Lenovo Smart Display 7 delivers the power of the Google Assistant for $130
The new Lenovo Smart Display 7 was unveiled today at IFA 2019, offering a new alternative to Google’s own Nest Home Max. For the most part, the Lenovo Smart Display 7 is simply an updated version of the company’s original Smart Display which has been on the market for over a year at this point. The design has been tweaked a little, forcing the display to only be used in one orientation, but the speakers have been upgraded to deliver left and right stereo separation with 2 x 1.5″ 5W speakers for an improved music playback experience. The device features a 7-inch touch screen with a 1024×600 resolution, a 1.5Ghz MediaTek 8167S processor, 1 x 1 WiFi 802.11 ac, 2.4G/5G, MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0,
Like the previous model, the Lenovo Smart Display 7 does come with a built-in 2MP camera with a wide-angle lens for video calls, but there is a “True Block Pricay Shutter” which covers the camera if you don’t want to use it and a switch which physically disconnects the microphones and physical buttons to control volume as well. Lenovo has also upgraded the hardware to include an RGB ambient light sensor which will allow the display to automatically adjust its brightness and white balance to match the room that it’s in so that photos displayed on the screen appear more natural.
The functionality of the Lenovo Smart Display 7 is similar to that of the Nest Home Hub, giving you access and control of the Google Assistant while also delivering a display which can be used to view your calendar for upcoming appointments, a live feed of your Nest security cameras around your house, directions on Google Maps, YouTube videos ad much more.
Right now, Lenovo appears to be Google’s closest partner in creating 3rd-party alternatives to Google’s own Assistant smart displays. The exact launch date of the Lenovo Smart Display 7 doesn’t have an exact release date yet, but the company has shared that it will go on sale sometime in October for $129.99 which should be low enough to undercut Google’s upcoming Nest Hub Max.
