Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
The Google Nest Hub (2nd generation) is an excellent smart display with all the same features as the original, along with some extras, like gestures, sleep tracking and audio improvements.
Google Nest Hub (1st Gen)
The Google Nest Hub offers a great design and display and it is packed full of features but the 2nd Gen model is better and the one we recommend buying.
Google launched asecond generation Nest Hubin 2021, which succeeded the original Nest Hub that was announced in 2018. The second generation model sits alongside the larger Nest Hub Max that launched in 2019, and the newerGoogle Pixel Tabletthat arrived in 2023.
The name of the 2nd generation Nest Hub remained the same - Nest Hub - making a little tricky to distinguish between old and new. Throughout this feature, you will therefore see the 2021 Nest Hub called new Nest Hub, Nest Hub second generation and Nest Hub 2 to help differentiate it from the older and original model.
Here is how the Nest Hub (2nd generation) compares to the Nest Hub (1st generation) to help you understand what changed and what are the differences between the two models are. We’ve alsocompared the Nest Hub to the Nest Hub Maxelsewhere if you’re making a decision between those two models.
Price, availability and specs
The Google Nest Hub (2021) is available globally through a number of retailers. It’s been around for a couple of years now so while it launched at $99.99 in the US and £89.99 in the UK, you will likely find it cheaper if you shop around a little. For example, on Google’s own store, it costs $59.99 in the US and £54.99 in the UK. There are four colour options comprising Chalk, Charcoal, Mist and Sand.
The original Nest Hub has been discontinued so you won’t find it available at many retailers these days, if any. We also wouldn’t recommend buying it over the 2nd generation model either even if you do find it. When it was available, colour options were Chalk, Charcoal, Sand and Aqua.
We’ve put a quick run down of the specs of the Nest Hub (2nd Gen) and the Nest Hub below, but there is more detail about how these models compare below.
Design and display
Theoriginal Google Nest Hub (2018)features a 7-inch floating display that sits on a fabric-covered speaker base. It measures 178.5 x 118 x 67.3mm and it weighs 480g.
At the top of the LCD touchscreen display is an Ambient EQ Light Sensor and far field microphones, while the back of the display features volume controls and a toggle to turn the microphone on or off. There’s also a power port.
The 2nd generation Google Nest Hub (2021) has a very similar design to the Nest Hub, though it has some refinements. There’s a floating display with a fabric-covered base, an Ambient EQ Light Sensor and far field microphones, but there isn’t a lip around the display on the new Hub, making for a more seamless finish.
You’ll find the volume controls and switch to turn off the microphone on the back though so as with theNest MiniandGoogle Mini, it’s mainly internals that have changed from the original Hub, aside from some small changes.
Hardware and specs
The original Google Nest Hub (2018) comes with a full-range speaker, along with a two microphone array. It offers both Wi-Fi support and Bluetooth 5.0 and it has Chromecast built-in and support for multi-room audio.
The second generation Google Nest Hub (2021) offers an improvement in audio quality, with Google claiming it delivers 50 per cent more bass than the original Nest Hub which is apparent in use. It also moved to a three-microphone array, which makes for a better experience when usingGoogle Assistantand puts it in line with the Nest Mini andNest Audio.
The 2nd generation Nest Hub also featuresGoogle’s Soli chip, which is used forsleep trackingand gesture controls, and it also hasThreadon board too - likethe Nest Hub Max- which allows for easier controlling of some smart home devices. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on board again for the Nest Hub 2, as well as Chromecast support and multi-room audio.
The original Google Nest Hub offers a number of features, including things like translator mode,the ability to watch Netlflix, control smart home devices, listen to music, watch YouTube, read news, and everything that comes with Google Assistant of course. It can also be used as a digital photo frame.
The Nest Hub 2 offers everything the original Nest Hub does but with a couple of additional features. The Nest Hub second generation is able totrack your sleepthanks to the Soli chip when on a bedside table, which will then link to Google Fit. The feature is calledSleep Sensingand it uses Motion Sense enabled by Soli to detect movement and analyse movement and breathing.
Sleep Sensing can also help you detect sleep disturbances like coughing and snoring, as well as light and temperature changes in the room to better understand what could be impacting the way you sleep.
Additionally, the Nest Hub 2 has Quick Gestures, or gesture controls like the Nest Hub Max, allowing you to raise your hand to pause a track for example. Thread is also on board, meaning the Nest Hub 2 makes controlling compatible smart home devices easier.
Conclusion
The Google Nest Hub 2 offers an identical design to its predecessor, but makes improvements on the hardware and feature side of things. The audio quality has improved and features like gesture controls and sleep tracking make an already great device, even more useful.
Whilst the original Nest Hub remains a good device - we still have one in our home - it doesn’t make sense to buy it now over the 2nd generation model. If you’re considering upgrading, there are several good reasons to, though it might also be worth considering the Pixel Tablet instead as while it doesn’t offer sleep tracking, it does have a Hub Mode and it acts as an Android tablet too, making it more versatile overall.
Google Pixel Tablet
The Google Pixel Tablet was released in 2023 and offers Gemini AI along with smart home integrations. Those make this a forward-looking tablet and offer flexibility in its use. Plus, it has a high resolution display that’s great to look at.
