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Smart speakers are popular, and for good reason: In addition to playing music, they can answer most questions you throw at them. But speakers are limited to telling you what you want rather than showing you. The concept of “show, don’t tell” is a fundamental rule for writers, and it’s also an important guideline for technology. If you want a voice assistant to also show you results and information, you need to take a step past smart speakers to smart displays.
Smart displays are effectively smart speakers with touch screens. They offer the same hands-free voice assistant features, allowing you to play music, check the weather, and control your smart home devices with only your voice. But the screen adds a whole new level of information and control beyond what simple speakers offer. When you want to play music, for example, you can view album art or watch the song’s music video. When you want to check the weather, you can see upcoming temperatures and conditions for the week at a glance. When you want to control your smart lights, you can tap or slide your fingers to dim them to the preferred level.
Since Amazon spearheaded the smart speaker concept with the first Echo, it only makes sense that the company did the same with smart displays in the form of its Echo Show products. And, like the Echo, the company has updated and expanded its lineup of smart displays with new models.
It wasn’t long before other companies followed suit. Now, a range of smart displays is available, spanning two voice assistant platforms and multiple manufacturers (though Meta no longer sells the Portal Go or Portal+). We’ve gathered the top models we’ve tested here, along with a guide to each platform.
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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen, 2021 Release)
Best Overall Value
Why We Picked It
The Amazon Echo Show 8 is a classic Goldilocks device, squarely in the middle of Amazon’s lineup. It’s affordable but has a big enough screen and powerful enough speakers to suit any living room, bedroom, or kitchen. It can get about as loud and sound as good as the standalone Echo speaker, but with an 8-inch screen for watching TV, taking video calls, and browsing recipes. The current version has a 13MP camera that can digitally pan and zoom to keep your face in the frame. It’s simply an excellent all-around Alexa package.
Who It’s For
The Echo Show 8 is a good first smart display, or a centerpiece smart display for users who don’t want to spend much more money on a specialized design like the Echo Show 10 or Echo Show 15. It’s a solid coffee table, counter, or desk smart display but, if you have a large nightstand, it could work there, too. Obviously, this is for Amazon users who want to stick with Alexa; Google Assistant fans need to look farther down this list.
PROS
- Bright, colorful screen
- Powerful audio for the size
- Higher-resolution camera than previous model
- Digital pan and zoom
CONS
- Very few changes aside from camera
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
Best for Sleep Tracking
Why We Picked It
The Nest Hub is Google’s equivalent to the Amazon Echo Show 8, but also fills the Echo Show 5’s niche. It’s a little smaller (with a 7-inch screen instead of an 8-inch screen) and a little cheaper ($100 instead of $130) than the Echo Show 8, which makes it a bit more nightstand-friendly. The device also monitors your breathing and movement at night to determine if you get enough sleep. The good news is that it doesn’t literally watch you; instead, it relies on microphones and motion sensors to track your shut-eye. The bad news is that it doesn’t have a camera at all, so you can’t make video calls with it.
Who It’s For
If you want a simple smart display with Google Assistant, this is the device to get. Its size and price make it work in any room of the house, even if its screen isn’t as large and its speaker isn’t as loud as that of the Echo Show 8.
PROS
- Tracks sleep and breathing
- Intuitive interface
- Excellent smart home controls
- Google Assistant responds quickly
- Compact design
CONS
- Might attribute co-sleeper’s coughing/snoring to you
- No camera for video calls
Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen, 2021 Release)
Best For Small Spaces
Why We Picked It
Compared with the Echo Show 8 and Nest Hub, the Echo Show 5 is downright puny. That’s why we like it. At $85, it’s also the least expensive smart display on this list. The 5-inch screen isn’t the best for watching videos, but it can still show useful information and handle video calls, as well as get loud enough for you to hear what Alexa (or whoever you’re talking to) is saying.
Who It’s For
If you want to get a smart display for the least amount of money, the Echo Show 5 is your best bet. It can go almost anywhere the Echo Show 8 can, though its smaller size makes it less than ideal as a living room centerpiece. It’s best for nightstands and desks, or anywhere else you can sit fairly close to the display.
PROS
- Affordable
- Small size for versatile placement
- Useful Alexa features including smart home control and home monitoring
CONS
- No significant upgrades from previous version
- 3.5mm audio output has been removed
Amazon Echo Show 10 3rd Gen
Best for Video Calls
Why We Picked It
The current Echo Show 10 is unique because of its motorized base. The camera can track your face as you move around the room and turn to follow you, thus keeping you in the frame. It would be even more useful if the screen could automatically tilt but, even without that feature, it’s the best smart display if you like to pace and wander around your space during video chats. It also gets louder than the Echo Show 8, which is a nice bonus.
Who It’s For
This is a true centerpiece smart display. It’s a bit too big for a desk, but a table or kitchen island are ideal locations for it. The face-tracking and motorized base are huge advantages if you want to stay on a call or look at a recipe while you move around. It’s pricey compared with the more conventional Echo Show displays, but the additional features and power make it a worthwhile purchase if you have a good place for it.
PROS
- Motorized screen automatically rotates to track you
- Loud, crisp sound
- Built-in Zigbee hub for smart home device control
- Useful home security features
CONS
- Motion tracking can occasionally feel awkward
- Bass sometimes takes a back seat in the audio balance
Google Nest Hub Max
Best for Watching YouTube
Why We Picked It
The Nest Hub Max is Google’s equivalent to the Echo Show 10 but without the motorized base. It has a large 10-inch screen and a powerful trio of drivers (two tweeters and a woofer) that can put out strong, if not particularly clean or balanced, sound. It now seems a bit pricey for the size since the Echo Show 10 features head-tracking and comparable performance for only $20 more, but it’s one of the better large-size picks if you prefer Google Assistant.
Who It’s For
If you want a Google Assistant smart display for video chats, you have fewer options than with Alexa. With that in mind, the Nest Hub Max is currently one of your best choices if the smaller Nest Hub isn’t quite big enough for you. We recommend the Nest Hub more for its greater value, though; its screen is smaller, but it’s less than half the price and you’re not going to get wildly better audio quality from the larger Nest Hub. The Nest Hub Max’s advantage is the camera for video calls.
PROS
- Integrates with Nest and functions as a security camera.
- Supports Google Cast.
- Fairly loud.
CONS
- Sound quality isn’t particularly impressive.
Amazon Echo Show 15
Best for Wall Mounting
Why We Picked It
The Echo Show 15’s large screen is unique (and perhaps even gimmicky), but, like the Echo Show 10, its gimmick serves a purpose. The device is designed to be mounted on the wall like a picture and its 15-inch screen is ideal for showcasing art or photos in that configuration. Its camera and speakers lag behind the Echo Show 10, but its interface offers several widgets that take advantage of the larger screen and a face recognition feature can load custom profiles for each person in your household. It also now has the Fire TV smart TV interface, which means you can use it to stream virtually anything you want.
Who It’s For
This is one of the nicest mid-sized digital photo frames available and its price is quite reasonable. If you want a central control panel in your home that you can put on a wall that everyone walks by throughout the day, this is worth checking out. Just be aware that it isn’t nearly as good for listening to music or making video calls as the Echo Show 10.
PROS
- Attractive design
- Large screen displays lots of info
- Good for video playback
- Fire TV integration
CONS
- Pricey
- Underwhelming camera quality
- Middling audio performance
Buying Guide: The Best Smart Displays for 2023
Amazon Alexa and Echo Show Smart Displays: What You Should Know
Amazon Echo Show 10
(Credit: Will Greenwald)
Amazon Alexa is available on the company’s Echo Show smart displays, including the Echo Show 5, the Echo Show 8, the Echo Show 10, and the Echo Show 15 (all named for the size of their screens). That’s only the start.
With an Echo Show, you get full access to Alexa’s capabilities. These devices can show or tell you anything you want to know (within Alexa’s powers to answer). They can also play content from Prime Video and a handful of third-party services, plus give you access to a fully functional web browser. They offer touch-screen control of smart home devices and can show live feeds from compatible home security cameras, too. You can even make phone calls through them.
The Echo Show 10 has an additional, unique benefit: a motorized base. It can rotate to follow you around the room, swiveling the camera and the screen to keep you in the frame. It’s a very handy feature, especially if you place it on an island or table in the center of a room. However, because of this feature, the Echo Show 10 is among the most expensive devices on this list.
The Echo Show 15, meanwhile, is designed to hang on the wall like a picture. It’s also the largest smart display currently available; as its name implies, it sports a 15-inch panel.
Tablet Alternatives: Amazon Fire Tablets and Show Mode
Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021)
(Credit: Molly Flores)
Amazon’s Fire HD tablets also include Show Mode, which makes them act just like the Echo Show. Amazon even offers a charging dock that automatically puts the tablet in Show Mode. It’s a functional solution and a handy option if you want your Fire HD to remain functional while it charges.
However, the tablets don’t sound isn’t nearly as good as the Echo Show devices and they lack the sense of permanence a smart display offers.
Google Assistant and Google Nest Hub: What You Should Know
Google Nest Hub
(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)
Interestingly, the initial Google Assistant smart displays weren’t made by Google. JBL and Lenovo models hit the market first. JBL no longer makes a smart display, though Lenovo currently offers the unfortunately mediocre Smart Clock 2. Now, Google offers two Nest models: the Nest Hub (2nd Gen) with a 7-inch screen and one speaker driver, and the Nest Hub Max with a 10-inch screen and stereo speaker drivers (one woofer and two tweeters). You won’t find a web browser on either of these devices, but you can access YouTube, live TV via YouTube TV, Netflix, Disney+, as well as music through YouTube Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and others. All Google Assistant smart speakers and smart displays are also compatible with Google Cast, so you can easily stream media to them from any compatible mobile app.
Recommended by Our Editors
The expected informational and smart home features are also available and, although Google Assistant’s selection of supported home automation devices isn’t quite as massive as Alexa’s, it’s a bit better at dealing with natural language and less picky about syntax. You can also make phone calls with these smart displays and video chat through Google Duo (Nest Hub Max only).
What About an Apple Smart Display?
It took Apple a few years to dip its toe into the smart speaker arena with the HomePod (now in its second generation) and the more budget-friendly HomePod mini. It’s up in the air whether Apple ever will release a dedicated smart display. For now, you can use your iPad or iPhone on a stand and just talk to Siri, or get an Apple TV and speak into the remote, but that’s as far as it goes.
If you want a bigger screen than a smart display to show you information and movies, take a look at our list of the best TVs. If the screen size is right, but you want to be able to take it on the go, start shopping for one of our favorite tablets.
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