GoogleGood TimingGood Time to Buy — Early in the product cycle
Nest Hub Max
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Clara’s Verdict
ExcellentA gorgeous 10-inch smart display that's perfect for video calls, streaming, and controlling your home with excellent sound and a built-in camera.
Best for: Busy families who want video calls on a bigger screen, Google Home users who want a camera for security, Anyone who loves cooking with recipe videos, People who care about design and aesthetics
Skip if: Privacy-focused people uncomfortable with always-on cameras, Audiophiles wanting premium sound quality, People who only use non-Google video calling apps
Ethan’s Verdict
Very GoodGood smart display with a useful camera and decent audio, but pricing and software limitations keep it from being a compelling buy.
Best for: Google ecosystem loyalists, Video call enthusiasts, Users who want a security camera built in
Skip if: Audio-first buyers, Privacy-conscious users, Those needing Netflix or broad streaming support
Clara’s Pros & Cons
- +Beautiful design that actually looks good in your home
- +Excellent speakers fill a room with clear, quality sound
- +10-inch bright screen is perfect for recipes and video calls
- +Motion-tracking camera follows you during calls
- −No physical camera shutter raises privacy concerns
- −Video calls limited to Google Duo and Zoom only
- −Audio lacks deep bass compared to dedicated speakers
- −Currently selling above MSRP on major retailers
Ethan’s Pros & Cons
- +10-inch display is vibrant and properly sized for streaming
- +Motion-tracking camera intelligently follows you during video calls
- +Speaker quality is significantly better than the original Nest Hub
- +Face Match and gesture controls add practical personalization
- −No physical camera shutter raises legitimate privacy concerns
- −Audio lacks bass depth and distorts at high volume
- −Video calling locked to Google Duo only, excluding Zoom alternatives
- −Currently overpriced at $331 versus $229 MSRP
Score Breakdown
Performance & Reliability8.012% wt
Setup & Usability8.522% wt
Smart Features8.015% wt
Build & Design8.522% wt
Compatibility7.512% wt
Security & Privacy7.07% wt
Value7.010% wt
Score Breakdown
Performance & Reliability7.520% wt
Setup & Usability8.012% wt
Smart Features8.018% wt
Build & Design8.012% wt
Compatibility7.015% wt
Security & Privacy6.513% wt
Value5.510% wt
Clara’s Full Review
A Smart Display That Actually Fits Your Home
Here's what I love about the Nest Hub Max: it doesn't look like a tech gadget. Reviewers consistently praise its elegant design with the fabric-covered stand and tablet-like screen. It comes in chalk or charcoal gray, and it actually looks intentional on your kitchen counter or nightstand, not like you just plopped a tablet there.
The 10-inch touchscreen is bright and colorful with a 1280 x 800 resolution that makes everything from YouTube videos to recipe cards look crisp and clear. The ambient light sensor adjusts brightness automatically, so you can actually see it in sunlight at the park or during morning carpool. That's something families really appreciate.
For audio, reviewers say it's genuinely impressive for a smart display. The two 10-watt tweeters and 30-watt woofer deliver booming bass and clear vocals that can fill a room, even at half volume. It won't match a dedicated Google Home Max speaker, but for a display, it's excellent. Some reviewers note it's crisper than the Amazon Echo Show, though not quite as full-bodied.
Now, the camera. The 6.5MP wide-angle lens is great for video calls because it can digitally pan and zoom to follow you around the room as you move, which reviewers found genuinely helpful when cooking or chatting with family. The motion-tracking and facial recognition features (Face Match) let it recognize up to six family members and personalize what's displayed. That's clever. But here's the concern: there's no physical shutter to cover the lens, only a software disable button. If privacy is a big deal for your family, that's worth thinking about.
Video calling works with Google Duo and Zoom, but if your family uses Facetime or other platforms, you're out of luck. Some iOS users also report integration issues with Nest Cam, which is frustrating.
Performance is solid for everyday use. Reviewers say it responds quickly to voice commands and handles streaming smoothly. Google Assistant integration means you can control most of your smart home devices by voice, check weather, set timers, and pull up recipes without touching the screen.
The biggest thing holding the score back is the current price. The MSRP is $229, but it's selling for $331 on Amazon right now, which feels expensive for a smart display. At the original price, it's a fantastic value. At current prices, you're paying a premium.
For families who want a smart display with a great camera for video calls, excellent speakers, and beautiful design that fits your home, this is genuinely the best Google option out there.
Ethan’s Full Review
The Nest Hub Max Is Good, But Google's Pricing Strategy Is Questionable
Let's be clear about what the Nest Hub Max actually is: it's the original Nest Hub with a bigger screen, a built-in camera, and better speakers. That's not an insult. It's a competent smart display that does its job. But at $331 on Amazon right now, it's asking for way too much money.
Start with the display. The 10-inch HD screen is bright and colorful, which makes it genuinely useful for recipes, video calls, and streaming. The ambient light sensor adjusts brightness intelligently. That's solid execution. The motion-tracking camera is the standout hardware feature, panning and zooming during video calls to keep you centered in frame. It's clever and actually works as intended. The facial recognition (Face Match) personalizes information for up to six people, which is a nice touch if you have a family.
Now the audio. Google put in two 10W tweeters and one 30W woofer, and it shows. Sound is noticeably crisper than the smaller Nest Hub, with decent clarity on vocals. But here's the problem: it lacks low-frequency rumble and flirts with distortion at maximum volume. The Amazon Echo Show sounds slightly fuller. For a device that costs $229 to $331, you're not getting audio that justifies the price. If you want real sound quality, buy a dedicated speaker.
The camera is functional but limited. The 6.5MP sensor is sharp in well-lit rooms, but the field of view isn't as wide as dedicated Nest Cams, and there's no night vision. More critically, there's no physical shutter to cover the lens. Google's response is that you can mute the camera via a software switch, but that doesn't address the core privacy concern: if the device is hacked, someone could theoretically access the camera feed. Tom's Guide mentions a privacy switch, but the absence of a physical shutter remains a vulnerability that competitors like Amazon have addressed.
Software is where this gets frustrating. Video calling is locked to Google Duo only. No Zoom, no FaceTime, no other options. Third-party smart home device integration remains inconsistent. Netflix doesn't work. Streaming service support is embarrassingly limited. The device is essentially a Google-only box, which is fine if you're all-in on Google services, but increasingly feels like artificial limitation rather than technical constraint.
Performance is adequate. The device responds quickly to voice commands and gesture controls work reliably. But loading content often requires voice commands rather than intuitive touch navigation. It's a limitation of the software, not hardware.
The real issue is value. At $229, the Nest Hub Max is defensible. You're getting a larger screen, a camera, and decent audio in one device. But Amazon is charging $331 right now, a 45 percent markup over MSRP. That's not a supply issue anymore. That's Google's ecosystem tax. For that money, you could buy a standalone tablet and a Nest Cam separately and get more flexibility. Or you could buy an Amazon Echo Show, which offers better sound and broader streaming support.
The Nest Hub Max is a good smart display. It's not a great one. And at current pricing, it's a tough sell.
Specifications
| hub | Thread, Matter |
| audio | 2x 10W speakers |
| camera | 6.5MP Nest Cam |
| display | 10" HD touchscreen |
| assistant | Google Assistant + Gemini |
Overall Rating
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