If you’ve been looking to pick up a smart display, today looks like a decent time to take the plunge, as Walmart has our favorite option on the market, Google’s Nest Hub, down to $39. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen to date for the second-gen model. Notably, the discount includes a basic Philips Wiz smart bulb for no extra cost. For context, the 7-inch smart display technically has an MSRP of $99, though we frequently see it on sale for $50. The deal covers both the “chalk” and “charcoal” versions of the display, but the former looks to be out of stock as of this writing.
We gave the second-gen Nest Hub a review score of 89 when it launched last year, and it’s currently a top pick in our guide to the best smart displays. Like Amazon’s Echo Show devices, it’s mainly there for those who like using a voice assistant to pull up the weather, control smart home gear, stream music and videos, display recipes in the kitchen and so on. Its chief advantage over Amazon’s devices is, unsurprisingly, its tighter integration with Google services: If much of your life is organized in Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Photos, or if you use other Google-owned gear like Nest doorbells and thermostats, using the Google Assistant to access those things here will be far more convenient. We’ve also found the Google Assistant to be a little more capable than Alexa at answering web queries.
As a piece of hardware, the Nest Hub isn’t blazingly fast, nor is its 1,024 x 600 resolution display especially sharp. Still, its built-in speakers and microphones do the job, and its soft fabric design should blend naturally into most rooms. Its 7-inch frame is a natural fit on a bedside table or bathroom counter, and while it lacks a built-in camera, that may be a good thing for those who want an added sense of privacy. The device can also provide a modicum of sleep tracking, though we wouldn’t call that necessary for most, and Google plans to charge extra for the feature in the coming months. Nevertheless, the Nest Hub provides a strong mix of price and functionality for those who aren’t already hitched to Alexa, and this deal only furthers that.
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