9 Of The Best Smart Screens & Smart Displays You Can Buy

We're all surrounded by tech in our daily lives. From light bulbs to doorbells, most mundane objects have also received a tech upgrade in recent years. With so many gadgets now getting smart, you may need a smart screen to control all of them from one place. Of course, smartphones can connect to and control smart home devices. However, a common display that anyone can use is a more convenient option. Moreover, smart displays can help with home automation, setting reminders, playing music, and answering queries. Owing to these perks, we've created a list of the best smart screens if you decide to get one for your home or office.

Picking the right smart display may get confusing since there are so many options. Some questions may leave consumers asking themselves what the right size is, which one has a good speaker, and whether to get one with Google Assistant or Alexa. Thankfully, I've used and reviewed several smart screens and speakers from multiple different brands over the past seven years, leaving me well-equipped to answer these questions. All the displays have been segregated based on various usage scenarios.

Pick the one that best aligns with your use case.

The best smart display at the moment is actually a tablet. Confused?  The Google Pixel Tablet is powered by the Tensor G2 chipset, making it one of the most powerful and capable smart displays. By itself, it's a standard Android tablet that can be used for multimedia consumption and to get basic work done on the go. However, pair it with the speaker dock, and it's an excellent smart screen to have at the center of your living room. It has a large 11-inch screen along with a fabulous speaker that sounds rich and is loud enough to fill an entire room. The best part about the speaker dock is that it always keeps the tablet charged. As soon as you dock it, the tablet also brings up smart home controls, making it convenient to change the brightness of your bedroom lights or view your doorbell camera feed with a single button.

Every time you want to enjoy a Netflix show or a game of PUBG Mobile, simply snap away the tablet from the dock and use it as a standard tablet. The onboard AI learns your usage patterns and suggests tasks throughout the day. It also learns when you operate certain devices and can suggest automation based on that. When not in use, the tablet acts like a digital photo frame that displays your memories. In essence, the Google Pixel Tablet is a versatile gadget that caters to multiple needs.

Ideally, a smart display for your bedside table needs to be smaller. Thankfully, Amazon makes one that perfectly fits the bill. The Echo Show 5 doesn't occupy much space but still manages to pack a punch. Despite the small form factor, the bass on the speaker is quite powerful for when you want to use it at a house party. Another consequence of the speaker being loud is that the alarms will also be loud, ensuring you wake up on time. This brings me to the fact that the Echo Show 5 makes for a great bedside clock that displays the time. Additionally, it can even display the live feed from your doorbell camera or security camera so you can get a quick look at who's at the door before you decide to pull yourself out of bed.

Speaking of cameras, the Echo Show 5 also has one built-in to video call friends and family, albeit the quality is questionable. This can be a concern for some since having a camera in your bedroom can be a breach of privacy. Thankfully, Amazon has addressed this with a physical camera cover that can be used to hide the camera when it's not in use. Despite offering so many features, the Amazon Echo Show 5 is one of the most affordable smart screens on this list. It's a must-have if your room has smart lights, thermostats, or curtains.

Most smart displays also have additional features like a camera for video calls or a speaker to listen to music. Owing to this, they are either kept on a corner table or a bedside table. While those devices add more functionality, not everyone may require a loudspeaker if they already have a stereo speaker setup. Nor would some users be comfortable with a camera viewing them at all times. If you belong to either of those sets, the Amazon Echo Hub is the way to go. It's solely a smart home controller, and it does so by eliminating features like a built-in speaker, camera, and a fully functional OS that can play media.

Due to this, the Echo Hub doesn't even ship with a stand. It needs to be wall-mounted like a thermostat. In fact, this provides easy access to controls — just like a standard switchboard. Vary the brightness of your lights, increase the temperature of your AC, or see who's outside the door with the tap of a button. Since it doesn't have a built-in speaker, you can connect your existing speakers to the Echo Hub to play audio via them. You can use your voice commands to access Alexa. If you're paranoid about privacy or strictly want a smart screen that gets the basics right, the Echo Hub is a good option.

Think of the Echo Show 8 as a blown-up version of the Echo Show 5 mentioned earlier. While the features remain the same, the two primary differences are in terms of display and speaker size. The screen is obviously bigger at eight inches, so it's better for watching content. Due to the larger form factor, Amazon was able to fit in a larger speaker that now pumps out spatial audio. Essentially, the media experience has received an upgrade along with the physical size. Apart from that, the regulars, such as a camera for video calls, multiple mics for voice commands, and the ability to control smart home devices, are present.

As with most screens on this list, you can pair a smart home device that supports Zigbee, Matter, or other similar protocols directly with the Echo Show 8 without purchasing a separate hub. If you plan on making a lot of video calls via your Echo Show, I highly recommend picking up the Echo Show 8 on Amazon. The camera is massively improved on the bigger version compared to the Echo Show 5, which has sub-par optics. Overall, the Echo Show 8 ticks all the right boxes and retails reasonably, making it one of the best smart screens and speakers for most people.

Don't want to spend more than a hundred bucks on a smart screen? That's fair since you won't necessarily use these gadgets all day. Considering that, the Google Nest Hub 7 is an absolute bargain. It has a fantastic speaker that's loud and bass-heavy, the screen is large enough to occasionally fire up a YouTube video or control smart home devices, and the mics can pick up your voice from any corner of the room. Moreover, I personally prefer Google Assistant over Alexa for certain tasks, and that's exactly what you get with the Nest Hub 7. It's also a good option for those seeking better privacy since this variant has no camera.

Google hasn't cut many corners with the Nest Hub 7, though. It's a screen that you can either keep in your living room or even on your bedside table. If you decide to do the latter, the device has built-in snoring detection functionality that can analyze your sleep and determine when you are snoring during the night. Such quality-of-life improvements can tilt one's buying decision in favor of the Nest Hub 7. Unfortunately, newer smart screens and speakers haven't been able to replicate this feature or add similar perks that make an impact. If these features appeal to you, the Nest Hub 7 is still a good pick several years after launch. It's worth noting, though, that the interface has started to show its age. So, expect a few lags and hiccups here and there.

Amazon's Echo Show 10 is one of my favorite smart home devices. There are a multitude of reasons for this. For starters, the display is the perfect size for enjoying a show on Netflix while I lay on the couch. It's also big enough to display all your smart home controls in one place. Since the bigger display comes attached to a larger form factor, Amazon has made the best use of space by fitting a superb speaker inside the base of the Echo Show 10. It's loud, the sound signature is fantastic, and it can give a dedicated speaker of this size a run for its money.

It's already looking like a great option, but we haven't even gotten to the main highlight of the Echo Show 10 — the rotating base. Whenever you use the hot word "Alexa," the screen turns towards you to execute a command. This means you can place the display in the middle of the room and see recipes on the screen from the kitchen or a YouTube video from the opposite end of the room. Another area where Amazon has utilized the rotating base is for video calls. The Echo Show 10 can track and follow you. If you're moving around while on a call, you'll never be out of the frame.

It is slightly expensive, but the Echo Show 10 is one of the most complete smart displays that offers a host of functionality. 

There's no doubt that the Amazon Echo Show 10 has one of the best speaker units on a smart display. However, if there's one screen that trumps it in terms of audio, it has to be the Google Nest Hub Max. The speaker on this thing is insane, primarily due to the large sub-woofer enclosed in a large form factor. From volume levels to clarity of vocals, you just cannot go wrong with the Nest Hub Max. Apart from the sheer dominance in the audio category, the rest of the package remains largely similar to the rest of the displays on this list. There's a camera for video calls, a large 10-inch display that's easy to interact with, and Chromecast support, which means you can mirror your phone's content onto the display.

My preferred voice assistant — Google Assistant — makes a return along with Google's simple yet elegant interface. Like the Nest Hub 7, the Nest Hub Max's hardware is also slightly dated at this point, so it's not the snappy smart screen you'll ever use. It gets the job done for most tasks, though, and the speaker has aged well, so it will easily last you a couple of more years.

I mentioned how the Amazon Echo Show 10 can turn towards you to display recipes if you speak to it from the kitchen. However, the display size may not be big enough to read text or watch videos comfortably from a distance. If you're specifically looking for a smart display for your kitchen, I would recommend picking up the Echo Show 15. As the name suggests, there's a large 15.6-inch display on which you can view recipes, TV shows, and to-do lists while you cook. It's almost like a mini TV that you can wall-mount in front of your kitchen counter. Fire up your favorite recipe and follow along as it plays on the display.

Amazon has also added Fire TV support to the Echo Show 15, so you can actually use it to do something like replace your kitchen TV while still being able to control your smart home devices with your voice. In fact, if you have a bunch of smart kitchen appliances, this is an excellent addition to control them all from one place. Like most displays on this list, the Echo Show 15 also has a camera so you can video call your loved ones without getting distracted from cooking. The large screen also helps with setting timers when you're baking, and the widget-style UI ensures multiple elements like recipe recommendations, device controls, and weather updates are all visible simultaneously.

If the 15-inch variant of the Echo Show is too small for your usage, you must opt for the Echo Show 21. The massive 21-inch panel is almost like a monitor mounted on a wall, except you can use it to control your smart home devices, and it even comes with a remote thanks to Fire TV support. There's nothing unique about the 21-inch variant compared to the 15-inch one mentioned earlier, except for the larger footprint. If you have a large kitchen or just want to enjoy watching content without squinting, the Echo Show 21 is the superior option.

Video calls are also going to look better on the Echo Show 21 thanks to a larger canvas and a wide field of view. Furthermore, Amazon has implemented an auto-frame feature that's definitely useful in a place like the kitchen. For instance, you may keep moving around while cooking. The Echo Show 21 puts you in the middle of the frame regardless. There's also a zoom of up to 3.3x to eliminate background elements and keep you in focus. The Echo Show 21 also looks quite artsy on a wall thanks to its elegant frame design. 

Unfortunately, there are only two major players in the smart display arena, which leads to a duopoly in this space. If you're in the market for a smart display, you either have to pick between an option from Amazon or Google. Thankfully, both brands provide a host of different devices based on size, price, and features. I've looked at all the available options and segregated them based on their USPs and target audience. Having used most of these apart displays over the past few years, I can recognize which one caters to what audience, making it easy to recommend it to consumers.

While Alexa is capable, I prefer Google Assistant primarily because it can execute more complex tasks and even integrate with the rest of the Google Apps suite. Thanks to this, I may be slightly biased towards a Nest display if I were in the market for a smart home hub. That said, Amazon has certainly upped its game with excellent hardware in recent years, making it a top choice for anyone who wants a reliable smart display or speaker.