The Lenovo Smart Display is a strong start for Google’s smart display ecosystem, and probably a better option than the Google Home Hub for most users - if only for the integration of a camera for video calling.

The Smart Display might be manufactured by Lenovo but it is Google through and through — and that’s awesome. We use its services for search, Chrome, Gmail, calendar appointments, YouTube, and much, much more.

With its strong integration with Google Assistant, the Lenovo Smart Display is a better realization than the Amazon Echo Show of what a smart display should be.

Bright; colorful display; Good audio quality; Excellent touch-screen interface; Strong integration with Google Assistant; Plays YouTube videos

Large; Can't control Ring smart home products; Need to download Google Duo app to receive video calls on phone

The Echo Show still seems like a bit of a sideshow for Amazon next to its more popular display-less smart speakers, but that’s mainly down to the Show’s ridiculous £220 price tag.

Large screen; Powerful sound; Offers video chat

Divisive design; Portrait mode only supported in one app; Poor display brightness

With its portrait mode, more impressive audio and larger screen, the Lenovo Smart Display 10" offers something different to the Google Home Hub, but the design could be a little nicer.

Great screen; Portrait mode good for video calls; Easy to converse with; Dedicated smart home controls

No Netflix; All the design flourish is at the rear; Doesn't like G Suite accounts

Lenovo Smart Display is a fine first outing for Google’s Smart Display initiative, expanding Google Assistant immensely and granting it far more depth. That said, the visual Google Assistant could do with further development, and the speaker lacks far-field microphones.

Visual Google Assistant is awesome; Beautiful and intelligent design; Excellent audio and video quality; Google Duo calling a neat feature

Can go portrait only for Duo; Visual Google Assistant needs work; No far-field microphones

“Move over Amazon: Lenovo’s Smart Display with Google Assistant features a sleek design and a crystal-clear display.”

Two different sizes to choose from; Integrates with Google Assistant; Crystal clear display; Manual camera shutoff option; Plays YouTube

Only usable in landscape mode; for now; Sound quality could be improved

Using a Smart Display powered by Google has opened my eyes to all the things I was missing on a visual smart home device. Lenovo has created a nice looking product that resembles a tablet without all the unnecessary hook up and propping.

So-called smart speakers became the darling of every big tech company in the last three years, with Amazon, Google, and Apple all trying to push their digital assistants as a complementary and indispensable part of their locked-in ecosystems.

Display High-resolution, bright, quality screen; Design It looks good , and the bamboo is right at home in modern decor; Recipes The best cooking assistant I've ever had, the step-by-step verbal instructions make it a lot easier to whip something up at the end of the day.

Sound Gets loud enough, but quality doesn't compare to display-less smart speakers at the same price point. Don't buy it for the sound quality; Functionality differences Compared to using an Assistant-powered speaker, I've noticed some commands don't seem to work quite so well or as regularly,...

This is one of those rare instances in which we were surprised by a product we were initially skeptical about. Let's face it: isn't the target audience for a Google-based product, and Lenovo has a mixed reputation. With a first-gen product, we were prepared for something mediocre.