Amazon and Google often like to present the best smart displays as the types of devices you’d like to use in the kitchen or next to your nightstand. While both use cases have some merits, in my experience, I found that Incorporate a smart display into your desktop setup. can be much more useful.
From getting answers to simple questions to checking your home security cameras or even watching a video here and there during your downtime, it can be very convenient to have another screen on your desk that’s separate from your computer, especially since you can control a smart display with your voice while keeping your hands firmly planted on your keyboard. . .
I first decided to add a smart display to my desktop setup after realizing there was a lot of wasted space underneath. my ultrawide monitor. She had used one from Google. Nest Center smart displays similarly in the past, so I decided to upgrade to larger ones Nest Hub max. and I put it under my monitor in the center of my desk.
While I typically prefer a smart display with a larger screen, there is one with a much smaller screen that has always caught my attention: the Echo Show 5. I stopped buying a second-generation Echo Show 5 after reading reviews that pointed out that its performance just wasn’t up to par compared to the Echo Show 8.
However, earlier this year, Amazon sent out the new Echo Show 8 (3rd generation) for review and along with it, they also included the new Echo Show 5 (3rd generation). I’ve been using the Echo Show 5 for the past two months and now I really think it’s the perfect little smart display for your desktop.
From smart screen to touch monitor
As someone who constantly tries new things. standing desks, office chairs and devices in general, my desktop setup is still a work in progress that has gone through several iterations over the last few years. As I noted before, it all started when I installed a Nest Hub Max under my ultrawide monitor.
However, shortly after this, Google announced the pixel tablet and when he Universal Stylus Initiative When I reached out to see if he wanted to try one, I accepted the offer. After all, this new device was the first of its kind: a hybrid of an Android tablet and a smart display. While I still consider the Pixel tablet to be one of the best android tablets can get today, the same can’t be said for its smart display functionality, which is why Google recently announced it would start I sell the device without base..
It was hard to go back to the larger bezels of the Nest Hub Max after using the Pixel tablet for a week, so I decided to try something new. My ultrawide monitor already handles a dual monitor setup, but I was wondering what it would be like to have a smaller touch monitor under my main screen. For this, I picked up a mini monitor and added it to my desktop settings. While it was great while it lasted, that cheap touchscreen died after just a few months.
I was surprised how much I liked having a smaller monitor under the larger one, so once again, instead of going back to the Nest Hub Max, I bought a portable touch screen monitor from UPERFECT to replace it. I’ve been using it for two months so far and haven’t noticed any problems at all. This is probably because UPERFECT has much more experience in designing and manufacturing all types of portable monitors such as the dual screen one I am currently in the testing process.
Although this new touchscreen monitor was able to fill the gaping hole under my main screen, there was still one thing missing from my desktop. With a couple of best computer speakers and a mid-sized PC on top of my desk, there just wasn’t enough room to try and fit a Nest Hub Max or Nest Hub on the edge of my desk. Luckily, I had the Echo Show 5 on hand.
The best of both worlds
Since my touchscreen monitor is now located directly below my main display, I decided it would make more sense to have a smart display on the side of my desk rather than in the center. He Vari Curve Electric Standing Desk I’m currently using my main desk and it has two grommets on each side to run cables through. While the grommet on the right is full of cables from my PC, there was still some room in the one on the left, so I used it to run the power cable from the Echo Show 5 to the surge protector under my desk.
Setting everything up only took a few minutes and honestly the hardest part of the entire setup was plugging the power adapter under my desk and running the other end up to the top of my desk. Once this is done, I now have an always-on display that shows the time, date, weather, and more, which I can easily glance at when my other screens are busy.
I mentioned before reviewing my security cameras and the Echo Show 5 is perfect for this. Whether I want to check the one on the side of my garage to see if anyone has stopped in the driveway or check on my sleeping toddler while I work at night, this is one of the most useful features of the Echo Show 5 and others smart devices. shows like this. Although I have a Nest Doorbell, I cannot control this device at my front door, I also have a eufy security camera I aimed for my front porch for when I want a wider view.
While it may seem like the right idea to stick to a particular ecosystem when building your smart home, I’ve found that having devices from both Amazon and Google has proven to be beneficial. I tend to rely on Google for direct information, while Alexa is much better and faster. on controlling my smart lights and another smart home devices.
Smart displays don’t get enough credit
Although the hype around smart homes seems to have died down a bit in recent years, these small, inexpensive devices can really help make your life a lot easier. For example, with some of the best smart speakers, you can play music throughout your home for a fraction of the cost you would pay to have wired speakers in every room. I also discovered that you can do a lot with smart bulbs from using one with a motion sensor so your pantry lights up as soon as you open it to using color-changing light bulbs in the laundry room to keep track of whether or not you turned over the last load.
Smart displays are another beast entirely. People like to think of them as something you put in the kitchen to prepare recipes or on the nightstand to act as an alarm clock. However, I use the Echo Show 15 in my kitchen as a TV, as a calendar to keep track of my schedule and let everyone else know when I have meetings, and even as a photo booth when friends and family come to visit.
I thought having a second touch monitor below my main screen would be enough in my desktop setup, but old habits die hard and it’s been great to be able to ask Alexa for help again throughout the day.
If you were on the fence about the Echo Show 5 like I was, Amazon has made some significant improvements with this latest model, and while it’s still not as powerful or feature-packed as the larger Echo Show 8, it’s now more responsive and faster . and has an improved microphone array to better hear your commands. The Echo Show 5 has earned a spot in my desk setup and I don’t think I’ll be swapping it for another device anytime soon.
- I wanted a new laptop dock – here’s why I bought a Steam Deck dock
- I have a big problem with tablets, but the Pixel tablet finally solves it
- I added this $50 monitor light bar to my desk setup and it’s a game-changer for the way I work.
