WIRED just dropped their definitive smart display buying guide for 2025, crowning Google's Pixel Tablet as the top pick among three recommended devices. The timing couldn't be more interesting - the guide comes as the entire smart display category faces an uncertain future, with Meta shuttering Portal devices and Amazon preparing to charge $20 monthly for its enhanced Alexa+ service.
The smart display market just got a reality check from one of tech's most influential publications. WIRED's comprehensive 2025 buying guide doesn't just recommend products - it questions whether the entire category has a future.
Google's Pixel Tablet emerged as the clear winner at $379, but it's telling that WIRED's top pick isn't technically a smart display at all. The device doubles as both a premium Android tablet and a smart home hub when docked to its charging speaker base. "Google recently stopped issuing software updates for some third-party displays," the guide notes, "and it seems to have shifted focus to its new Pixel Tablet."
The recommendation comes at a fascinating inflection point for the industry. Meta completely exited the space by discontinuing its Portal lineup, devices that WIRED had previously endorsed. Meanwhile, Amazon lost a staggering $10 billion in 2022 due to Alexa-related failures, yet continues pushing forward with new Echo Show models.
WIRED's second choice, Amazon's Echo Show 8 at $130, faces a major transition next month. The device will be among the first to receive Alexa+, Amazon's AI-powered voice assistant that requires a $20 monthly subscription (free for Prime members). The upgrade promises more conversational interactions and complex task execution, but comes with a significant privacy trade-off - all voice recordings will be sent to Amazon for processing.
The publication's third recommendation, Google's Nest Hub at $100, represents the category's more traditional approach. The 7-inch camera-free display includes sleep tracking and unique radar-based gesture controls, but lacks the video calling capabilities that many users expect.
Tech journalist Nena Farrell, who conducted the testing, didn't mince words about the category's challenges. The guide specifically advises against several popular models, including Amazon's rotating Echo Show 10 (currently out of stock) and the wall-mounted Echo Show 15, which "feels like a weird in-between of a smart display and a TV that doesn't excel in either department."
