Smart displays, ranked by critic score
4 ranked by critic score · 3 more not yet ranked · 33 professional reviews
Smart displays with a screen and voice assistant, judged on the screen, sound and smart-home control.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen)
4 professional reviewers tested the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen), and 3 recommend it. Most praised: sound and picture quality. Most common complaint: price.
The catch: There is no physical camera shutter, and it costs more than the previous model.
Early score: only 4 professional reviews so far. Expect it to move as more reviews come in.
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- 1Photo comingAmazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen)Top pick, narrowly4 reviews · early score85
- 2Photo comingAmazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen)Runner-up7 reviews84
- 3Photo comingAmazon Echo Show 11Best for a big, sharp screen4 reviews · early score79
- 4Photo comingAmazon Echo Spot (2024)Best bedside alarm clock11 reviews76
The highest-rated smart display so far, by a narrow margin, is the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen): critic score 85 out of 100 from 4 reviews, 3 of them positive. Most praised: sound and picture quality. Most common complaint: price.
Early reads · 3 not yet ranked
Not ranked, listed A to Z. We publish a critic score once at least 4 professional reviews of the exact model exist; with 2 or 3 we show a provisional average.
- Amazon Echo Show 15 · provisional 74 from 2 reviews
- Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) · provisional 90 from 2 reviews
- Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) · provisional 79 from 3 reviews
Common questions
What is the best smart display?
Narrowly, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen), with a critic score of 85 from 4 professional reviews. Most praised: sound and picture quality. Most common complaint: price.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) vs Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen): which is better?
Critics score the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) 85 and the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) 84. We list the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) under “Runner-up”. Its main drawback: the camera is mediocre and the screen is small.