Nest Hub vs Echo Show is the question most people run into the moment they decide a voice speaker isn’t enough and they want a screen too. Both displays sit on a counter or nightstand and handle recipes, video calls, security camera feeds, and smart home routines without pulling out a phone.
The two displays land at a similar size and price, but the camera, screen quality, and smart home hardware inside each one point you toward a different daily experience. We compared the current Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) and Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) on screen quality, privacy, voice assistant behavior, and smart home compatibility.
Whichever one you pick tends to anchor the rest of your smart home, from the cameras you choose to the locks and lights you add later, so it’s worth getting this decision right the first time.
How We Picked
We compared official spec sheets and support documentation from Google and Amazon, along with patterns in verified owner reviews and independent testing from tech publications. We focused on the current generation of each display, the Nest Hub (2nd Gen) and Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen), since those are the models most retailers stock today.
Nest Hub vs Echo Show, At a Glance
| Display | Price | Best For | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) | Check price | Best for a camera-free bedroom display | 4.5 / 5 |
| Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) | Check price | Best overall screen and smart home hub | 4.6 / 5 |
Prices shift often on both displays, especially during Prime Day and holiday sales, so treat this table as a starting point rather than a fixed number.
1. Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen), Best for a Camera-Free Bedroom Display
The Google Nest Hub is the obvious pick for a nightstand, mainly because Google left the camera out entirely. That’s a deliberate privacy decision, and it means you can put this display a foot from your face overnight without worrying about a lens pointed at you.
In its place, Google built in a hidden Soli radar chip that powers Sleep Sensing. It tracks how long you sleep, when you wake, and even light coughing or snoring, all without a camera or a wearable. The feature works through a light sensor and microphones alongside the radar, and it feeds into the Google Fit app for a nightly breakdown.
The 7-inch, 1024x600 touchscreen is smaller and lower-resolution than the Echo Show 8’s panel, which shows in fine text and video playback. For quick glances at a recipe, weather, or a calendar, though, reviewers generally find it more than sharp enough, and the compact size fits tighter counters and nightstands more easily than the larger Echo Show.
Google Assistant handles natural, conversational follow-up questions well, and the Nest Hub pairs naturally with Chromecast, Nest cameras, and other Google Home devices. Built-in YouTube support is also a real advantage here, since you can search for and play specific videos by voice, something Alexa still handles awkwardly on the Echo Show.
Smart home control leans on Wi-Fi-connected devices or a separate Nest or Google hub for Zigbee and Thread, since the Nest Hub itself doesn’t include that radio. For a household centered on Google Home and Wi-Fi smart devices, that’s rarely a dealbreaker, but it’s worth knowing before you buy.
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
- 7-inch, 1024x600 touchscreen designed to sit flush on a nightstand or kitchen counter
- Hidden Soli radar chip enables Sleep Sensing, tracking sleep stages and breathing without a camera
- No built-in camera at all, a deliberate privacy choice that makes it a natural fit for bedrooms
- Built-in Chromecast and a large YouTube library that responds well to voice search
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2. Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen), Best Overall Screen and Smart Home Hub
The Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is the stronger all-around display, and it’s the easier recommendation for most people picking a first smart display. The 8.7-inch HD screen is a clear step up from the Nest Hub’s smaller panel, and reviewers consistently point to sharper text, better video playback, and a more comfortable viewing angle from across a kitchen.
Amazon added spatial audio and a redesigned speaker in this generation, giving it fuller sound for music and video calls than earlier Echo Show models. Alexa still handles the day-to-day basics well: timers, reminders, weather, and smart home routines, all without reaching for a phone.
The built-in Zigbee hub and Thread border router are the bigger differentiator, letting the Echo Show 8 control compatible smart locks, lights, and sensors directly, without a separate hub device taking up an outlet. That local control also tends to feel more responsive than routing commands through Wi-Fi alone.
The centered camera, with a physical shutter for privacy, supports Alexa video calling and Drop In between rooms, and it adjusts on-screen content based on how close you are to the display. That same camera is the main reason some buyers steer the Echo Show away from a bedroom and toward a kitchen or living room instead.
If your smart home already leans on Alexa-first devices like Ring doorbells or Kasa plugs, the Echo Show 8 ties everything together with the least friction, and its support for Alexa+ adds more conversational, personalized responses on top of the classic Alexa skills.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
- 8.7-inch HD display with noticeably sharper text and video than the previous generation
- Built-in Zigbee hub and Thread border router control compatible smart locks, lights, and sensors directly
- Spatial audio and a redesigned speaker deliver fuller sound for music and video calls
- Centered camera with a physical shutter supports Alexa video calling and Drop In between rooms
As an Amazon Associate, HomeTechVerdict earns from qualifying purchases. Tap through for the current live price on Amazon.
Pros
- The Echo Show 8's 8.7-inch HD screen is noticeably bigger and sharper than the Nest Hub's 7-inch panel
- The Nest Hub has no built-in camera at all, a real advantage for privacy-conscious buyers in a bedroom
- The Echo Show 8's built-in Zigbee and Thread hub controls compatible smart home devices directly
- The Nest Hub's Soli radar chip enables contactless sleep tracking that the Echo Show can't match
Cons
- Neither display handles YouTube as smoothly through the other ecosystem's assistant, Alexa struggles with YouTube search and Google Assistant lacks deep Amazon Music integration
- The Echo Show 8's built-in camera means it's a less natural fit for a bedroom nightstand than the Nest Hub
- Sleep Sensing on the Nest Hub requires a paid Google One subscription for full historical data after the free trial
Google Assistant vs Alexa: Which Voice Assistant Is Smarter?
This is really the heart of the Nest Hub vs Echo Show decision, since the hardware differences are secondary to which assistant you’ll be talking to every day. Google Assistant tends to handle natural, conversational phrasing better, including follow-up questions that reference something you just asked without repeating the wake word.
Alexa counters with scale and smart home depth. Its skills library is larger, and Amazon has built more smart home control directly into the Echo Show 8’s hardware, rather than requiring extra accessories. Alexa+ also narrows the conversational gap with Google Assistant for many everyday questions.
Neither assistant is a clear technical winner across the board. The more useful question is which ecosystem your other devices already use, since switching later usually means re-pairing routines and accounts, not just swapping a display.
How to Choose Between the Nest Hub and Echo Show
Think about where the display will sit. A bedroom or nursery favors the Nest Hub’s camera-free design. A kitchen or living room, where video calling is useful, favors the Echo Show 8’s built-in camera.
Start with the smart home devices you already own. If your cameras, plugs, or locks are Alexa-first, the Echo Show 8 keeps everything under one app and one set of routines. If you’re already on Nest cameras or Google Home, the Nest Hub is the more natural fit.
Decide how much you value screen size. The Echo Show 8’s larger, sharper display is the better choice for video, recipes, or browsing from across a room. The Nest Hub’s smaller screen is fine for quick glances and fits tighter spaces.
Consider sleep tracking if that matters to you. The Nest Hub’s Soli-powered Sleep Sensing is a feature the Echo Show simply doesn’t offer, though full historical data needs a Google One subscription after the free trial period.
Our Verdict
For most people picking a first smart display, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is the better buy. Its screen is bigger and sharper, its built-in Zigbee and Thread hub adds real smart home value, and it fits neatly into the largest smart home device ecosystem on the market.
The Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) is still a smart choice, especially for a bedroom, since it’s the only one here with no camera at all, and its Sleep Sensing feature is genuinely useful for anyone curious about their sleep patterns.
Check the latest price on Amazon before you decide, since bundle deals with other Echo or Nest devices can change the math. If you’re building out a fuller smart home, pair this with our guides to the best smart plugs for Alexa and the best smart speaker for sound quality.
