Google updated its Nest Hub smart display (originally called the Home Hub) earlier this year, adding Soli motion sensors for hand gestures and optional sleep tracking, but with an almost-identical design and the same easy-to-understand software. The new Nest Hub has been on sale a few times already — we covered a $20 off sale from Staples last month — but now you can pick one up for only $50. That's a discount of $50 from the original price.

The Google Nest Hub is a smart display, so it can do everything a typical smart speaker can do: stream music, control home devices, set reminders, check information, play the news, and so on. The touch screen gives you easier control of smart home devices and media playback. Select video content can also be played directly on the screen, like YouTube and Netflix, and the screen functions as a Chromecast for most other services. For example, I use Pocket Casts for listening to podcasts, and I can pick my Nest Hub as an output device from my phone.

The latest Google Nest Hub is on sale for $40 off MSRP.
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)

The latest Google Nest Hub is on sale for $50 below the usual price.

The main upgrades with the second-gen Nest Hub are upgraded speakers (with a promised "50% more bass"), a faster processor, and a Soli motion sensor. The sensor allows you to control media playback and snooze alarms by waving your hands in front of the Nest Hub, and if you put the Nest Hub in your bedroom, Soli can track your sleep patterns (sleep features are not enabled by default).

There’s no camera on the Nest Hub, just like with the old model, which is probably what most people would prefer on something that could be in a bedroom. While the Nest Hub can be used for video calls on Google Duo, Zoom, and other services, the lack of a camera means other people in the call won’t be able to see your face.