Google Nest Hub Max: Generally successful at everything

Google's Nest Hub is unquestionably one of the best smart screens on the market (and with record prices never seen recently), but it's very difficult to sell a much more expensive version. Google is trying to do it with Nest Hub Max by combining three different products into one and, in most cases, it really succeeds.

Easily the best intelligent display

Google's digital assistant efforts are, in my opinion, unmatched in today's market. While others have made it in advance, the Google Assistant continues to impress as he grows up and adopts new capabilities.

Google's Nest Max Hub is the culmination of everything Google has learned so far with wizard. This means that you can use a "Hey Google" command to control your smart home devices, use services like YouTube, Google Play Movies, and more. to watch content on your TV or the Max, and play music from an assortment of services, including Spotify and YouTube Music. This only scratches the surface as the wizard can also play podcasts, set reminders, view traffic information, display recipes in the kitchen, and much more.

In addition to its superior physical size, the Nest Hub Max is different from what Google does with its camera. A wide-angle lens can be used for Duo calls and messages. These calls are solid in the service of quality and Google intelligently uses the wide angle to keep the subject of the video in the frame. I do not make a lot of video calls with the Max, but this feature works pretty well. The framing can be a little delayed, sometimes resulting in unnatural transitions, but it works as advertised.

The real kicker for the camera, however, is Face Match. Thanks to facial recognition, Nest Hub Max makes Google Assistant really proactive. As stated in my first impressions about the Max Nest Hub, the camera is used to recognize you, your spouse, or anyone else living in a household and using this context to adjust what the screen displays. This customization includes maps for YouTube, your travels, music, and more.

"Face Match" quickly recognizes your face and adjusts experience

This experience is made even more proactive by the camera that recognizes you when you walk past or look closer to see reminders or details of your email such as shipping notifications. Since I've been using Nest Hub Max, these proactive notifications and details provided by Google have truly optimized the experience and made the product extremely useful.

Another smaller feature activated by the camera is a gesture of pause and playback of the content. Just raise your hand to pause a YouTube video. It works extremely well in my tests and rarely fails by falsely identifying the gesture once.

What about privacy? Like other Google speakers and smart screens, a physical switch on the back of the product cuts off the microphone and the camera. This physical switch is great, but it only disconnects the camera and the microphone electronically. It would have been nice if Google had set up a physical dust jacket on the camera like that of Lenovo. It is also possible to disconnect the camera only via the software settings.

There is a soft switch and a physical switch to mitigate privacy issues

Bridging gaps in Google's range of speakers

In addition to being a smart display, the Nest Max Hub is also a smart speaker from Google Assistant. The name "Max" in its name could make you wait for a quality comparable to that of Google Home Max, but unfortunately, it is not quite the case.

Compared to the Google Home Max, the Nest Hub Max is good, but does not reach the same level. It lacks the powerful bass and ambient sound of the Home Max, as well as the adaptive "Smart Sound" technology.

The sound quality is good, but not as good as the Home Max

Things would probably be better on the Nest Hub Max if the speakers were oriented differently. In the state, the Max has two speakers facing the front down and one woofer facing the back. It works well when the speaker is sitting against the wall of your kitchen, but if there is nothing behind, the sound quality is a little muffled. This speaker is just praying for the Home Max Smart Sound technology.

Nevertheless, the Nest Hub Max fills a gap in the range of different speakers of Google. It's right below the Home Max, but well above the Home / Home Mini speakers and frankly awful Nest Hub. It fits perfectly in the middle at a reasonable cost. I recommend a Nest Hub Max at $ 229 much faster to a user before a Home Max at $ 299, which is just a speaker.

Nest Hub Max integrates with the middle of Google's range of speakers

Nowhere near a real Nest Cam

And finally, we come to the only feature that Nest Hub Max fails to deliver properly. Nest Hub Max has a built-in Nest Camera. This feature is supposed to provide a security camera hidden in a smart display. Technically, it works, but it's a mediocre effort.

The "Nest Cam Integrated" on the Max Hub poses three fundamental problems. The first is honestly a problem and no longer a complaint about how Nest handles its cameras in the first place. To get 'familiar faces', a video history or, basically, any other important feature of a security camera, you have to pay for Nest Aware every month. A 30-day trial is however included with the product.

Nest Hub Max tells you when its camera is being viewed

The really serious problems associated with using the Nest Max Hub as a security device begin with the camera angle. The wide-angle lens captures an entire room, but it does so with a slope that misses the floor of that room, even if it's on a countertop table. This inclination impairs the appearance of safety, and the impossibility of seeing the floor makes it even difficult to monitor your pets. To illustrate the scale of the problem, a thief could technically go home crawling in the manner of Michael Scott to avoid being filmed.

This thief has another option for not being photographed – just break into the night. Since the Nest Hub Max does not have an infrared illuminator, it is not visible in the dark, unlike what low-cost surveillance cameras already have. Honestly, being unable to see the night makes me think that Google should not publish this feature at all.

This high angle is not ideal for watching pets or intruders

Another important thing to note with the "built-in camera" is that it does not work like a traditional camera. First, you need to configure the ability to stream to the Google Home app on your phone. In this app, you can only watch the live camera, it does not record or send you notifications. To get these features, you must also link it to the Nest app. However, this only works if you have migrated your Nest Account to a Google Account.

Last thoughts

While Google is continually removing its services and struggling to create a popular smartphone, the company's collection of smart speakers and displays is really great products. The Nest Hub, especially when it is small, is in the territory of impulse buyers. The Max Nest Hub, however, is a purchase that requires a larger investment at $ 229. Is it worth it? Honestly, I can say yes, at least for some people.

The Face Match feature of Nest Hub Max is a compelling solution that no other product can currently replicate. However, if you just want a good speaker, get the Google Home Max or even a cheap Home Mini. If you just want a good smart display, the Nest Max Hub is a solid option. But for those looking for a bigger smart screen with better sound and, above all, proactive intelligence, the Nest Hub Max is something I can not recommend too much. You can buy it on Google Store and B & H Photo.