overall
Amazon Echo Show 8 (newest model)
9.5
Check price on Amazon → Compare the 10 best smart displays of 2026, including Echo Show, Google Nest Hub, Meta Portal and Microsoft Teams picks for every room and budget.
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A smart display is a voice assistant with a screen bolted on, and that screen changes what the device is actually good for. If you want one all-purpose display for a kitchen counter, the Amazon Echo Show 8 balances screen size, camera quality and price better than anything else on this list. Need something tiny for a nightstand that just shows the time, weather and your alarms without dominating the room, the Amazon Echo Show 5 and the round Amazon Echo Spot both fit that job at a lower cost. Want the display to double as a wall-mounted kitchen hub with a built-in streaming app, the Amazon Echo Show 15 is built specifically for that, and the Amazon Echo Show 11 sits in between as a bigger everyday screen with a photo slideshow mode. If your household runs on Google Assistant instead of Alexa, the Google Nest Hub and Google Nest Hub Max cover the same small and large screen sizes with sleep tracking and a wider camera respectively. For video calling first, the Meta Portal and Meta Portal Plus use a smart camera that pans and zooms to keep everyone in frame automatically, and the Lenovo ThinkSmart View is a dedicated option built for Microsoft Teams meetings rather than a general home assistant. Below we compare all 10 on voice assistant, screen size and which room or use case each one suits best.
| # | Product | Best for | Voice Assistant | Screen Size | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazon Echo Show 8 (newest model) | overall | Alexa smart display | 8.7-inch touchscreen | Best overall pick | Check Price |
| 2 | Amazon Echo Show 5 (newest model) | budget and bedside | Alexa smart display | 5.5-inch touchscreen | Best budget pick | Check Price |
| 3 | Amazon Echo Show 11 (newest model) | largest everyday screen | Alexa smart display | 11-inch touchscreen | Best large everyday screen | Check Price |
| 4 | Amazon Echo Show 15 (newest model) | wall-mounted kitchen hub | Alexa smart display | 15.6-inch touchscreen | Best wall-mounted kitchen hub | Check Price |
| 5 | Amazon Echo Spot (newest model) | nightstand alarm clock | Alexa smart display | Compact round display | Best nightstand alarm clock | Check Price |
| 6 | Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) | Google Assistant households | Google Assistant smart display | 7-inch touchscreen | Best for Google Assistant households | Check Price |
| 7 | Google Nest Hub Max | Google Assistant with camera | Google Assistant smart display | 10-inch touchscreen | Best Google display with a camera | Check Price |
| 8 | Meta Portal | video calling focused | Alexa built-in video display | 10-inch touchscreen | Best for video calling | Check Price |
| 9 | Meta Portal Plus | largest video calling display | Alexa built-in video display | 14-inch tilting touchscreen | Best large video calling display | Check Price |
| 10 | Lenovo ThinkSmart View | work from home video calls | Microsoft Teams smart display | 8-inch touchscreen | Best for Microsoft Teams calls | Check Price |
Why we picked it: The Amazon Echo Show 8 is the best all-around pick in this guide because its 8.7-inch touchscreen is large enough to read recipes, calendars and video call faces from across a kitchen without taking up the counter space a 10-inch or larger display needs. The redesigned model adds 15 percent more viewing area than the previous Echo Show 8, and it pairs that screen with a built-in smart home hub, so it can act as a Zigbee and Matter bridge for lights, locks and sensors instead of only talking to them through the cloud. Spatial audio gives it noticeably fuller sound than the compact Echo Show 5 for music and podcasts, and the auto-framing camera with 3.3x zoom keeps you centered during video calls without manual repositioning. For most kitchens, home offices or living rooms where one display needs to do everything, this is the size and feature balance that works.
Buyers who want one do-everything Alexa display for a kitchen, office or living room at a moderate size and price.
Buyers who only need a small nightstand clock display, or who want the largest possible wall-mounted screen.
Key specs: 8.7-inch HD touchscreen - AZ3 Pro chip with Omnisense - built-in Zigbee and Matter smart home hub - spatial audio - auto-framing camera with 3.3x zoom
Why we picked it: The Amazon Echo Show 5 is the pick for anyone who wants a smart display without giving up a chunk of nightstand, desk or counter space. Its 5.5-inch screen is sized for glanceable information, weather, the time, a calendar entry or a song title, rather than for watching full shows or reading long recipes, which keeps it small and unobtrusive on a bedside table. It still includes a 2 MP camera for video calls and can show a live feed from a compatible video doorbell so you can check the front door without picking up a phone. Sound has improved meaningfully over older Echo Show 5 generations, though it remains a secondary feature next to the compact size. For a first smart display, a kids room, or a second unit for a bedroom, it is the easiest entry point in this guide.
Buyers who want an affordable, space-saving Alexa display for a bedroom, kids room or secondary room.
Buyers who want to stream video content or take group video calls on a larger, clearer screen.
Key specs: 5.5-inch touchscreen - 2 MP camera - improved bass and clarity over prior generation - Alexa+ designed - compatible with video doorbells
Why we picked it: The Amazon Echo Show 11 is the step up from the Echo Show 8 for anyone who wants a genuinely large everyday screen rather than the largest possible wall-mounted panel like the Echo Show 15. Its 11-inch Full HD display has 60 percent more viewing area than the Echo Show 8, which makes a real difference for reading full recipes, following along with a workout video or seeing a video call at a comfortable distance across a kitchen or living room. When idle, the screen becomes a rotating photo memories slideshow, effectively turning it into a digital photo frame between uses. It carries the same built-in smart home hub as the Echo Show 8, so it can bridge Zigbee and Matter devices directly, and the spatial audio delivers noticeably more bass and a wider sound stage for music and shows. The tradeoff versus the Echo Show 8 is a larger footprint that needs more counter or shelf space to sit comfortably.
Buyers who want the biggest practical everyday screen for a kitchen or living room without going to a wall-mounted panel.
Buyers who are tight on counter space and would be better served by the mid-size Echo Show 8.
Key specs: 11-inch Full HD touchscreen - AZ3 Pro chip - built-in Zigbee and Matter smart home hub - spatial audio - photo memories slideshow - auto-framing camera with 3.3x zoom
Why we picked it: The Amazon Echo Show 15 is designed to be mounted on a kitchen wall rather than set on a counter, and its 15.6-inch Full HD screen is large enough to function as a genuine family command center rather than just an assistant with a bigger screen. Customizable widgets let each family member see their own calendar, shopping list or reminders on the same display, and built-in Fire TV means the same panel can stream a show while dinner is being made instead of needing a separate screen. The auto-framing camera with a wide field of view and 3.3x zoom handles video calls well even with several people in frame at once, which smaller Echo Show models struggle with. Because it is built around wall mounting, it needs either a mounting kit or a stand purchased separately and a nearby outlet, so it takes more planning to install than a display you simply set on a counter.
Households that want a dedicated wall-mounted family hub for calendars, lists and streaming in a kitchen or common area.
Buyers who want a display that simply sits on a counter or nightstand without an install step.
Key specs: 15.6-inch Full HD (1080p) touchscreen - built-in Fire TV - customizable widgets - wide field of view camera with 3.3x zoom - designed for wall mounting
Why we picked it: The Amazon Echo Spot fills a different job than the rectangular Echo Show models, it is built around a small round display specifically for a nightstand, desk or small kitchen shelf where a full touchscreen would be overkill. It functions primarily as a smart alarm clock with Alexa built in, showing the time, weather and alarms at a glance rather than recipes or video calls, and this newest model adds a genuinely useful extra, a built-in eero mesh Wi-Fi extender that can add up to 1,000 square feet of coverage to an existing eero network. That combination makes it a sensible pick for a bedroom that both needs a bedside alarm clock and sits at the edge of a home's Wi-Fi range. It is not meant to replace a full-size Echo Show for recipes or video calling, its screen and use case are intentionally narrow and focused.
Buyers who want a dedicated bedside smart alarm clock and could use extra Wi-Fi coverage in the bedroom.
Buyers who want a display large enough for recipes, video calls or streaming shows.
Key specs: Compact round touchscreen display - built-in eero mesh Wi-Fi extender - smart alarm clock functions - Alexa+ designed
Why we picked it: The Google Nest Hub is the natural pick for any household already using Google Assistant, Google Calendar and Google Photos rather than Alexa, since it surfaces all three natively without needing a workaround app. The 7-inch touchscreen is sized similarly to the Echo Show 5 and works well on a nightstand or kitchen counter for weather, calendar entries, timers and photo memories. The second generation hardware added sleep sensing capability, letting the display track sleep patterns from across the room without a wearable, a feature the Alexa side of this guide does not offer on any model. It does not include a camera, so video calling and Drop In style check-ins are not available on this specific model, that capability moves up to the larger Nest Hub Max. For a Google-first household that wants a compact bedside or kitchen display, this is the straightforward choice.
Google Assistant households that want a compact bedside or kitchen display with sleep sensing.
Buyers who want video calling built into the display, or who are already invested in the Alexa ecosystem.
Key specs: 7-inch touchscreen - Google Assistant built in - sleep sensing - no camera - compact nightstand and kitchen size
Why we picked it: The Google Nest Hub Max is the Google Assistant equivalent of stepping up from the Echo Show 5 to the Echo Show 8, adding both a larger 10-inch screen and, importantly, a built-in camera the standard Nest Hub does not have. That camera enables video calling and Face Match, which shows a household member their own calendar and reminders automatically when the camera recognizes their face, a feature unique to the Nest Hub Max in this guide. It also supports Quick Gestures, letting you pause or play media with a raised hand instead of a voice command or touch. The larger speaker fills a kitchen or living room with noticeably fuller sound than the compact Nest Hub. For Google-first households that want a full-featured display comparable to the Echo Show 8, this is the direct equivalent.
Google Assistant households that want video calling, Face Match personalization and a larger screen in one display.
Buyers who prefer a camera-free display, or who are already using Alexa devices throughout the home.
Key specs: 10-inch touchscreen - built-in wide-angle camera - Face Match - Quick Gestures - larger speaker than the standard Nest Hub
Why we picked it: The Meta Portal is built around one job above all others, making video calls feel like the other person is actually in the room, and its Smart Camera delivers on that by automatically panning and zooming to keep people in frame as they move around, without anyone needing to manually adjust the camera angle. Unlike the Echo Show and Nest Hub lines, it centers its software around Messenger and WhatsApp video calling rather than a general smart home dashboard, though Alexa is built in for voice commands, timers and smart home control alongside the calling features. The 10-inch touch screen is sized similarly to the Echo Show 8 and Nest Hub Max, and the compact stand-alone design sits easily on a desk, counter or shelf. For families and friends who primarily connect over Messenger or WhatsApp video calls, it is a more calling-focused alternative to a general Alexa or Google display.
Buyers whose households and extended family primarily connect over Messenger or WhatsApp video calls.
Buyers who want a display centered on general smart home control and streaming rather than video calling.
Key specs: 10-inch touch screen display - Smart Camera with auto pan and zoom - Alexa built in - Messenger and WhatsApp video calling
Why we picked it: The Meta Portal Plus takes the same video-calling-first approach as the standard Meta Portal and scales it up to a 14-inch tilting HD screen paired with room-filling stereo speakers, making it the largest video calling display in this guide. The tilting screen can be adjusted between landscape and portrait orientation, which matters more than it sounds for group calls where several faces need to fit comfortably in frame. The stereo speakers are a genuine upgrade over the standard Portal for both call audio and casual music listening, giving it a fuller sound than any other video-calling-focused display here. Like the standard Portal, its Smart Camera automatically pans and zooms to keep the conversation in frame, and Alexa remains built in for voice commands alongside Messenger and WhatsApp calling. The tradeoff is a noticeably larger footprint and higher price than the standard 10-inch Portal.
Buyers who want the largest possible screen dedicated to Messenger or WhatsApp video calling with strong built-in audio.
Buyers who have limited desk or counter space, or do not need a screen this large for calling.
Key specs: 14-inch HD tilting touch screen - stereo speakers - Smart Camera with auto pan and zoom - Alexa built in - Messenger and WhatsApp video calling
Why we picked it: The Lenovo ThinkSmart View is the outlier in this guide because it is not built as a general home smart display at all, it is a dedicated Microsoft Teams device meant for a home office or small workspace where video meetings happen daily. A one-touch button starts or joins a Teams meeting instantly without navigating menus, and it can also add meetings to a calendar, check voicemail and place voice or video calls directly from the 8-inch HD touchscreen. The 5MP wide-angle camera captures a broader field of view than a typical laptop webcam, which helps when multiple people are visible in frame during a call. Under the hood, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 624 processor and 2GB of RAM keep the Android 8.1 interface responsive for everyday use. For remote workers whose calls run through Microsoft Teams specifically rather than Alexa or Google Assistant, it solves a problem none of the other displays in this guide are built for.
Remote workers and small home offices whose daily video meetings run through Microsoft Teams.
Buyers who want a general-purpose Alexa or Google Assistant smart home display rather than a dedicated work meeting device.
Key specs: 8-inch HD touchscreen - Qualcomm Snapdragon 624 processor - 2GB RAM, 8GB storage - 5MP wide-angle camera - one-touch Microsoft Teams button
A smart display adds a touchscreen to the same voice assistant technology found in an audio-only smart speaker, so it can show a calendar, recipe, video call or photo slideshow in addition to answering voice commands. A smart speaker without a screen is generally smaller, often cheaper and better suited to a room where you only want music and voice control without a screen glowing at night. If you want to glance at information or take video calls, a smart display like the models in this guide is the right category, not a speaker-only device.
Only if you plan to use it for video calling or camera-based check-ins like viewing a compatible video doorbell feed. The Amazon Echo Show line, the Google Nest Hub Max and both Meta Portal models all include a camera for this purpose, while the standard Google Nest Hub deliberately ships without one for buyers who want the display features in a bedroom without a camera present. If privacy is a concern, look for a physical camera shutter, which several of these models include, or choose a camera-free model like the standard Nest Hub.
The right choice usually comes down to which voice assistant and ecosystem your household already uses. If you already have Alexa-compatible smart home devices, routines or other Echo products, the Echo Show or Echo Spot models in this guide will integrate more smoothly. If your household runs on Google Calendar, Google Photos and other Google services, the Google Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max will surface that information more directly. Buying a display in the ecosystem you are not already using generally means duplicating setup work rather than gaining anything.
A larger display like the 15.6-inch Echo Show 15 only makes sense if you have a genuine wall-mounting spot for it and want it to function as a shared family hub for calendars, lists and streaming rather than a personal assistant display. For most kitchens, offices or living rooms, an 8 to 11-inch screen like the Echo Show 8 or Echo Show 11 delivers nearly all the same functionality, recipes, video calls and smart home control, in a footprint that fits more places and costs less. Reserve the largest displays for a spot where you specifically want a wall-mounted or shared-use screen.
A smart display like every product in this guide adds a touchscreen to the same voice assistant found in an audio-only smart speaker, which changes what the device is good for day to day. Where a speaker-only device can tell you the weather out loud, a display shows you the forecast, a calendar entry or a video call face at the same time. If you mainly want music and voice control without a screen taking up counter space, a dedicated smart speaker is the simpler choice. If you want to glance at information, follow a recipe, or take a video call, the screen on these displays is the entire point.
The Amazon Echo Show and Echo Spot models in this guide run Alexa and fit naturally into a household already using Alexa routines and smart home skills. The Google Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max instead run Google Assistant and integrate directly with Google Calendar and Google Photos, which matters if your household already lives inside Google's ecosystem. The Meta Portal and Portal Plus include Alexa but are built primarily around Messenger and WhatsApp video calling rather than general smart home control. The Lenovo ThinkSmart View skips consumer voice assistants entirely in favor of a dedicated Microsoft Teams meeting button, making it a workplace tool rather than a home assistant.
A compact 5 to 7-inch screen, like the Echo Show 5 or the Google Nest Hub, suits a nightstand, small desk or a secondary room where you mainly need glanceable information like time, weather and alarms. An 8 to 11-inch screen, like the Echo Show 8, Echo Show 11 or Nest Hub Max, is the practical sweet spot for a kitchen counter or living room where you also want to read recipes or take video calls comfortably. A 14 to 15.6-inch screen, like the Meta Portal Plus or the wall-mounted Echo Show 15, makes sense only if you have a dedicated spot for it, either a wall mount or a permanent counter footprint, since a screen that large will dominate a smaller room.
Not every smart display includes a camera. The standard Google Nest Hub deliberately ships without one for buyers who want the screen features without a camera in the bedroom, while the Echo Show line, the Nest Hub Max and both Meta Portal models build video calling in as a core feature. The Meta Portal and Portal Plus go furthest here, using a Smart Camera that automatically pans and zooms to track people in the room during a call. If privacy is a concern, look specifically at camera-free models like the standard Nest Hub, or check that any camera-equipped display you buy includes a physical shutter or disable switch.
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Screen size for the room it will sit in | A 5 to 7-inch display suits a nightstand or small desk, while 8 inches and larger works better for a kitchen counter or living room where recipes and video calls need more room. |
| Built-in camera or camera-free | Camera-equipped displays like the Echo Show, Nest Hub Max and Meta Portal models enable video calling and Drop In style check-ins, while the standard Nest Hub skips the camera entirely. |
| Voice assistant ecosystem match | Matching the display to the voice assistant, Alexa or Google Assistant, your household already uses avoids running two separate smart home systems side by side. |
| Built-in smart home hub | Models like the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 include a built-in Zigbee and Matter hub, letting the display bridge compatible smart home devices directly. |
| Speaker quality for music and calls | Larger displays generally carry larger speakers, so a display that will also serve as a kitchen speaker benefits from the fuller sound of the 8-inch and larger models. |
Every product above was scored out of 10 on the same six-part rubric, then sorted into an S to C tier. We do not accept free units or payment for placement, and price or affiliate commission never factors into the score.
| Criterion | What we check | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Core performance | The numbers that define the category: capacity, power, resolution, battery life, speed or output, taken from manufacturer specs and cross-checked against independent test data where it exists. | High |
| Build & reliability | Materials, warranty length, brand track record, and how often the model shows up in long-term failure or return complaints. | High |
| Real-world usability | Weight, dimensions, noise level, setup difficulty and day-to-day friction, drawn from owner reviews and published measurements. | Medium |
| Running cost | Ongoing costs beyond the purchase: subscriptions, consumables, energy use or maintenance, where they apply to the category. | Medium |
| Owner feedback | Patterns across aggregated verified owner reviews: recurring praise, recurring complaints, and whether the experience matches the marketing. | Medium |
| Value | What you get relative to the rest of the field at a similar price band, not an absolute price judgment. | Medium |
Sources: manufacturer spec sheets and manuals, retailer listing data, aggregated verified owner reviews, and published independent test results where available for the category.
Honesty note: We have not hands-on tested every product on this page. Where we have not personally used a product, its ranking is based on verified specs, aggregated owner feedback, availability and editorial comparison rather than a hands-on review. Hands-on impressions, when included in a product entry above, are clearly written from direct use.
We don't accept free units or payment for placement. Our rankings combine verified manufacturer specifications, real owner feedback and availability, compared on one transparent S to C rubric.
How this was written: our guides are researched and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy.