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looks
Thanks to the picture frame design, Amazon’s Echo Show 15 looks great on your worktop or wall-mounted. The customizable widgets make excellent use of the 15.6-inch screen, allowing you to quickly see the information you want. While the Echo Show 15 is perfect for content consumption, the poor camera quality makes the Visual ID feature and video calling less than enjoyable.
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The Nest Hub Max shines like a smart display thanks to Google Assistant and excellent automatic color temperature adjustment for images. Access to YouTube is great for entertaining while you cook, and the clear, wide-angle camera makes the Nest Hub Max great for video calling. Unfortunately, you cannot cover the camera, nor can you customize the information on your screen.
It seems like Amazon is constantly releasing new smart speakers, and the latest one is the biggest too. At 15.6 inches, the Echo Show 15’s photo frame-inspired design calls for it to be hung on a wall or placed on a work surface. On the other side of the spectrum, Google’s largest smart display to date came out in over two years, and it’s still smaller than the latest Echo Show.
However, that does not mean that the Nest Hub Max is outdated. Google Assistant maintains its leadership in the intelligence department, as does its premium hardware. But between these great smart speakers, should you get the Amazon Echo Show 15 or the Nest Hub Max? Let’s see if we can help you with that.
Amazon Echo Show 15 vs Nest Hub Max Comparison: Take Advantage of Space
Bigger is not always better; What matters is the use of the displayed space. Until the Amazon Echo Show 15 introduced its 15.6-inch screen, many smart monitor users were quite happy with the largest screen sizes of 10 inches, which is what the Nest Hub Max offers.
However, Amazon is constantly working on the user interface of its smart screens to offer new features to make better use of the screens of its products, including Alexa Widgets. Just like we see it on our smartphones, widgets are smaller, more compact versions of a larger app on the home screen, and they work great here.
With a lot of screen real estate in the Echo Show 15, you can see clear information in your shopping list, sticky notes, weather, calendar, and more when you’re not using it to view photos from Amazon Photos or Facebook.
While the Nest Hub Max offers similar types of information as well, it’s not really customizable. It all displays automatically based on the time of day and what Google Assistant thinks you want to see.
On the Echo Show 15, you can pick and choose from a range of tools to display on your device. Today, the only tools available are those made by Amazon, but the company has unlocked the ability to create third-party tools for developers. The smart display also works in portrait or landscape orientation, whether it’s wall-mounted or tabletop-mounted using a stand that is sold separately.
| Amazon Echo Show 15 | Google Nest Hub Max | |
|---|---|---|
| price | $250 | $190 |
| Healer | Amlogic Pop1 SoC with Amazon AZ2 Neural Edge Processor | Amlogic T931 |
| smart assistant | Alexa | Google Assistant |
| touch screen | 15.6 inch HD | 10 inch HD |
| Amplifiers | 2 x 1.6 inch full range speakers | 2 x 0.7″ 10W tweeters, 1 x 2.95″ 30W subwoofer |
| camera | 5 mega pixel + shutter | 6.5 mega pixels with 127 degrees FOV |
| Privacy Controls | Camera physical cover, microphone electronic switch | A physical switch to electronically disable the microphone and camera |
| WIFI | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), dual antenna (MIMO) | 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| Bluetooth | A2DP, AVRCP | 5.0 |
| Chromecast built-in | number | yes |
| smart home integration | sidewalk | Works with Google Assistant |
| face face | yes | yes |
| Voice Match | yes | yes |
| Gesture controls | number | yes |
| Pictures | Amazon or Facebook photos can be displayed on the home screen | Google Photos can be displayed on the home screen |
| Low Power Mode | Uses less energy when not in use | Dims the screen to ambient light when not in use |
| Security system compatibility | Works with Guard Plus | Works with Nest Aware |
| Can you delete old recordings? | yes | yes |
| size | 15.8 x 9.9 x 1.4 inches | 9.85 x 7.19 x 3.99 inches |
| Weight | 4.88 EGP | 2.91 EGP |
Of course, with a screen the size of the Echo Show 15, it seems clear that it was used for content consumption. Fortunately, it can access expected streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, but one glaring omission from the providers is YouTube. This is where the Nest Hub Max starts to create some ground. You’ll have access to YouTube, Netflix, and more, while also being able to connect to the Google Photos library with live albums.
One of the design flaws plaguing both smart displays is the rear speakers. When you’re watching something or listening to your favorite audio, the audio is focused away from the screen, which means you’ll most likely turn the volume up too high. However, thanks to a dedicated amplifier, the Nest Hub Max has the fullest sound between these two devices.
Amazon Echo Show 15 vs Nest Hub Max: It’s All About Optics
Another way the Echo Show 15 takes advantage of its screen size is picture-in-picture. This allows you to follow the recipe in a large view with a smaller internal feed for the security cam, for example.
However, aside from the lackluster rear speakers, the camera is one of the other areas that suffers. At just 5MP, it does a good job with video calls, but the picture appears muddy. If you use it in less than ideal lighting, the dynamic range will struggle, and the person on the other end will get poor nutrition. Poor camera quality also contributes to visual identifier, a feature that identifies family members for personalized experiences, and gets hit and miss.
Where the Nest Hub Max lacks in gadgets and screen size, it more than makes up for in the optics department. While the camera on the Google Smart Display isn’t the highest in terms of resolution at 6.5MP, the sensor handles video and light better. It also has a wider field of view at 127 degrees, instead of the 110 degrees on the Echo Show 15. These metrics combine to improve video call quality and more personalized experiences based on what the camera sees.
Where the Nest Hub Max lacks in gadgets and screen size, it more than makes up for in the optics department.
Subject tracking is also a great feature of the Nest Hub Max. During a video call, if you move in the photo frame, the camera will digitally follow you to make sure you’re still in focus. Google has been able to do this via software magic, rather than physically moving like the Echo Show 10 (3rd generation).
Still, on the topic of cameras, that’s something more about what hasn’t been seen. Both of these smart displays can disable the microphone and camera but do so in different ways. The microphone and camera on the Nest Hub Max are disabled electronically — albeit via a physical switch. In the case of the Echo Show 15’s, the microphone is disabled by an electronically disconnected button. The camera is disabled by hovering over an actual shutter to hide it.
Amazon Echo Show 15 vs Nest Hub Max Comparison: Getting Some Help
Both the Echo Show 15 and the Nest Hub Max are smart displays, which means that digital voice assistants are accessible. On the Echo Show 15, you’ll get Amazon’s Alexa, and for the Nest Hub Max, there’s the Google Assistant. Now, the aspect of Google Assistant versus the Amazon Alexa wall you’re using can be a major factor in deciding which screen is best for you since they each have strengths.
In some ways, Google Assistant can be more elegant because it integrates so tightly into the best Android phones. This integration allows the digital assistant to get to know you, help you perform tasks easier, and deliver the same experience across different devices, including the Nest Hub Max.
Amazon continues to improve Alexa capabilities and ease of use. Both assistants can help answer questions, tell you the weather, control your smart home devices, and more. It is possible to have both in the same house if you are willing to know the limits of each option to get the device that suits your needs.
Amazon Echo Show 15 vs Nest Hub Max Comparison: Which Should You Buy?
These two smart displays are the largest displays available from Google and Amazon. Both pack a lot of features into the hardware, but what’s best for you boils down to a few things: need, use, and which digital assistant you prefer.
Exactly based on size, the Echo Show 15 wins. It’s not just big for the sake of being big. Amazon has done a good job of taking advantage of the big screen with Alexa Widgets. Customizing the information you see on the screen is unique and adds a lot of benefits. If you are an individual who is busy managing schedules and tasks, being able to quickly see information at a glance is great. The Google Nest Hub Max does this kind of thing, but it’s not customizable and offers less utility in this way.
Google and Amazon both have winners to present, but the best one for you depends on a few key factors.
If you want a smart screen that you’ll use often to watch videos, the Echo Show 15 is also great given its size. However, if you watch a lot of videos on YouTube, you will be better served with the Nest Hub Max. Both allow access to the best streaming services, but only Google’s offering has YouTube. The Nest Hub Max also offers the best option for making video calls thanks to its much better camera and features.
Finally, while it doesn’t have to be a deciding factor, for some it may be. If you are deeply rooted in the world of Google Assistant, you may have trouble adapting to the use of Alexa on the Echo Show 15. Like I said before, they are both very capable digital assistants. But, depending on the smart home ecosystem you’re used to and your desire to flip between the two, it may end up being what decides for you. No matter which smart screen you choose, you will get an impressive device.
Prime time ready
The 15.6-inch screen is great for watching your favorite shows, as long as it’s not on YouTube, and for getting things done, thanks to Alexa Widgets. With the option to mount on the wall or place it on a tabletop, the Echo Show 15 is ready to shine anywhere.
keep in touch
When the Nest Hub Max lacks in size, it makes up for in mind and video calling. Google Assistant offers a more personal digital assistant with the same experience on all your devices. When it comes to video calls, you’ll always be in focus and in frame, thanks to the great Nest Hub Max camera.