Google Nest Hub Max Review

Video Review

Google Nest Hub Max Design

If you’ve seen the Google Nest Hub before, then you’ve basically seen the Google Nest Hub Max, just in a smaller package. The Nest Hub Max is practically a 10-inch tablet positioned on top of a base that also houses its powerful speakers. The touchscreen is 9.85 inches wide and 7.19 inches tall.

Now, unlike an actual tablet, this device requires plugging in. It also needs an internet connection to access Google services, including the built-in voice AI, Google Assistant. For internet connection, it uses Wi-Fi.

Now, let’s talk about the screen itself. The quality is 1280 by 800 pixels, which matches the industry standard for competitors’ smart displays. The Echo Show 10 (3rd gen) from Amazon, which is roughly the same size as the Nest Hub Max, features the same screen resolution.

We know what you’re thinking – that’s not the ideal resolution for watching movies – and we agree. It may not be ideal for quality streaming, but smart displays like the Nest Hub Max are really designed to give you access to videos you might need while doing chores. Coupled with Google’s search engine, you have yourself a hands-free display that can show you cooking videos, DIY tutorials, and more.

The screen also has a feature called Ambient EQ, which scans the room for color and light, adjusting its brightness accordingly. Not only will this mean that your screen can limit its glare automatically, but if you’re using the display as a rotating picture frame, a feature called Live Albums, Google will actually match the photos in accordance with the room’s decor. That means those jungle pics are going up in your sage-colored room, as the two will blend together quite nicely. For those concerned with aesthetics, this is a very cool feature.

Live Albums uses photos from Google Photos to display your happiest moments whenever you’re not using your Google Nest Hub Max. You can also ask the Assistant to show you specific pictures, which is way easier than finding them in your smartphone or cloud storage. The picture frame aspect, while not new by any means, is a nice feature of the Google Nest Hub Max.

The Google Nest Hub Max also has a camera, enabling you to video chat with friends and family. The 6.5 MP camera has a 127-degree field of view, pretty impressive for a camera on a smart display.

But what really sets Google Nest Hub Max’s camera apart is it’s Face Match technology. Most Google Nest Hub Max displays are going to be used by multiple people, be it members of a family or roommates. We’ve all experienced the annoyance of getting other people’s notifications on a shared device. Well, that’s no longer a problem. Using the camera, the Google Nest Hub Max will scan your face and only show you your notifications. This personalization extends to calendar appointments, reminders, and even music recommendations.

Of course, a smart display is nothing without excellent speakers and microphones. The Google Nest Hub Max has full-range stereo speakers with excellent audio quality, plus two microphones placed in the front of the display. Now let’s actually set this thing up and see just how well it works.

Installing Google Nest Hub Max

Setting up the Nest Hub Max only takes 10 to 15 minutes. First, plug it in and download the Google Home app, if you don’t already have it. It’ll automatically detect the Nest Hub Max, showing you a code on its screen which should match the one on your app. Next, you choose a room for your Nest Hub Max and name it, before connecting it to your home’s Wi-Fi. From there, the app guided me to set up Google Assistant, Voice Match (which I already had from other devices), Face Match, and more. The process is super quick and easy, and it was fun to personalize my device with my favorite music, streaming services, and photos.

Google Nest Hub Max Features

To activate the Google Assistant, the voice assistant on the Google Nest Hub Max, you’ll simply say “Ok Google”. You can also say “Hey Google” as an alternative wake phrase. Then, you can say any of the million actions available with Google Assistant from playing music to getting cooking instructions.1 Let’s take a closer look.

Music

Listen to music on the following platforms:

• YouTube Music (Google’s primary music service)
• Spotify
• Apple Music
• Pandora
• Deezer

Google Play Music was discontinued in 2020 and replaced with YouTube Music, which offers similar features including access to over 100 million songs. The addition of Apple Music support means iPhone users can now enjoy their playlists on the Nest Hub Max too.

Video and Video Chatting

There’s nothing I love more than settling into bed and watching my favorite movies and TV shows, and with the Google Nest Hub Max’s ten-inch screen, this is super convenient and cozy. Here are the options as far as video services go:

• Youtube
• Netflix
• Max (formerly HBO Max)
• Paramount+
• Disney+
• Hulu
• HGTV

Gotta love HGTV’s Chip and Joanna Gaines, amirite?

In terms of video chatting, we were pretty disappointed to find out that Google ended support for Zoom and Google Meeting on the Google Nest Hub Max.2 We liked using it for our work meetings on Zoom since it completely freed up our laptop for multitasking during those boring meetings. But now, we can’t really use it for work meetings. That doesn’t mean all support for video chatting is gone. We were still able to use it for one-on-one Meet calls and for group video calls with Google Duo.

On top of that, the camera will frame you in the middle of the screen if you’re multitasking, which, let’s be honest, most of us are, usually. You can even leave video messages for your friends and family, which is much more personal than a text! Overall, I’d say video is definitely one of the Google Nest Hub Max’s strengths.

Web Browsers

Google Assistant searches the web using Chrome, Google’s browser, and my personal browser of choice.

Shopping

Shopping features have evolved since the discontinuation of Google Express. You can now use Google Assistant to add items to shopping lists, find local stores, check product availability, and even make purchases through participating retailers. The Nest Hub Max can display visual shopping results, making it easier to compare products and prices at a glance.

Cooking

If you’re planning on keeping your Google Nest Hub Max in the kitchen, then you’ll enjoy searching recipes by course, ingredient, or dietary restrictions. It can provide step-by-step guided cooking with visual instructions that automatically advance as you cook. You can even control the pace with voice commands like “next step” or “repeat that”.

Privacy

Privacy is the undercurrent of any product made by Google that has a camera and a microphone. Google has run into many a privacy scandal in its day, so I’m happy to share with you some improvements they’ve made with the Google Nest Hub Max.

First of all, you should know that anytime you ask the Assistant for help, your voice is being recorded. However, Google now automatically deletes most audio recordings after a few months unless you choose to save them. You can also set up auto-delete to remove recordings after 3 or 18 months, or turn off audio recording entirely.

As for the camera, you’re also fully in control. Your Nest Hub Max only sends video to Google for camera features, which you can opt out of. When a video is being sent to Google, you’ll see a green light turn on in the camera. You can also turn your camera and microphone off with a flick of a switch, which, believe it or not, wasn’t always the case.3