Best Smart Speakers With Screens
Top-rated touch screen models from Amazon and Google add video capabilities to the smart speaker
When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.
Once upon a time, life was simple in the Land of Smart Speakers: You talked to your smart speaker, it talked back, and that was that. But in recent years, manufacturers have
The first mainstream example, Amazon’s Echo Show, was introduced in summer 2017. It was a modest success, with unimpressive sound quality, according to CR testers. But that Show inspired a cluster of newer and significantly better smart speakers with screens, including those listed below.
“In general the integral screen provides enhanced interactions with a smart speaker,” says Elias Arias, head of the smart speaker testing program at Consumer Reports.
A screen can be useful in a variety of ways. It makes for easier setup, when you’re entering information like your WiFI password. And since many smart screens end up in the kitchen, it can allow you to watch a recipe video or YouTube clips, while controlling the playback with voice commands, so you don’t have to touch the screen with messy hands.
That said, these devices can take up precious space on a a kitchen counter or a desk while an audio-only smart speaker can be stowed out of the way on a shelf. And many of the video functions of a smart screen can be replicated on a laptop, a tablet, or even a smartphone, all of which can be put away when not in use.
The models below are among the highest-rated smart screens to pass through our labs, each earning at least a Recommended designation from our testers. Like all of the speakers we test, they were evaluated for sound quality, ease of use, and versatility. And all were purchased at full retail—no freebies for us.
Amazon’s Echo Show 10 features a large, 10-inch touch screen display that uses motion-sensing technology and a silent electric motor hidden in its base to follow you as you move around your kitchen. So if you step from the counter to the stove, you’ll be able to watch that old-school ravioli recipe video without having to touch anything.
Our testers find the model to be quite versatile and super-easy to set up and use. The sound quality is fine, but it falls a little short of the previous generation Show, largely because of a slight plastick-y distortion in the midrange.
Before you buy the speaker, though, make sure you have the counter space to safely set up the Show 10. The instructions advise you to map out an area roughly the size of a beach ball and keep it clear. We’ve discovered that if items—even heavy ones like a metal travel mug or a large bottle of oil—are placed too close to the Show 10’s screen, that powerful motor can knock them over, which could pose a safety hazard.
For some, the prospect of a screen with a camera that tracks your movements as you move around the kitchen may also be a little unnerving, although there’s always the option to turn off that function.
With its horizontal 8-inch high-definition touch screen, the latest Show 8 delivers a lot of device for the money.
It costs only a few dollars more than the audio-only Echo, and the voice-enabled touch screen can be useful in a kitchen. The Show 8’s functional footprint is also much smaller than that of the Echo Show 10, which can be handy if your kitchen is short on counter space.
The sound quality on the Show 8 does have some flaws—our testers find the treble strident and also hear echoes in the all-important midrange. That puts the device a step below the better-sounding Echo Show 10 in our ratings (available to CR members). The Show 8 also lacks the Zigbee smart home hub found on its larger sibling and the latest-generation Echo.
If you want a smart speaker with a screen powered by Google Assistant, which some users find to be more intuitive than Amazon’s Alexa, the Nest Hub Max is a strong contender.
It features a 10-inch touch screen, which likely represents the sweet spot between a device with a compact footprint and a screen that’s big enough to watch videos comfortably.
Our testers report that the Nest Hub Max delivers when it comes to sound quality. The midrange is a bit congested but the treble is extended and the bass has good impact. They also find the model to be versatile and easy to use. One privacy concern: While there’s a switch for the mic, there’s no physical shutter for the camera, like those on Amazon’s smart screens.
The less-expensive second-generation Nest Hub, which has a 7-inch touch screen, sounds significantly worse than the Max, which cost it a recommendation. It also has a sleep tracking feature, which seems less accurate than wearable devices in our evaluation.
With a 15-inch touch screen, the Echo Show 15 is Amazon’s largest smart screen ever. Designed to be mounted on a wall, it requires no counter space and can serve as a digital bulletin board for a family as well as a control center for smart home devices.
Our testers also admire its versatility, intuitive controls, and well-designed smartphone app.
Despite the appealing concept, though, we discovered a number of drawbacks in the Echo Show 15’s design. The touch screen was laggy and occasionally froze up, although the device still responded to voice commands.
The app-like Widgets for the family control center don’t make the best use of that large screen, resulting in a clunky interface.
And, soundwise, the Show 15 leaves a lot to be desired. Our testers report that sonically it’s similar to the Echo Dot. The bass is almost nonexistent and the congested midrange is plasticky and telephone-like, which makes the model okay for listening to a podcast, but not really suited to music listening.
BEST TIME TO BUY:
