Google just announced a new assistant device with screen – Google Home Hub – at its fall hardware event in New York. And by the looks of it, the Home Hub is directly pitted against the Amazon‘s Echo Show. Interestingly, Amazon has a second-generation model of the Echo Show coming-up at the same time.
While the two devices have a lot of similarities on odder, there are some key differences which might play an important part in deciding which one to buy. So here’s a handy comparison guide with pros and cons of both the devices to help you decide.
Amazon Echo Show vs Google Home Hub
The Google Home Hub is smaller with 7-inch screen compared to 10.1-inch of the Echo Show. The speaker underneath is packed in a small box, giving the impression of an almost floating display. The speaker base has a fabric covering and rounded corners. It has a dimension of 178.5 x 118 x 67.3 mm and weighs 480g.
The new Amazon Echo Show, meanwhile, is bulkier and heavier, measuring 246 x 174 x 107 mm in dimension and 1,775g in weight. It has box-like structure, with a speaker encased inside it.
The Google Home Hub doesn’t have a camera while Amazon Echo Show has. This, however, might be good or bad depending on choices. No camera means you won’t be able to use the Hub to capture images or to video chat with friends. But in the other hand, you don’t have the privacy concerns of an all-seeing always-open eyes of the Echo Show.
The Home Hub comes with a ‘voice match’ feature which recognizes who’s passing the orders and tailors the responses accordingly. Its machine learning algorithm can filter-out bad or blurry images, and selects ‘the best’ images from your Google Photos account as the screensaver. It can automatically turn itself off at night, and has a ‘Downtime Mode’ to keep it from distracting users.
Google Home Hub also beats Amazon Echo Show in terms of YouTube support. Google has optimized the YouTube app for the display and has integrated Google Assistant voice control. Google Home Hub buyers will even get 6 months YouTube Premium for free. The Echo Show, meanwhile, is really poor at YouTube support, due to Amazon’s ongoing spat with Google.
When it comes to the part of the smart home hub, both can do equally well in controlling your smart locks, cameras, lights, thermostats etc. But Alexa has a greater number of first-party product support, so Echo Show may be a better choice for house-wide smart integration. However, if you’re already invested in Google products, like Chromecast, Home Hub is the one for you.
Compare Google Home Hub and Amazon Echo Show Specs
| Google Home Hub | Amazon Echo Show | |
| Smart home hub | Yes | Yes |
| Display | 7-inch | 10.1-inch |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Camera | No | Yes, 5MP |
| Weight | 480g | 1,775g |
| Dimensions | 178.5 x 118 x 67.3 mm | 246 x 174 x 107 mm |
| Voice assistant | Google Assistant | Alexa |
| YouTube | Yes, with a six-month Premium subscription | Yes, but it’s horrible |
Price and availability
The Amazon Echo Show (2nd gen) is currently up for pre-order at $230, which includes a FREE Philips Hue smart bulb. Amazon will begin shipping the device on October 11.
The Google Home Hub is lighter for your wallet, with Google pricing it at $149. Amazon has placed its screen-less second-generation Echo Plus, which outwits Google’s Home smart speaker lineup in almost every aspect, in this price bracket.
The Home Hub comes in green (Aqua), pink (Sand), dark grey (Charcoal), and white (Chalk) color options. The Echo Show, meanwhile, is available only in monochromatic black or white.
Pro tip: These are smart home devices we’re talking about. A lot of new features may get added to either of the devices with a software update. So stay tuned for any such software patches that could swing the balance in favor of one or the other.
