There is no single winner. Choose Apple HomeView if your household is built around Apple devices, FaceTime, Apple Home and Apple media. Choose Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) if you want a compact Google Home display and prefer a model whose official specifications do not list a camera. Choose Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) if a large kitchen or family dashboard, Alexa routines, Fire TV and video calls matter most.
Apple, Google and Amazon publish the specifications summarized below; ecosystem fit determines the recommendations, and no independent hands-on testing is cited. The decisive questions are which assistant controls your existing devices, how much screen you need, whether you want a camera, and where the display will live.
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At a glance: the three displays serve different homes
| Model | Best fit | Display and placement | Camera and calling | Assistant and media |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple HomeView | Apple-first households wanting FaceTime, Apple Home and personalized Apple services | 7-inch Liquid Retina display; countertop or wall-mounted designs | 12MP Center Stage camera; FaceTime, Messages, Intercom and camera feeds | Siri AI; Apple Music, Podcasts, News, TV, AirPlay and compatible third-party apps |
| Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) | Google Home users wanting a small, camera-free-by-specification display | 7-inch 1024×600 touchscreen; compact countertop form | Google’s specifications do not list a camera; hands-free calls with Meet | Google Assistant; YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, Google Photos, Cast and smart-home control |
| Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) | Alexa households needing the largest screen, Fire TV and a family dashboard | 21-inch Full-HD 1080p display; wall-oriented design | 13MP camera; video calling with 3.3× zoom and a wide field of view | Alexa and Fire OS 7 with built-in Fire TV, widgets and streaming |
Screen sizes are not directly comparable in use: HomeView and Nest Hub are approximately 7-inch class displays, while Echo Show 21 is a 21-inch wall display. A larger panel is useful for recipes, calendars and group viewing, but it also requires a different mounting location and a willingness to keep a camera in the room.
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What it is
Apple announced HomeView on October 13, 2026 as a 7-inch smart display combining Siri AI, Apple Home control, communication and entertainment. It can sit on a countertop or be wall-mounted. Apple positions it as a shared household device that still feels personal to each user: the display recognizes users by face and presents personalized content.
#1 Best Overall
- Alexa can show you more - Echo Show 5 includes a 5.5” display so you can see news and weather at a glance, make video calls, view compatible cameras, stream music and shows, and more.
- Small size, bigger sound – Stream your favorite music, shows, podcasts, and more from providers like Amazon Music, Spotify, and Prime Video—now with deeper bass and clearer vocals. Includes a 5.5" display so you can view shows, song titles, and more at a glance.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart devices like lights and thermostats, even while you're away.
- See more with the built-in camera – Check in on your family, pets, and more using the built-in camera. Drop in on your home when you're out or view the front door from your Echo Show 5 with compatible video doorbells.
- See your photos on display – When not in use, set the background to a rotating slideshow of your favorite photos. Invite family and friends to share photos to your Echo Show. Prime members also get unlimited cloud photo storage.
The hardware uses an A18 chip, a 12MP Center Stage camera, four microphones, two full-range drivers and a down-firing woofer in the countertop version. Apple lists Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, computational audio and AirPlay multiroom audio. These are specifications, not a guarantee of better sound than either rival; no independent audio measurements are established here.
What you can do with it
- Make FaceTime calls with Center Stage framing, send Messages and use Intercom around the home.
- Control compatible Apple Home accessories, view supported camera feeds and trigger hands-free automations.
- Play Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple News and Apple TV content, plus compatible third-party apps.
- Use recipe guidance, Find My and other Apple services from a shared household screen.
Siri AI processing can occur on-device or through Apple’s Private Cloud Compute. Apple says Secure Exclaves isolate camera and microphone processing. Those design choices are relevant if your household is comfortable with a camera-enabled display but wants Apple’s stated privacy architecture. They do not make the device camera-free: HomeView has an always-present 12MP camera for Center Stage and recognition features.
Price and availability
Apple lists both the countertop and wall-mounted models at $299 in the United States. Preorders began October 13, 2026, with availability beginning November 13, 2026 in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Siri AI is listed as available in English in those countries plus Singapore and South Africa. Apple says HomeView is not available for sale in the European Union because Siri AI is currently unavailable in iOS in the EU. Availability and language support can change, so buyers outside the listed markets should verify Apple’s current regional store information.
Who should choose it
HomeView is the logical choice when most of your household already uses iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Music or Apple Home accessories and FaceTime is the preferred way to call. Its value comes from continuity between those services, not from having the largest screen or the lowest stated price. If your smart-home equipment and routines are primarily configured in Google Home or Alexa, moving ecosystems may be more important than any HomeView feature.
Rank #2
- New size, more viewing area: The 11“ smart display features a vibrant Full-HD touchscreen with 60% more viewing area versus Echo Show 8 (2025 release), built-in smart home hub, AZ3 Pro chip for powerful performance, and Omnisense technology for highly personalized experiences.
- Content looks and sounds incredible: Watch shows on Prime Video, Netflix, and more on the vibrant Full-HD 11" screen and enjoy room-filling spatial audio, crisper vocals, wider sound stage, and up to 2x bass versus Echo Show 8 (2023 release). With Alexa+, find the name of that song you love and discover new shows based on your preferences.
- Your everyday assistant: The 11" display makes it easy to see recipes and calendars at a glance, find meal inspo, and manage your shopping lists. With Alexa+, find recipes based on foods you love, make reservations, order groceries, and more.
- Simple Smart Home control: Pair and control thousands of devices that work with Alexa without needing a separate smart home hub. Easily view your camera feeds. Manage lights, thermostats, and more using the display or your voice. With Omnisense technology, you can activate routines via temperature, presence, or visual ID detection.
- Crystal-clear video calls: Video calls feel natural on the vibrant 11" screen with a centered, auto-framing camera, 3.3x zoom, and noise reduction technology. Use live view to check in on your family, pets, and more while you're away.
Google Nest Hub (2nd gen): compact Google control without a listed camera
Core hardware and privacy controls
Google lists a 7-inch 1024×600 touchscreen, a 19.7-ounce weight, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, Google Cast, a 1.7-inch full-range speaker driver, three far-field microphones, a microphone-off switch, an ambient light sensor with Ambient EQ, a temperature sensor and Soli Motion Sense. Google Assistant and Voice Match provide voice interaction and user recognition.
Google’s official specifications for Nest Hub (2nd gen) do not list a camera. Google’s comparison material identifies Nest Hub Max, rather than the second-generation Nest Hub, as the model with a built-in camera for video calls and home monitoring. That distinction matters: do not assume that every Nest-branded display has the same hardware.
Supported entertainment and communication
- Watch YouTube, Netflix and Disney+ on the touchscreen.
- Display Google Photos and use Google Cast and speaker groups.
- Control compatible smart-home devices through Google Home.
- Make hands-free calls with Google Meet.
The 7-inch panel is suited to a bedside table, desk or kitchen counter where you want glanceable information without dedicating a wall. Its 1024×600 resolution is materially lower than the 21-inch Echo Show’s 1080p panel, but the smaller footprint is easier to place and keeps the device visually unobtrusive.
Who should choose it
Choose Nest Hub (2nd gen) when your household already relies on Google Home, Google Assistant, YouTube, Google Photos or Cast and you specifically want a compact display without a camera listed in the specifications. It is also the clearest fit for buyers who want microphone muting and ultrasound or Soli sensing while avoiding a camera-equipped model. Google and Amazon’s current retail prices and discounts are not established by the official specification pages, so check live listings before deciding on value.
Rank #3
- New size, more viewing area: The 11“ smart display features a vibrant Full-HD touchscreen with 60% more viewing area versus Echo Show 8 (2025 release), built-in smart home hub, AZ3 Pro chip for powerful performance, and Omnisense technology for highly personalized experiences.
- Content looks and sounds incredible: Watch shows on Prime Video, Netflix, and more on the vibrant Full-HD 11" screen and enjoy room-filling spatial audio, crisper vocals, wider sound stage, and up to 2x bass versus Echo Show 8 (2023 release). With Alexa+, find the name of that song you love and discover new shows based on your preferences.
- Your everyday assistant: The 11" display makes it easy to see recipes and calendars at a glance, find meal inspo, and manage your shopping lists. With Alexa+, find recipes based on foods you love, make reservations, order groceries, and more.
- Simple Smart Home control: Pair and control thousands of devices that work with Alexa without needing a separate smart home hub. Easily view your camera feeds. Manage lights, thermostats, and more using the display or your voice. With Omnisense technology, you can activate routines via temperature, presence, or visual ID detection.
- Crystal-clear video calls: Video calls feel natural on the vibrant 11" screen with a centered, auto-framing camera, 3.3x zoom, and noise reduction technology. Use live view to check in on your family, pets, and more while you're away.
Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024): the large-screen Alexa and Fire TV option
What the 21-inch format changes
Echo Show 21 (2024) is a 21-inch Full-HD 1080p smart display designed around wall-oriented use. The panel can function as a family dashboard, recipe screen, video-call station or television substitute in a kitchen or common room. Its size makes calendars, widgets and shared viewing practical from across a room, but it is not a like-for-like countertop alternative to a 7-inch display.
Hardware and software
Amazon lists Alexa, built-in Fire TV, Fire OS 7, Wi-Fi 6E, 4GB of RAM and a 2024 release year. Customizable widgets provide at-a-glance information, while Fire TV supplies streaming on the large panel. Amazon also specifies a 13MP camera with video calling, 3.3× zoom and a wide field of view.
The camera makes Echo Show 21 suitable for household video calls, but it also makes privacy and placement decisions unavoidable. Position it where calls are useful and where household members are comfortable with a camera. No independent ranking is established for microphone quality, camera quality, reliability or long-term software support.
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Echo Show 21 is the strongest fit for Alexa users who want Fire TV and a shared screen substantially larger than either HomeView or Nest Hub. It is especially practical when a wall can carry a 21-inch display and several people need to see recipes, timers, widgets or video at once. It is excessive if you only need bedside controls, music or occasional voice queries.
Rank #4
- MEET ECHO SPOT - A sleek smart alarm clock with Alexa and big vibrant sound. Ready to help you wake up, wind down, and so much more.
- CUSTOMIZABLE SMART CLOCK - See time, weather, and song titles at a glance, control smart home devices, and more. Personalize your display with your favorite clock face and fun colors.
- BIG VIBRANT SOUND - Enjoy rich sound with clear vocals and deep bass. Just ask Alexa to play music, podcasts, and audiobooks. See song titles and touch to control your music.
- EASE INTO THE DAY - Set up an Alexa routine that gently wakes you with music and gradual light. Glance at the time, check reminders, or ask Alexa for weather updates.
- KEEP YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE - Control compatible smart home devices. Just ask Alexa to turn on lights or touch the screen to dim. Create routines that use motion detection to turn down the thermostat as you head out or open the blinds when you walk into a room.
Compare the features that actually decide the purchase
Ecosystem and assistant
Your existing ecosystem should be the first filter. HomeView is built around Apple Home and Siri AI; Nest Hub is built around Google Home and Google Assistant; Echo Show 21 is built around Alexa and Fire TV. A compatible accessory may support more than one platform, but routines, accounts, media libraries and voice habits do not always transfer cleanly. List the lights, locks, cameras, thermostats and routines you already use, then confirm that the display’s platform supports them before buying.
Screen, room and mounting
| Need | Best match | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Small footprint for a counter or bedside table | Nest Hub (2nd gen) or HomeView | Both use approximately 7-inch displays; HomeView also has a countertop model. |
| Apple services in a shared household device | HomeView | Apple media, FaceTime, Home controls and personalized content are integrated. |
| Recipes, calendars and viewing from across a room | Echo Show 21 | The 21-inch 1080p panel is designed for wall-oriented, shared viewing. |
| Wall mounting while staying in Apple’s ecosystem | HomeView wall-mounted model | Apple lists both countertop and wall-mounted designs at the same U.S. price. |
Camera and privacy
- HomeView: includes a 12MP Center Stage camera and uses face recognition for personalized content. Apple says camera and microphone processing is isolated with Secure Exclaves; Siri AI can use on-device or Private Cloud Compute processing.
- Nest Hub (2nd gen): Google’s specifications do not list a camera. It has a physical microphone-off switch. Do not confuse it with Nest Hub Max, which Google identifies as camera-equipped.
- Echo Show 21: includes a 13MP camera for video calling, with 3.3× zoom and a wide field of view.
If a camera is a hard no, Nest Hub (2nd gen) is the only one of these three whose official specifications do not list one. It still has microphones and sensing hardware, so camera-free does not mean sensor-free.
Calling and communication
HomeView’s communication stack is FaceTime, Messages and Intercom, with Center Stage keeping a caller in frame. Nest Hub supports hands-free calls with Meet but has no camera listed. Echo Show 21 supports video calling through its 13MP camera and wide field of view. Match the display to the services your family and contacts already use; a technically capable device is less useful if your contacts do not use its calling platform.
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Media libraries
Apple users get Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple News and Apple TV on HomeView, along with AirPlay multiroom audio. Nest Hub supports YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, Google Photos, Google Cast and speaker groups. Echo Show 21’s differentiator is built-in Fire TV alongside Alexa and customizable widgets. These are ecosystem differences rather than a universal quality ranking.
Best Value
- Alexa can show you more - Echo Show 5 includes a 5.5” display so you can see news and weather at a glance, make video calls, view compatible cameras, stream music and shows, and more.
- Small size, bigger sound – Stream your favorite music, shows, podcasts, and more from providers like Amazon Music, Spotify, and Prime Video—now with deeper bass and clearer vocals. Includes a 5.5" display so you can view shows, song titles, and more at a glance.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart devices like lights and thermostats, even while you're away.
- See more with the built-in camera – Check in on your family, pets, and more using the built-in camera. Drop in on your home when you're out or view the front door from your Echo Show 5 with compatible video doorbells.
- See your photos on display – When not in use, set the background to a rotating slideshow of your favorite photos. Invite family and friends to share photos to your Echo Show. Prime members also get unlimited cloud photo storage.
A practical decision process
- Inventory your accounts and accessories. Write down whether your lights, cameras, thermostats and routines are managed in Apple Home, Google Home or Alexa. Give priority to the platform that already controls the most devices.
- Measure the intended location. A 7-inch display can share a counter or nightstand. Echo Show 21 needs a wall-oriented location and enough viewing distance for a 21-inch panel.
- Decide on camera tolerance. Select Nest Hub (2nd gen) if the absence of a listed camera is essential. Select HomeView or Echo Show 21 only if their calling and recognition features justify a camera in your room.
- Choose your calling service. Pick FaceTime for Apple contacts, Meet for Google households, or Echo video calling for Alexa users.
- Match media habits. Apple libraries and AirPlay point to HomeView; YouTube, Netflix, Disney+ and Google Photos point to Nest Hub; Fire TV streaming points to Echo Show 21.
- Check regional availability and the live price. HomeView’s published U.S. price is $299, with the listed November 13, 2026 launch markets and an EU restriction tied to Siri AI. Official specification pages do not establish current Google or Amazon retail prices, so verify those at purchase time.
Common buying mistakes
Choosing by screen size alone
A 21-inch display is not automatically better. It is better for shared, wall-based viewing and worse for a small bedside table. Conversely, a 7-inch display is easier to place but cannot provide the same across-room visibility.
Assuming “smart display” means the same camera setup
HomeView and Echo Show 21 have cameras. Nest Hub (2nd gen) does not list one in Google’s specifications, while Nest Hub Max does. Check the exact generation and model name before ordering.
Ignoring platform compatibility
Voice assistants can sometimes control the same accessory, but advanced routines, media accounts and calling features remain platform-specific. Confirm your most important devices and services rather than relying on a product category label.
Treating announced availability as universal availability
HomeView’s November 13, 2026 availability applies to Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States according to Apple. Apple says it is not sold in the European Union while Siri AI is unavailable in iOS there. Retail availability for the other two products and any regional restrictions should be checked at publication or purchase.
Which smart display is best for your situation?
Best for an iPhone and Apple Home household: Apple HomeView
HomeView combines Apple Home control, FaceTime, Apple media, AirPlay, Intercom and personalized content in a single shared device. Its $299 U.S. price is published for both form factors, but the EU restriction and camera requirement may rule it out for some buyers.
Best compact option without a listed camera: Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)
Nest Hub is the practical Google choice when you want a 7-inch screen, Google services, smart-home control and a microphone switch without a camera listed in the official specifications. It is not the choice for video calls that require an onboard camera.
Best large-screen family dashboard: Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)
Echo Show 21 is the clear format choice for a 21-inch wall display, Alexa routines, Fire TV, widgets and camera-based video calls. Its size and camera make it a specialized household hub rather than a universal replacement for a small smart speaker.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
