Amazon Echo Show 21 vs Google Nest Hub Max

The Amazon Echo Show 21 wins overall for its much larger 21-inch screen, higher owner rating, and full Zigbee/Thread/Matter hub. The Google Nest Hub Max is the better choice for a Google Home household that wants a large display with a camera.

Platform and screen size. The Echo Show 21 is a 21-inch Alexa display with a Zigbee coordinator, while the Nest Hub Max is a 10-inch Google Assistant display with a built-in camera and ambient-light sensor.

Yes, both have a built-in camera, but the Echo Show 21 adds a physical camera-off switch for privacy, while the Nest Hub Max has no physical shutter and relies on software controls to turn its camera off.

The Echo Show 21 is the fuller hub: it is a Zigbee coordinator, Thread border router, and Matter bridge. The Nest Hub Max is a Thread border router and Matter bridge but not a Zigbee coordinator.

Buy the Echo Show 21 if you use Alexa and want Amazon's largest wall-mounted display for streaming and family organization, plus a full Zigbee/Thread/Matter hub and a camera with a privacy switch.

Buy the Google Nest Hub Max if your home runs on Google Home and you want a large 10-inch display with a built-in camera for video calls, home monitoring, and Nest device viewing.