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It's been a busy couple of weeks for smart displays, an emerging category of voice-activated touchscreens seeking a place in your living room or kitchen. First, Amazon introduced its new-and-improved, second-gen Echo Show. Then came Facebook, with the surprise announcement of a pair of "Portal" smart displays with cameras that you can move on video calls. The very next day: Google rolled out the smart-home-centric Google Home Hub.
That's three, count 'em, three titans of tech battling it out to get you to buy it on their smart displays Lenovo and JBL that already made their debut this year, or ones from Sony and LG that are yet to arrive).
So, how do these new displays stack up against one another? Let's start the best way I know how: With a sizable, borderline unwieldy chart that's full of specs:
| Amazon Echo Show (2018) | Facebook Portal / Portal Plus | Google Home Hub | |
| Screen Size | 10.1-inch (256.5 mm) | 10.1-inch (256.5 mm) / 15.6-inch (396.2 mm) | 7-inch (177.8 mm) |
| Resolution | 720p (1280×800) | 720p (1200×800) / 1080p (1920×1080) | not listed |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 9.7 x 6.9 x 4.2 inches (246.4 x 175.3 x 106.7 mm) | 9.8 x 8.2 x 3.7 inches (249.9 x 208.3 x 94 mm) / 8.8 x 17.7 x 5.7 inches (223.5 x 449.6 x 144.8 mm) | 7.02 x 4.65 x 2.65 inches (178.5 x 118 x 67.3 mm) |
| Weight | 62.2 oz. (1.765 grams) | not listed | 16.9 oz. (480 grams) |
| Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi (802.11b / g / n / ac, 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth speakers requiring PIN codes not supported | Wi-Fi (802.11a / b / g / n / ac, 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.2 | Wi-Fi (802.11b / g / n / ac, 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Voice Assistant | Alexa | Alexa | Google Assistant |
| Calling and Messaging | Alexa Messaging, Skype, Direct Dial (US and Mexico) | Facebook Messenger | Direct dial (US, UK, and Canada, outgoing calls only) |
| Smart kitchen features | Step-by-step recipe assistance; Amazon Meal Kits integration | Limited Alexa recipe assistance | Step by step step by step with YouTube tutorial videos |
| Onscreen smart home controls | Yes | No. | Yes |
| Built-in Camera | Yes (5MP) | Yes (12 MP) | No. |
| Privacy Shutter | No. | Yes | n / A |
| Microphones | 4-mic array | 4-mic array (2 front, 2 rear) | 2-mic array |
| Speakers | Dual 10W, 2-inch neodymium drivers with Dolby processing and passive bass radiator | 10W (2 full-range drivers) / 20W (2 tweeters, single 4-inch bass) | "Full range speaker" (80 dB SPL @ 1KHz, @ 1m) |
| Streaming Music Services | Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn | iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify | iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube Music |
| Streaming Video Services | Amazon Prime Video, DailyMotion, Hulu, NBC, Vimeo | Facebook Watch, Food Network | Youtube |
| Compatible smart home cameras | Amazon Cloud Cam, Amcrest, August Doorbell Cam, Blink, Canary, D-Link, Logitech Circle, EZVIZ, MeShare, Nest Cam, Netgear Arlo, Video Doorbell, Toucan, TP-Link Kasa Cam, Wyze Cam, Zmodo | TBD | D-Link, EZVIZ, Nest Cam, Netgear Arlo, Skybell Video Doorbell, Swann, Smartcam, TP-Link Kasa Cam, Vivitar |
| Other notable features | Built-in Zigbee smart home hub; Integrates with Fire TV Recast to live show TV and DVR recordings; YouTube access via Silk or Firefox browsers | Automatic AI camera framing; Video chat filter effects; "Home and Away" rental tracking; Facebook photo albums and birthday reminders; Interactive "Story Time" story books; 90-degree rotating display (Plus only) | "Ambient EQ" automatic adaptive screen brightness; Digital picture frame via Google Photos with Live Albums; |
| Color options | Charcoal, Sandstone | Black, White | Charcoal, Aqua, Chalk, Sand |
| Availability | US, UK, Australia | US only at launch | US, UK, Australia |
| Expected ship date | Nov 7 | Nov 13 | Oct. 26 |
| Warranty | 1-year | 1-year | 1-year |
| cost | $ 230 | $ 199 / $ 349 | $ 150 |
What sets them apart
There is a definite recipe for success in the smart display category – we have not had a Nest gold Echo Dot-type breakout that's really connected with the masses. These means of making these smart displays are still trying to figure out how to make a difference.
The cameras in Facebook's Portal The smart displays will automatically follow you around the room during video calls.
John Kim / CNET
To cam or not to cam?
The most obvious differentiator is the way these displays handle cameras. Amazon and Facebook both include front-facing cameras for voice-activated video chats, and the cameras in the Facebook Portal displays use of a free-to-air interface.
Meanwhile, Google told CNET, "It's a comfort thing … We wanted to make sure that you could use this anywhere in the home."
It will also be worth noting that the Facebook Portal will also help you to keep track of the times when you are not using them. There's no physical shutter on the Amazon Echo Show, though you can "mute" the camera along with the mics by pressing a button on the top of the device.
Different designs
The Echo Show hides the bulk of its speakers in the back, giving it the look of a floating flatscreen for your countertop.
Tyler Lizenby / CNET
We're seeing an interesting variety of designs in the smart display category, but a lot of them seem to be 10-inch, flatscreen-style displays that hide the bulk of the speaker in the back. That's what you get with the Echo Show and with the smaller, 10-inch version of the Facebook Portal (not to mention the likable Lenovo Smart Display).
The 15.6-Inch Portal Plus gets a lot more distinctive, with an iMac-looking raised monitor that rotates 90 degrees between portrait and landscape modes. For my money, I think it's the neatest smart display design to date, especially coupled with the camera-tracking feature – but after mass account breaches and scandals involving blatting mistreatment of user personal data, will people really trust Facebook enough to bring this product into their homes?
Then there's Google. Aside from the bold omission of any camera at home, the Home Hub stands out for a pint-size design that is not even 5 inches tall. I would like to say something about the size of a gadget, but I think I would like to say something bigger in the kitchen or living room.
Smart home front and center (or not)
You'll find lots of device-specific smart home controls on the Google Home Hub.
James Martin / CNET
Amazon and Google are each one that you're going to want to use these smart displays to control your various smart gadgets. Both the Echo Show and the Home Hub include dedicated, on-screen smart home controls for turning lights on and off, adjusting your thermostat, and more. The Echo Show even includes a Zigbee radio that lets you get in touch with things like smart locks Philips Hue smart bulbs, no extra hub necessary. On Google's end, the Home Hub will automatically connect with Bluetooth smart bulbs from GE.
With Facebook, the focus is almost purely on those video calls. The Portal does offer access to Alexa, but it does not appear that you're getting the same user interface as the Echo Show. From the sound of it, the onscreen controls for things like smart gadgets and guided recipes are going to be more limited than what you'll get with an Amazon device, but we'll let you know for sure a chance to test the Portal's controls out for ourselves.
Another smart home point of note: Both the Echo Show and the Home Hub will give you a view of a smart home camera (you'll get plenty of options with both platforms, though Amazon's still ahead of Google here). It is currently unclear whether or not those videos will be used with the Facebook Portal displays, too, to monitor the camera feeds did not seem to be part of the initial pitch. I'm reaching out to Facebook for clarification and will update this space if I get an answer.
We'll know much more about these displays we've had the chance to test them all out on the new second-gen Echo Show). Stay tuned for more details of everything in the coming weeks.
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