What can a smart display do that a smart speaker can't?

Smart displays add visual capabilities: recipe step-by-step display (see photos), video calling (FaceTime/Duo equivalent), visual news and weather, photo slideshows, streaming video (Amazon Prime Video, Netflix on Echo Show, YouTube on Nest Hub), smart home camera live view, and acting as a visual smart home control panel. Voice-only tasks (timers, music, smart home control) work identically on both smart speakers and displays.

Can I use a smart display as a picture frame?

Yes — both Echo Show and Nest Hub display photos when idle. Amazon Echo Show accesses Amazon Photos (free unlimited photo storage with Prime) and displays personal photo slideshows. Google Nest Hub integrates with Google Photos for the same capability. Both can also show curated art and scenic photos from their respective libraries.

Do smart displays record conversations?

Smart displays only activate when they hear their wake word (Alexa or Hey Google). Conversations are not continuously recorded. However, all recognized commands are processed on Amazon/Google servers. Both Amazon and Google provide options to review and delete voice history in their apps. Physical camera and microphone mute buttons are included on all models.

Can I video call with a smart display?

Yes — Amazon Echo Show uses Alexa Calling (device-to-device), and supports Zoom and Ring calls. Google Nest Hub 2nd and Max support Google Meet and Duo. For family video calls, having matching platform devices at both ends provides the best experience: Echo Show to Echo Show, or Nest Hub to another Google Meet device.

Is Amazon Echo Show compatible with Google devices and vice versa?

Echo Show and Nest Hub primarily serve their own ecosystems. Echo Show works best with Alexa-compatible smart home devices, Amazon services, and Fire TV content. Nest Hub works best with Google Assistant-compatible devices and Google services. Both can control Matter devices. Some overlap: Echo Show can play Spotify; Nest Hub can control some Alexa devices via Amazon Alexa routines. Choose based on your primary ecosystem.

Best Smart Displays 2026