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Smart displays, those voice-activated smart speaker cousins ​​with full touchscreens, are great devices for managing your smart home, displaying useful information throughout the day, or even streaming music. or videos.

Like a smart speaker, a smart display is mostly voice-controlled, so you can bark commands at it from across the room. But unlike a smart speaker, a smart display can show information such as upcoming appointments, weather, running timers, current time, shopping list, recipes, and more, without you having to. you only have to say one command. They can also be used as a modern, cloud-connected digital photo frame, allowing you to see all those memories you've captured over the years that are currently trapped on your smartphone. Some models also come with built-in cameras that can be used for video calls to other smart displays or even phones.

The best smart display has all the capabilities of the best smart speakers, including good-sounding speakers for listening to music or watching videos. They come in a variety of prices and sizes, and depending on where you want to place the screen in your home, you might prefer a smaller model to one that has a bigger screen and bigger speakers. strong. If you're looking for a versatile smart display to use in your kitchen or living room, you need a display that's easy to see across the room and speakers that can fill the space with clear, pleasing sound. .

There are basically two types of smart displays: those that use Amazon's Alexa assistant and those that work with Google Assistant. Which one is best for you really depends on your needs and whether you already have a smart speaker in your home. The two platforms are more similar than different, but an easy way to tell them apart is that Google's smart displays work better with Google's services, such as Duo, Photos, other Nest devices, and YouTube, and Amazon smart displays work with Amazon services, such as Prime Video, Amazon Photos, and Ring products. For most people, the best option will be Amazon's Echo Show 8 or Google's Nest Hub, depending on which virtual assistant you prefer.

The Best Alexa Smart Display

The Echo Show 8 is the mid-size Alexa smart display in Amazon's lineup. It can be used to display weather, news, calendars, shopping lists and more, as well as to control smart home devices, watch streaming videos or listen to music. It also supports video calling on Zoom and Amazon's Alexa calling service.

The Echo Show 8 is the middle child in Amazon's line of Alexa-powered smart displays, and it's the best Alexa smart display. It has a bright 8-inch touchscreen, two powerful speakers that can pump out a surprising amount of volume, a built-in camera with a privacy shutter, and four microphones to hear voice commands. It doesn't take up a ton of space on a counter, mantel, or shelf, but it can easily be seen or controlled from across the room.

The Show 8 has access to all of the same Alexa capabilities as Amazon's Echo speakers, but it includes a number of unique things that take advantage of its built-in screen. You can see on-screen timers without having to ask for them, recipes are displayed with step-by-step instructions and video tutorials, shopping lists are displayed directly on screen, and the Show scrolls through upcoming appointments you of the calendar, weather reports and news headlines when in standby. The screen can also be used to display feeds from video doorbells and security cameras or to view the feed from another Echo Show in your home.

The second-gen Echo Show 8 has a 13-megapixel camera that can be used for video calling via Amazon's Alexa call (to phones or other Echo Show displays) or Zoom. It's able to pan and crop automatically to keep you in frame, and it generally has good image quality. The built-in privacy shutter lets you block the view of the camera if you don't want to make video calls or want to use it in a bedroom.

As the screen is fully touch-enabled, you can also interact with the Echo Show 8 without having to use your voice at all, including canceling timers, controlling smart home devices, or scrolling through photos stored in Amazon Photos or Facebook albums. But the Show 8 is not designed to be an iPad-like tablet, and its interactivity is limited to simple functions.

Like the Echo speakers, the Show 8 can play audio files and music from a variety of sources, including Spotify, Audible, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Sirius XM. It can also play videos from Amazon's Prime Video, Hulu and Netflix. But it doesn't play YouTube videos easily (you have to go through the device's built-in web browser, which is very clumsy), nor does it play HBO Max or Disney Plus.

The best Google Assistant smart display

The second-generation Nest Hub is Google's smallest smart display, with a seven-inch touchscreen that automatically adjusts to the lighting in your room. New to the latest version is its ability to automatically track your sleep patterns through its Soli radar chip.

If you're fully invested in Google's ecosystem or already own a lot of Nest products, the Google Nest Hub is the best smart display with Google Assistant.

A smart 7-inch display, the Nest Hub is a bit smaller than the Echo Show 8 and sits more comfortably on a nightstand. Its best feature is a screen that automatically adjusts to the lighting in your room, so it almost feels like photos are printed on paper instead of displayed on a screen. Combine that with Google Photos' excellent automatic backups and smart albums that can automatically update the Nest Hub with new pictures every time you take them, and you might have the best digital picture frame experience you can. obtain.

The latest second-gen Nest Hub is also able to automatically track your sleep while on a nightstand, making it an ideal smart alarm clock. It also completely lacks a camera, which all other smart displays on this list include. That means you can't use it for video calls, but also you don't have to worry about a tethered camera in your most intimate areas.

The Nest Hub has a single speaker, which is much less powerful and sounds nowhere near as good as the Echo Show 8's dual-speaker system. The 7-inch screen is also noticeably smaller, making it harder to see from across the room and less comfortable for watching videos. But if you watch a lot of YouTube or are a YouTube TV customer, the Nest Hub displays those services much better than Amazon's options. Google also supports more video services than Amazon on its smart displays, including Disney Plus and Paramount Plus. You can also easily stream video content from a variety of apps on your phone, like HBO Max, to the Nest Hub's screen, which you can't do with an Echo Show.

Like an Echo Show, the Nest Hub can be used to control smart home devices, display upcoming appointments, step-by-step recipes, or voice-activated timers and alarms. Google Assistant is generally better than Alexa at answering random fact-based questions, but for day-to-day tasks they're very similar.

The best Alexa smart display for a bedroom

Amazon's Echo Show 5 is an ideal smart display for a nightstand. You can set alarms with Alexa using your voice, play music, control smart displays, get weather reports, and more. When the alarm goes off, just touch the top of the Echo Show 5 to ring it.

The Echo Show 5 is very similar to the Echo Show 8, but smaller. This makes it more ideal for a nightstand and the best Alexa smart display for your bedroom. It's also the cheapest Echo Show model.

The Show 5 only has a 5.5-inch screen, which isn't as easy to see from across the room as larger models. It also only has one speaker, which can be quite loud, but isn't as good as the speaker systems of the larger Echo Show devices.

The Echo Show 5 also doesn't support as many video streaming services or video calls, and its built-in 2-megapixel camera is much lower quality than those of the Echo Show 8 or 10. Fortunately, it includes always have the physical privacy shutter to block its view when you don't want to use it.

Where the Echo Show 5 really shines is on a nightstand or desk. If you use it as a smart alarm clock, you can press the top to ring the alarm. On a desktop, it works well for personal audio like podcasts or for viewing feeds from a security camera or video doorbell.

Google's best smart alarm clock

Lenovo Smart Clock 2 (with Lenovo Smart Bulb)

The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is the smallest smart display you can buy. The latest version works as a great nightlight, comes with a charging dock, and brings the full suite of Google Assistant features to your bedside.

If you're looking for a smart alarm clock with Google Assistant, then the best option is the tiny Lenovo Smart Clock 2. The Smart Clock 2 has a 4-inch screen, no camera, and a small footprint, making it ideal for a tabletop. by night.

The Smart Clock is able to show the time, weather, calendar appointments and Google Photos albums, just like the larger screens of the Nest Hub. You can interact with the screen by voice or touch, and there are buttons on the top to control volume and a switch on the back to mute the microphone.

Additionally, the Smart Clock 2 is available with a docking station that can charge your phone wirelessly, making it an ideal bedside companion.

Although you can listen to the same music services (Spotify, YouTube Music, etc.) with the Smart Clock, its small speaker doesn't sound very good and isn't very powerful. It works for hearing Google Assistant voice responses and an alarm, but not for extended listening.

Also, you can touch the top of the smart clock to turn off an alarm, and there's a USB port on the back that you can use to charge your phone.

The Best Alexa Smart Display for Video Calling

Amazon's rotating Echo Show 10 has a motor inside its cylindrical base that lets its 10.1-inch screen spin around to find you, so you always have the screen. in sight. This is the best smart screen for making video calls.

Amazon's largest and most expensive smart display is the Echo Show 10. It's the best option if you want an Amazon display for video calling because it has a motorized base that can actually follow you. as you move around the room.

The Echo Show 10's 13-megapixel camera is the same as the second-gen Echo Show 8. But its auto-panning and cropping modes are supercharged by the 10's motorized base. You can fit it in a corner of your kitchen and easily make a video call while moving around the room.

Plus, the motorized base makes it easy to watch a video or follow a recipe as you move, as it always attempts to face you.

The Echo Show 10 also has a louder, louder speaker system than smaller models, and it can fill a room with music more easily. You can also pair smart home devices, such as light bulbs and other sensors, directly with it using the built-in Zigbee radio.

Google's best smart display for video calling

The Nest Hub Max has a 10-inch screen and a built-in camera for video calls. It's the largest and most comprehensive of Google's Assistant smart displays.

The 10-inch Nest Hub Max looks a lot like the Nest Hub, only bigger. It also has a camera, which can be used for video calls via Google Duo or Zoom, or as a home security camera when you're away.

The Max's camera can also automatically crop and pan to keep you in frame, though it lacks the fancy motorized base found on the Echo Show 10. The camera also recognizes who's using the Max and automatically provides relevant information, and supports basic play and pause commands through hand gestures.

The Max also has a louder, more sonic speaker system than the smaller Nest Hub, making it more suitable for larger rooms. It's probably too big to use in a bedroom or on a nightstand – for that, you'll have to stick to the smaller options.

The best smart display for video calls

Facebook Go portal

The Facebook Portal Go is the only smart display with a built-in battery, making it easier to move around the house for video calls. But it's not as good as Google's or Amazon's smart displays for smart home actions or video streaming.

If you want a smart display specifically designed for making WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger calls, then the 10-inch Facebook Portal Go is your best bet. It has a 13-megapixel camera that supports auto pans and crops, and it can be used for video calls on Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Zoom, Cisco WebEx, and other services.

The best part of the Go is its built-in battery, which lets you move it anywhere you want to take video calls – you don't need to be tethered to a power outlet like with other smart displays. The battery can last up to five hours for video calls, which is surely enough for most people.

The Portal Go also has Alexa, making it an alternative to the Echo Show. But the Alexa integration isn't as good, and it doesn't support as many features as Amazon's smart display. You can also use Facebook voice commands to control the Portal.

You can listen to music services or stream video on the Portal's 10-inch screen, but the sound quality isn't quite as good as the Echo Show 8 or 10. Facebook charging is the most important thing for you, the Portal Go is a good choice. Otherwise, opt for an Amazon Echo Show.