If your phone is often on the kitchen counter as you try to fix something for your loved ones while also catching up with family and friends, you will need to invest in some of the best smart displays that allow for video calling. You will need the best smart display for this, not just to save your phone from sauce splatters, but also to save the phone from accidental falls, while also giving you and the persons on the other side a better chance at communicating with you. And if you must handle a work video call from wherever you are in the house, you better do that using the best possible smart display.
The smart display is not just great for streaming music and videos but also for answering phone calls and video calls while accessing recipes and getting works done, all hands-free.
In this article, we’ll share a comprehensive guide on the best smart displays for video calling.
Contents
Comparison Table – Best Smart Displays for Video Calling
Best Smart Display for Video Calling | Best For | Check price here |
|---|---|---|
Amazon Echo Show 10 | Best Overall Smart Displays for Video Calling | |
Google Nest Hub Max | Best Value for Money | |
Lenovo Smart Display 10 | Best Smart Display with Google Assistant | |
Facebook Portal | Best for Video Calls | |
JBL Link View Smart Display | Best Sound Quality |
Reviews of Best Smart Displays for Video Calling
Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) – Best Overall Smart Displays for Video Calling
If you are looking for a high-performance smart display that allows for seamless video calling, you may want to try investing in this Amazon Echo Show, a high-performance smart display that offers the best video recognition and video calling performance.
One of the features that stands out from this smart display is its rotating 10.1” HD screen, a feature that allows the display screen to follow you around your home, meaning that the display is always within your gaze, whether you are following a recipe or on-call with your loved ones.
This display screen doesn’t have the previous angular shape in versions of smart displays but has a more rounded aesthetic that looks a lot like the Amazon Studio display but with a screen attached to its front. There is also the 13MP camera that also makes use of the rotating screen, allowing for simple panning and zooming while on video calls. As a result, you will always be at the center of the screen’s frame.
The other feature that stands out from this smart display is its high-performance 1280x800px touchscreen, a feature that makes the screen the same size as the Nest Hub Max. Thanks to the screen’s resolution, the quality of the videos will be fine, even from a distance away. There is also the fact that the screen features an optimized function for voice activation, working elegantly with Amazon Alexa. So, if you are worried about your phone getting too messy on the kitchen counter, this Amazon Echo Show 10 would be an excellent option for you. You may also like it because it offers the best audio support.
Pros
- Excellent voice recognition
- The rotating display pans and zooms easily, and it follows you across the room.
- Your face is always in the frame
- High-quality 13MP camera
- Good video calling performance
- Great auto-framing function
- Works with Prime Video, Netflix, Apple Music, Spotify, and Hulu
Cons
- Expensive
- Some people find the speaker a little too bassy
Google Nest Hub Max – Best Value for Money
This 2nd Generation Nest Hub is the newest product from the Google Nest line of products, and it easily is one of the best and the smartest smart displays on the market. It’s also a great entry point product for anyone looking for a smart display that offers the best value for money.
With the built-in high-performance Google Assistant, the Nest Hub will easily respond to all of your voice command options, and you can video call with ease thanks to the great sound quality effects. The great sound comes from the setup featuring the Google Home Mini smart speakers. Then you also have the 10-inch touchscreen display that enhances its performance and uses, especially during video calls. However, this screen has an adaptive brightness function that ensures you access the best quality images and videos. You could also customize slideshows with your family pics, making it a screensaver. Its use in video calling is enhanced by the presence of a high-performance 6.5-megapixel camera. There is a facial recognition feature that only goes to show just how wonderful this device is and how great of an investment it would be in the new age of video calls as a new way of life and staying in contact with your loved ones.
There is a catch, though, and you wouldn’t be able to cover the shutter all the way to disable the camera. So, despite the switch flipping function for disabling the camera, it may not always work great for you.
That said, there are some pretty nifty features offered by the camera, including the Google Duo video call function that allows you to make video calls with great ease. This function is enhanced by the 127-degree high-performance wide-angle lens that pans and zooms automatically, which means that the camera will follow you around the room, and you can show the person on the other end what they need to see and just multitask with greater ease.
You may also like its functionality, as shown by the pause and the resume playback functions that work great when listening to music and watching a video – the coolest bit about this function is that you get to pause by simply raising your hand near the camera.
The facial recognition tech enhances its function and performance, too, by letting you tap in to see the different personalized bits of information, including video messages and calendar appointments.
Google Nest Hub Max also allows you to control your smart devices throughout your home, whether it’s the smart doorbell that features an intuitively designed control panel. The snappy operation of Google Assistant also makes this one of the best smart displays for video calling.
Pros
- 10-inch screen
- Great video camera
- Excellent panning and zooming options
- Easy pausing/ playback
- Ease of use
- Good quality speakers
- The light sensor works great
Cons
- The quality of sound could be better
- Physical shutter doesn’t really work
- Privacy concerns raised over the facial recognition option on the camera
Lenovo Smart Display 10 – Best Smart Display with Google Assistant
If you are looking for an elegantly designed smart home display, this Lenovo smart display might be the best option for you, especially around the kitchen, and you won’t have to struggle with your phone getting smudged in sauces and other condiments in the kitchen as you try to multitask. The best bit about this smart display is that it responds to voice and touch commands easily, and its personalized home screen, along with the ambient mode, allows you to have the best experience.
You could also use it to make video calls, and although you’d be limited to the use of Google Duo when making voice and video calls, it works great. It’s also great for listening to music or playing games thanks to the great sound. #
Pros
- Elegant design
- Great for multitasking
- Voice and touch commands work great
- Easy customization of the home screen
- Great ambient mode
- High-resolution touchscreen
Cons
- It’s not the most intuitive smart display
- Overall performance could be better
Facebook Portal – Best for Video Calls
With an elegant 10-inch smart touchscreen display and the best video and voice performance functions, Facebook Portal is regarded as one of the best smart displays for video calling.
Facebook Portal allows you to keep in touch with your loved ones by the use of either WhatsApp or Messenger, and the best part is that you can still use the device even without Portal. The camera works great, with automatic zoom and pan functions that help in keeping everyone on the frame, even as you move around – so that you get to talk freely as you work, cook, or get through other tasks.
The sound quality is great as it minimizes the background noises, and you also have the option of disabling the camera plus the microphone – you can block the camera’s lens with just one simple switch. This device also offers a great privacy feature thanks to the fact that all the video calls through the device are encrypted.
But that is not all you can do with Facebook Portal; thanks to the inbuilt Alexa, you can easily control your home, check the news and weather, or listen to music.
Pros
- Great sound and camera
- Encrypted communication
- Ease of use
- Alexa is built-in for great performance
- Great for picture frames
- Secure calls and the camera/ microphone can be turned off easily
Cons
- No advanced Alexa features
- Weak AI support
JBL Link View Smart Display – Best Sound Quality
Last on our list is this smart display by JBL. It’s one of the best smart displays for video calls with a reliable 8-inch display that is just the right size for recipe displays and also video calls as it will not take up the entire countertop, and you won’t have to struggle squinting to see what’s displayed on the screen. It’s also great for videos, thanks to Google Duo Videos that allows for easy video chats and displaying photos. You may like its display cover too for privacy.
Pros
- Great image and sound quality
- Camera works great
- Elegant design
- Doesn’t take up too much space on the counter.
Cons
- Expensive
Buying Guide for the Best Smart Displays for Video Calling
In your search for the best smart display, you will come across a wide variety of what’s regarded as the best of the smart displays, but which are the best ones for video calling, and what should you look out for in your search for the best of these smart displays?
So, let’s get started?
What is the smart display?
The smart display is more like the Google Home or Amazon Echo speaker, but in this case, a device with a screen. These devices allow for voice assistance support such as Alexa or even Google Home, and these devices allow you to access information both vocally or visually with great ease. It’s important to note that the best of the smart displays work effectively as the best smart speakers, but with a touchscreen attached. These devices offer the same kind of hands-free voice assistance as the speakers, but you also get to enjoy additional features, and you can play music, check the weather conditions, and on top of that, you can easily control all your smart home devices from one hub.
The one thing that makes the smart displays better than simple speakers is that these speakers with screens add in a whole new level of information and control features, meaning that in addition to playing music and making video calls, you can see album art and even watch new music videos from the displays. These are just some of the extra features along with functions like checking the weather, temperature changes, and other conditions that you need for the best life quality.
So, what features should you look out for in the best of smart displays for video calls?
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Voice Assistance Support
Alexa and Google Assistant are two of the biggest built-in voice assistants in smart displays. These two work best in smart displays, and though some people have a preference for one voice assistant over the other, you need to make sure that the smart display you opt for uses one of these because these offer the best voice support services.
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Smart Home Hubs
Some of the displays offered by the top-rated companies also double as the best of smart home hubs. What this means is that these devices support some of the best technology protocols that enhance connectivity and control over most of the smart home devices across your home.
The best of the smart home hubs allow for easy communication between home devices, and they also make for easy communication for smart displays. So, if you are looking for one of the best smart displays for video calls, you may want to buy a smart display that allows for easy connection with your smart home hub, hence the best home connectivity.
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Video Streaming and Screen Size
If you are looking for a smart display for video calling, video streaming, cooking, and reading, then you need a smart display with a relatively big display screen; and the best video streaming devices are listed above. Just bear in mind that some of the manufacturers offer smart display devices that are only supported by their own video apps.
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Camera
For video calling, you need a smart display device that features the best possible camera. It also needs a high-performance microphone, allowing it to send calls and video messages. Some of the best devices also feature advanced security camera functions that offer support through your smartphone apps, allowing you to check in on your family easily. Remember that the last thing you want is poor video quality when you are catching up with your loved ones.
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High-quality speakers
If you are looking for a smart display device for video calling, the next big and important feature that you need to check after the quality/ resolution of the camera is high-quality speakers. And because the smart home displays are compact and they may not have the best speakers, you’d have to expand your search wider and be a little more patient in your search. Note that you need a smart display with good-quality speakers, even if you are not an audiophile. At the very least, look out for a smart display that features high-quality stereo speakers because you need a good sound system whether you are video calling or listening to music.
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Privacy
The other important feature to keep in mind is the privacy offered by the smart display. You need to make sure that the device gives you the ability to easily connect with your family and friend. The main privacy feature to bear under consideration is the camera’s privacy function – you can turn the camera and the microphone off when the display isn’t in use.
FAQs
Which is the best place to put my smart display?
Depending on where you it often, the smart display is often best placed on the kitchen counter, especially if you will be using the smart display for video calls with your loved ones.
Does my smart display work with Amazon Alexa?
Well, the display will work with Amazon Alexa only if the display screen and device work with Alexa. Most of these devices would, however, work with Google Assistant just as well. However, if you insist on using Amazon Alexa, make sure to read the features of the device carefully before placing your order.
What’s the difference between a smart display and a tablet?
In as much as tablets and smart displays have a lot in common – both devices feature display screens, either of them can be used to play music, and they both feature the best support for voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, Cortana, and the Google Assistant, but these two devices have different primary functions.
Note that the tablet is more of a portable computing device primarily use for internet searches, app games, social media searches, email access/ management, etc. On the other hand, the smart display stays stationary on a predetermined slot, and its primary functions include the control of smart home devices while also serving as voice assistants, and offering answers to some common questions, besides weather and what to buy stuff.
Alexa vs. Google Assistant – Which of these voice assistants is better?
While we may not have a very definitive answer to this since both of these are great options for voice assistants, Alexa and Google Assistant are two of the best voice assistants that often outperform each other in many categories.
Alexa, for instance, is compatible with a rather wide range of products in comparison to Google Assistant. But in terms of intelligence levels, Google Assistant is significantly superior to Alexa, and Google Assistant makes it easy for you to access more information because it responds to many more questions. The reason why Google Assistant outperforms Alexa on this front has to do with the fact that Google Assistant is based on Google Duplex, the technology that’s behind its advanced language performance. To choose one or the other, you’d have to look at the features offered by each device and voice assistant, then determine which of the two offers the best features for your household.
Conclusion
As we live through the world pandemic and are forced to stay far from our loved ones longer than any one of us ever thought possible or imaginable, video calls are offering an easier way for us to communicate with our loved ones, and the smart displays above are among the best options for you.
Robinson Wright
Robinson Wright is a home automation specialist and has helped many modern home developers pick the right gadgets for home automation. According to Wright, most people struggle with particular areas in their home, some would want improved security especially when away from home for a couple of days and others will want to improve power consumption. Homeowner's needs can be fulfilled by investing in smart home gadgets but most importantly is that one must know the functionality that they desire to achieve and then choose a product and technology that would fulfill the need. Robinson Wright runs an appliance enterprise and when not in the field working with his clients, he loves spending time in his workshop testing out the new technologies.