be restored to your comfort temperature within one hour of your return home. That means, Adaptive Eco seeks to balance energy savings with comfort more effectively than standard Eco mode.
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) has some other advantages over the Nest Thermostat with some new features, including:
- Natural Heating/Cooling analyzes outside temperature to optimize your HVAC system's energy efficiency, such as leveraging natural cooling when outdoor temperatures drop at night.
- Smart Ventilation automatically pauses your ventilation system when the outside air quality is detected poor.
- Nest Temperature Sensor compatibility for more precise temperature control in specific rooms. Each package of Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) includes one Nest Temperature Sensor (2nd Gen).
System Compatibility & Setup
Nest Thermostat
Offering 12 wire terminals, the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) offers a wider range of HVAC system compatibility than the Nest Thermostat, which only has 6 wire terminals. Below are the wire terminals offered by each thermostat:
Nest Thermostat: R, W, Y, G, C, OB/*
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen): Rc, Rh, W1, W2, Y1, Y2, C, OB, G, AQ+, AQ-, *
The AQ+/AQ- terminals on the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) allow support for humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and ventilation systems, which are not supported by the Nest Thermostat.
The star (*) terminal on the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) also supports one more humidifier or dehumidifier, which means the thermostat can connect to two humidity control devices simultaneously (e.g. a humidifier in AQ and a dehumidifier in * terminal).
Nest Thermostat also has a * terminal, but it supports either a stage 2 heat or stage 2 cool wire instead of a humidifier or dehumidifier. If your HVAC system includes a humidifier, dehumidifier, or ventilator, the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) would be the better choice.
Price
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) retails at US$279.99, a premium price tag in exchange for the advanced features and improved compatibility it offers. For a smart thermostat, it is considered to be on the higher end of the price spectrum.
Nest Thermostat is way more affordable at US$129.99. It is also often on sale for even less on Amazon, making it a budget-friendly option for those looking to enter the smart thermostat market.
Nest Thermostat vs. Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)
Final Thoughts
Nest Thermostat
The improvements made by the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) are not minor and encompass all the key aspects from design, features, to system compatibility. The display is not only larger but also more modern and can be customized based on proximity. The new model's learning capabilities and advanced features like Adaptive Eco, Natural Heating/Cooling, and Smart Ventilation further enhance its energy-saving potential and user comfort. The Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) also now supports humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and ventilation, making it compatible with a wider range of HVAC systems.
However, the Nest Thermostat remains a solid choice for users seeking basic smart thermostat functionality at a more accessible price point. It is also particularly suitable for users with simpler HVAC systems or smaller living spaces where additional temperature sensors will not benefit much.
If you like to read more about Smart Thermostats, check out our other relevant guides here:
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium vs Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Lite vs Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Lite vs Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Lite vs Ecobee3 Lite
Ecobee Thermostat Premium vs Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)
Ecobee Thermostat Enhanced vs Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) vs Honeywell T9
Author
Naila Syifa
Content Manager at Synced. She crafts insightful content on the latest trends in technology, consumer electronics, and smart home gadgets.
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