Amazon already has a robust lineup of smart displays, but the new Echo Hub is something entirely different. While it looks a bit like an Echo Show, the Echo Hub isn’t a smart display — it’s a smart home hub designed to be mounted directly on your wall.
Unlike the Echo and Echo Show products, the Echo Hub isn’t a tabletop device. In fact, you’ll need to pay extra for an optional stand just so you can place it on your table or countertop. That’s because the Echo Hub is a smart control panel, not a smart speaker or smart display. Amazon bills the Echo Hub as “an Alexa-enabled control panel for your smart home devices.” After getting it mounted to your wall, it’ll sync up with the rest of your smart home and make it easy to control your various gadgets via its touchscreen.
In that regard, it’s a bit like a smart thermostat. But instead of letting you only adjust the temperature of your home, you can check your video doorbell, monitor your security cameras, turn on your smart lights, turn on your smart speakers, close your smart blinds, and interact with any other connected device. And with support for Alexa, Matter, and many other platforms, it’ll work natively with hundreds of products.
Here’s a quick rundown of features on the Echo Hub.
- Syncs with products across Zigbee, Sidewalk, Thread, Matter, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth
- Uses a customizable home screen, allowing access to your most-used features and products
- Supports live camera feeds from Ring cameras
- Connects to Ring alarm for easy activation
- Allows you to view and begin Routines
- Control your home’s audio by connecting to speakers
- Show off photos on the display when not currently in use
There’s no doubt that it’s a unique gadget, but it seems as if Amazon has a few kinks to work out before you consider adding it to your home. Our Amazon Echo Hub review gave it a 6 out of 10, praising it for its vibrant display and easy installation process, but knocking it for its lack of configuration flexibility and its slow performance.
However, homes looking for a powerful tool to control their smart home might find much to love about the Echo Hub. The ability to hang it on your wall means you don’t need to clear space on your cluttered countertops, and its lack of ads makes it more user-friendly than the Echo Show 8. Consider giving it a look if you want something akin to a tablet to help control your smart home, or if you want it to serve as the central hub of a connected security system. For everyone else, be on the lookout for updates to the device, as a revamped Gen 2 model will likely arrive in the future.
The Buy at Amazon is now available for $180.
