Our pick
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd generation)
Great sound, a crisp screen, access to video services, convenient smart-home control, and a 13-megapixel camera make the Show 8 (2nd Gen) especially well-rounded.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $70.
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is easy to interact with, whether by voice or touch, thanks to its excellent on-screen menus and Alexa’s always-impressive conversational chops. Alexa-enabled Skills (Amazon’s term for the apps you control using voice) make the Show 8 compatible with the widest range of music services, smart-home devices, games, and entertaining features (like Jeopardy! trivia) of any smart-display ecosystem. It’s especially suited to engaging in video calls using Alexa’s built-in system (and now also Zoom), thanks to a 13-megapixel camera and special software that keeps you centered in the screen even when you move around. The Show 8 (2nd Gen)’s speaker produces clear audio and is powerful enough to fill a room. And its 8-inch touch display is big enough for comfortably viewing video from streaming services including Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, and even YouTube (via Alexa’s built-in web browser, Amazon Silk).
Our pick
Google Nest Hub Max
Cooks and heavy Google app users who want to access Google Assistant via a screen will love this display, which is well integrated with Google Calendar and Photos.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $157.
The Google Assistant–enabled Google Nest Hub Max is a handy digital assistant for streaming audio and video or making video calls. And thanks to its integration with Google, the Nest Hub Max seamlessly reminds you of upcoming Google Calendar appointments and transforms into an attractive, 10-inch digital photo frame of images (streamed directly from your Google Photos account). In our tests the Nest Hub Max excelled at verbally walking us through recipes, without forcing us to smudge its large, crisp screen with our ingredients-sullied hands. It also plays music and allows control of smart-home devices, though not as comprehensively as the Echo Show 8.
Also great
Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen)
This pint-size version of the Echo Show is perfect for catching a weather report and playing tunes while you get ready in the morning.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $35.
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) does everything the larger Echo Shows can do. But it has a smaller, 5½-inch screen, which makes it fit nicely on a nightstand or a bathroom counter. The Show 5’s screen adjusts to the room’s lighting, so it doesn’t keep you up at night.
Also great
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
This mini smart display has the same abilities as larger Google Assistant–enabled models, minus a built-in camera (which may be a comfort for privacy seekers).
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $50.
We recommend the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) (formerly the Google Home Hub) if you want a smart display but don’t need or want a built-in camera. At 7 inches, it’s a little larger than the Echo Show 5, but it’s still the right size for a bedroom or other space where a small screen feels less intrusive. The latest model includes sensors to track your sleep, which may be useful for people who have trouble catching z’s.
