Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) vs. Nest Hub Max: Which smart display should you buy?

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• Google currently offers two smart displays: the second-generation Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max.
• The Google Nest Hub is the better overall smart display thanks to its compact design and Soli radar sensor.
• The Google Nest Hub Max has a bigger screen and includes a camera.

If you're looking for the best smart display in the Google ecosystem, you get to pick between the second-generation Google Nest Hub, released in 2021, or the Google Nest Hub Max, which was released back in 2019. While both displays share an identical design and use Google Assistant, the difference in size will play the biggest factor in your decision.

But bigger doesn't always mean better. After using both devices over the years, we can confidently recommend the Nest Hub as the better smart display for most people, while the Max as a good pick for those for whom a camera is non-negotiable. Let's dig deeper into how these two devices compare.

Google Nest Hub vs. Nest Hub Max: Pricing

With a larger screen and built-in camera, it makes sense that the Google Nest Hub Max ($230) comes with a higher price tag than the second-gen Nest Hub ($100). But since both smart displays are getting long in the tooth, you'll most likely be able to find them on sale. 

One of the Nest Hub's most attractive features is Sleep Sensing, which monitors your sleep, giving you insight into your sleep habits. As good as it is, it's only free until 2024. After that, expect to pay a premium to use the feature. 

The Nest Hub Max also comes with potential add-on costs for a Nest Aware subscription, which includes continuous video recording, face alerts, and video storage.

Google Nest Hub vs. Nest Hub Max: Display size and sound

The 10-inch screen on the Nest Hub Max won't replace your TV, but it's great for streaming media while putzing around the kitchen. The HD touchscreen is crisp and clear, but the 7-inch LCD screen on the Nest Hub is no slouch either. Both feature the impressive AmbientEQ sensor, which automatically adjusts brightness and color temp for a seamless visual experience. 

The smaller Nest Hub works well as a bedside or office assistant, essentially anywhere you don't necessarily need a screen. Meanwhile, the Nest Hub Max's bigger screen works well as a mini entertainment center and makes following recipe steps easier (whether you're reading or following along on YouTube). 

Sound is also supersized on the Max thanks to a back-end woofer. It can reach higher volumes than the second-gen Nest Hub, which has a single 1.7-inch full-range driver instead of a stereo system. The sound quality of the Nest Hub is fine for intimate settings, but you might be better off with a Nest Mini if sound is a priority for you. 

Google Nest Hub vs. Nest Hub Max: Smart features

Both hubs are equipped with Google Assistant, our favorite voice-controlled assistant, which offers the same functions on each device, including the ability to control hundreds of smart home devices, from lightbulbs to robot vacuums. 

One major difference in terms of smart features is the addition of a 6.5-megapixel camera on the Nest Hub Max, which can double as a security camera or pet monitoring device. The camera has a 127-degree field of view, which is quite wide, and it also comes with a handy auto-framing feature that works fairly well. 

No camera on the second-gen Nest Hub means you can't check on your home while you're away. The Nest Hub Max gives you access to a live room view and a slew of other home monitoring features, though some, like continuous recording, are only available with a Nest Aware subscription. 

The absence of a camera isn't necessarily a dealbreaker, especially if you plan to use the device as a bedside sidekick. The smaller Nest Hub also has a built-in radar-powered Soli sensor that can detect objects and their attributes, which the Max does not. The sensor offers some impressive capabilities, including Sleep Sensing (which tracks your sleep with incredible precision from an arm-length away) and Gestures.

The Nest Hub Max supports gestures, but via the camera, not the Soli sensor. The result is a frustrating experience, whereas using gestures on the Nest Hub feels like second nature. On the Nest Hub Max's camera often only detects gestures some of the time, and there's a noticeable lag. 

Other camera-specific features like Look and Talk and Face Match are similarly hit or miss on the Nest Hub Max. Look and Talk, which does away with the need to say,  "OK Google," requires you to be right up close to the device to work. And Face Match, which Google admits isn't a security feature, sometimes misidentifies faces completely or can't identify them at all. 

Google Nest Hub vs. Nest Hub Max: Privacy

Google makes it fairly easy to modify your privacy controls, but you'll need to dive into the Google Home app to make these changes. To adjust some of the camera-based settings on the Max, you'll need to jump into the Nest app. 

In both cases, it's a bit of a shame that privacy controls aren't within easy reach directly on the devices themselves. 

However, both hubs also have hardware privacy controls. On the Nest Hub, there's a slider at the top of the back end to turn off the mic. A slider in the same spot on the Nest Hub Max turns off both the mic and camera. 

Google Nest Hub vs. Nest Hub Max: Specs

The bottom line

Between the two Google-powered smart displays, the second-generation Nest Hub Hub is our top pick. The device's smaller size, Sleep Sensing feature, and camera-free design make it an excellent bedroom companion. But the same features that make the second-generation Nest Hub a great bedside assistant, like smart home control, a crisp, clear screen, seamless gesture control, and a value price tag, make it an ideal smart hub choice for most people.

While the bigger screen size makes the Nest Hub Max slightly more practical, camera performance isn't enough to justify the premium unless you're specifically looking for a smart display for high-traffic areas like the kitchen, and looking for basic remote home monitoring.