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Displays · Head to head

Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) vs Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)

Full Smart Displays comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Google site.
2026 verdict
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is the stronger smart display of these two, with a larger screen, a camera and a built-in Zigbee hub.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Winner
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
$149.99
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
Its 8-inch 1280 x 800 touchscreen beats the 7-inch 1024 x 600 panel, its camera with a physical shutter handles video calls, and it adds a Zigbee coordinator to the Thread border router and Matter bridge both share, and it is also the better reviewed. The Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) is the one to choose if you want no camera at all in the room, since it uses a radar sensor for Sleep Sensing and adds an ambient light sensor the Echo lacks. The ecosystem decides the rest: the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) runs Alexa, the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) runs Google Assistant, and neither speaks the other's language.
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FeatureAmazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)Winner
Price$149.99$299.99Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Rating4.44.2Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
HubZigbee Coordinator, Thread Border Router, Matter BridgeThread Border Router, Matter BridgeAmazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Screen Size8"7"Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
CameraYESNOAmazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Warranty1 year1 yearTie
Connectivity2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, BluetoothTie
IntegrationsAlexa, Home AssistantGoogle Home, Home AssistantTie
Voice AssistantAmazon AlexaGoogle AssistantTie
SensorsMotion, Ambient LightMotion, Ambient LightTie

What the differences mean

Camera

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) has a camera with a physical shutter, so it handles video calls and Drop In. The Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) has no camera at all, which is exactly why some people want it on a nightstand.

Screen

8 inches at 1280 x 800 against 7 inches at 1024 x 600: the Echo is noticeably roomier for recipes and video, while the Nest Hub is the smaller, lighter bedside screen.

Hub roles

Both are Thread border routers and Matter bridges, but only the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is also a Zigbee coordinator. If you have Zigbee bulbs or sensors and no other hub, that settles it.

Sensors

Both detect presence (the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) with radar, which also powers its Sleep Sensing). Only the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) has an ambient light sensor for automatic brightness.

Assistant and platform

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) runs Alexa and works with Alexa only; the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) runs Google Assistant and works with Google Home only. Both are partially supported by Home Assistant, and neither works with Apple Home.

Which one to buy if

What owners say

Owners of both displays agree on more than the spec sheet suggests: each group calls the sound surprisingly good for the size, setup quick, and pulling up a doorbell or entry camera by voice one of the most used tricks. The differences are in what they single out. Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) owners talk about spatial audio that fills a room, a snappy processor and a camera good enough for video calls in low light, while their complaints centre on the Alexa+ app rollout breaking speaker groups and music preferences and on multi-room audio that drifts out of sync. Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) owners single out the Google Photos frame, Sleep Sensing at the bedside and units still running after years, and complain that the display offers less control than the Google Home app, cannot be customised much and handles only major languages well.

Price history compared

Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.

  • Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
  • Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Echo Show 8 vs Google Nest Hub: which is better, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) or the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)?

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) for most homes: it has the bigger 8-inch screen, a camera with a shutter and a Zigbee hub on top of Thread and Matter, and it is the better reviewed. The Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) is the better fit for Google households and for a bedroom where you want no camera.

What is the biggest difference between the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) and the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)?

The ecosystem, then the camera. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) runs Alexa and has a camera for video calls; the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) runs Google Assistant and has no camera, using radar for presence and Sleep Sensing.

Does the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) have a camera?

No. The Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) has no camera, which makes it a popular bedside display. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) has one, with a physical shutter to cover it.

Which one works as a smart home hub?

Both are Thread border routers and Matter bridges. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is also a Zigbee coordinator, so it can connect Zigbee devices directly, which the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) cannot.

Who should buy the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?

Alexa households that want a kitchen or living room display with a camera for calls, room-filling sound and a Zigbee, Thread and Matter hub in one device.

Who should buy the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)?

Google Home households that want a compact, camera-free display for the bedside or kitchen, a Google Photos frame and radar-based Sleep Sensing.

Full comparison table

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