TESTED GOOGLE NEST HUB MAXGoogle’s latest home assistant has a 10in screen,
security-cam smarts and enough audio power
to usher in a new era of singing digital butlers
QThe future never did bring
us a teleportation pad in every
living room... but you can have
a disembodied voice reminding
you to buy toilet paper. This, and
turning off your bedroom light
while you’re under the covers,
is a big part of the reality of digital
assistants – but the Google Nest
Hub Max does more than that.QAs well as being a great host
for Google Assistant, this gadget
jacks up the ‘virtual butler’
experience with sound good
enough to make it the only
speaker you need 95% of the
time, and a big screen that’ll
make waiting for pasta to cook
a lot more enjoyable.QThe Nest Hub Max only has
two mics, not seven like the Apple
HomePod or Amazon Echo Dot,
but it seems to hear just as well.
It’ll understand commands over
music and background noise,
and Google Assistant is still ahead
of Siri and Alexa in terms of how
natural interactions feel.QAudio isn’t just an afterthought
here: the Hub Max sounds great
for a smart display. It has a 75mm
bass woofer and two tweeters,
all adding up to a beefy-sounding
speaker that gives real punch to
your tunes.QThe inclusion of a Nest camera
means you can use it like a video
intercom, or (with a Nest Aware
subscription) as a home security
cam. Sadly our review unit proves
unreliable in this role, and there’s
no night-vision mode.Smart displays are going through a bit of an awkward stage as Google and Amazon
wrestle for power over your living room. In this case that means you can’t play
Prime Video or Netflix on the Google Nest Hub Max. The security cam feature is
a bit wobbly too, but buy this product knowing it’s a bit of a work in progress and
you’ll be happy. After all, it does plenty to keep you entertained already.Nice gadget...
and it’ll be even
better when
it’s finished
Andrew WilliamsLovin’ this Hub
STUFF SAYS A model smart display, even if a few aspects still need tweaking ++++,
Display 10in 1280x800 touchscreen
Connectivity Bluetooth, Wi-Fi,
Google Assistant, Chromecast
Dimensions 250x183x101mm, 1.3kgQ Good misser
The Hub Max is a pro at being an
‘ambient’ display. It can match a
room’s lighting so it doesn’t stick
out too much, while keeping
what’s on the screen clear. It’s
much better at this than the
Amazon Echo Show 5.Q Cue remind me
This thing has a touchscreen
but it responds better to voice
commands, and the screen
wouldn’t impress anyone if this
were a standard tablet either:
1280x800 pixels over 10 inches
doesn’t look sharp up close.£219 / stuff.tv/NestHubMaxTech specs
I don’t mind
The Nest Hub Max is
available in either chalk
or charcoal finishes,
meaning it can’t
possibly clash with
anything.