Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025 release) vs Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
Which should you buy? Here's the honest call, pulled from our full The Best Smart Displays: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Echo Show 8 (2025) is the display most people should buy: it pairs the sharpest assistant with a real smart-home hub and a screen that suits any room. The Nest Hub is the runner-up and the natural choice if you live in Google's world or want no camera at all.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025 release)
Buy itThe best all-round smart display: the smartest assistant, a genuine smart-home hub, and a screen that fits anywhere.
- Runs Alexa+, the most capable conversational assistant of the group, and reviewers note it handles follow-up questions far better than older Alexa
- Built-in Matter, Thread and Zigbee hub controls many devices with no extra bridge
- Redesigned 8.7-inch HD screen is bright and sharp, and owners report noticeably fuller spatial audio with more bass
- The most useful Alexa+ features sit behind a Prime membership or paid plan and currently favor US English accounts
- The 13MP camera adds capability but also a privacy surface some buyers would rather not have
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
It dependsStill the best pick for Google households and the privacy-conscious, but living through an awkward transition.
- No camera at all by design, which owners consistently cite as the reassuring choice for bedrooms and kitchens
- Clean 7-inch touchscreen with a strong Google Home dashboard and Matter and Thread device control
- Ties tightly into Google services and is moving to Gemini, which reviewers say sharpens its answers
- The hardware is aging and third-party apps have steadily disappeared from the platform over the years
- Google has hinted at a successor Home Display, so buying now risks being one step behind a refresh
Side by side
| Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025 release) | Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | It depends |
| Best for | Most people, especially anyone already invested in Alexa and smart-home gear. | Google Assistant loyalists who want a camera-free display and can live with an older platform in flux. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025 release) - The best all-round smart display: the smartest assistant, a genuine smart-home hub, and a screen that fits anywhere. Choose the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) instead if google Assistant loyalists who want a camera-free display and can live with an older platform in flux.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Smart Displays: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).