Google’s been on a tear polishing its smart home hardware this year. While many users are focused on Gemini’s arrival on Google Home, the Google Blog just announced the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th-gen) is getting something attractively old-school and brand-new at the same time: four new Farsight faces that swap your plain temperature readout for one with a little personality.
A wonderful artistic touch
Complete with delightfully subtle movement
Mathilde Loubes designs
The headliner is a seasonal face made in collaboration with French animator Mathilde Loubes, known for her short films including Un diable dans la poche and Le Serpent Blanc. Instead of a static dial, your Nest becomes a tiny art frame that changes with the calendar.
Google shared 12 animated illustrations (consisting of flowers and fruits) that rotate monthly, so your thermostat quietly matches the vibe outside without you lifting a finger. In Google’s demo clips, the motion is subtle and tasteful. Think of it like living wallpaper, as opposed to a screensaver from 2003.
Today’s newly announced lineup
If you prefer something less botanical, Google is serving three more options:
- Classic Nest: A faithful throwback to the OG Nest UI, bold numerals and all. It’s the one you remember from the early smart-home days, now polished for the borderless display on the latest model (see the four-up image).
- Minimalist: A stripped-down treatment that lets the screen melt into your wall, perfect for anyone who thinks a thermostat should whisper, not shout.
- Temperature Controller: A functional face with a big, at-a-glance setpoint and quick visual context for heating or cooling. It’s the most straightforward and high-contrast of the bunch.
These join the existing Farsight lineup — digital and analog clocks plus an animated weather view — so you can pick an aesthetic that fits your room, your season, or your mood. Based on Google’s provided images, the designs pop on darker walls and look particularly slick against wood tones.
The rollout couldn’t be simpler, with nothing to download and no subscription shenanigans. On your Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), head to Settings > Display > Farsight and choose your new look.
You can swap faces anytime, so go artsy for spring, minimalist for summer heat waves, and nostalgic when fall hits. It’s a small update, sure, but giving a utilitarian gadget a little charm is exactly the kind of polish that keeps Nest feeling, well, at home.
8.5/10
- Brand
-
Google
- Integrations
-
Google Home, Matter
- Connectivity
-
2.4 GHz/5 GHz Wi-Fi
