# Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)

Nest Hub second generation is the cleanest small Google Home pick when you need both a Matter controller and a Thread border router. Buy it for a Google-centered home, not as a universal automation brain.

Canonical page: https://matterhome.io/devices/google-nest-hub-2nd-gen
Markdown page: https://matterhome.io/devices/google-nest-hub-2nd-gen.md
Author: Matterhome Editorial Team
Author profile: https://matterhome.io/authors/matterhome-editorial-team
Edited and fact-checked by: JC Martinez
Editor profile: https://matterhome.io/authors/jc-martinez

## Device Facts

- Brand: Google
- Model: Nest Hub (2nd gen)
- Product type: Matter Controller and Thread Border Router
- Category: Matter controllers
- Connection: Matter over Thread
- Matter status: Google lists Nest Hub second generation as a Google Home hub that supports Matter over both Wi-Fi and Thread.
- Launch date: 2021-03
- Thread border router required: No
- Brand hub required: No
- Typical price range: $99.99
- Markets: Global
- Review status: Compatibility guide
- Product image: https://matterhome.io/content-assets/devices/google-nest-hub-2nd-gen/product.webp
- Product image alt text: Google Nest Hub second-generation smart display
- Product image source: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8w4wX3gEAl2NNDsOjada6cJhffoTINe5b-eAm6fwZV-OQ9fj_woEboVh1MqPTllINdiR7xl2ICrSJvzzbibxojIoKMTfXKsQJkK-=w1200

## Ecosystem Support

- Apple Home: Not listed
- Google Home: Supported
- Alexa: Not listed
- SmartThings: Not listed
- Home Assistant: Not listed

## Best For

- Google Home users adding their first Matter-over-Thread accessories
- Homes that already use Nest displays, Android phones, and Google Assistant
- Buyers who want a small display that also solves the hub problem

## Skip If

- Apple Home, Alexa, SmartThings, or Home Assistant is the main ecosystem
- You already have enough Google Thread border routers in good locations
- You need advanced automation logic beyond Google Home routines

## Setup Notes

- Set up Nest Hub second generation in the Google Home app on the same Google Home structure that will own the Matter devices.
- Keep the display powered, online, updated, and within useful range of Thread accessories.
- Use it as the Google Home Matter and Thread path before adding Matter-over-Thread devices.

## Known Limitations

- Nest Hub second generation is Google Home infrastructure, not a neutral controller that other ecosystems add directly.
- Google Home device-type support changes by category, so verify the exact Matter device type before buying multiples.
- Some device setup, firmware, and advanced features may still require the manufacturer's app.

## Pros

- Google Home hub for Matter devices
- Thread border router for Matter-over-Thread accessories
- Useful dashboard, display, speaker, and Google Assistant control surface
- Cheaper and smaller than many full smart displays

## Cons

- Google Home only
- Not the deepest automation engine for complex smart homes
- Display placement may not match the best Thread mesh location

## Sources

- https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/12391458
- https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/13127223
- https://developers.home.google.com/matter/supported-devices
- https://store.google.com/product/nest_hub_2nd_gen
- https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8w4wX3gEAl2NNDsOjada6cJhffoTINe5b-eAm6fwZV-OQ9fj_woEboVh1MqPTllINdiR7xl2ICrSJvzzbibxojIoKMTfXKsQJkK-=w1200

## Buy it for Google Home infrastructure

Nest Hub second generation is useful because it solves two Google Home jobs at once. Google lists it as a Google Home hub for Matter-over-Wi-Fi devices and as a Thread border router for Matter-over-Thread devices. That makes it a practical first hub when the household already controls the home from Android phones, Nest speakers, Nest displays, Google TV, or Google Assistant.

The display is part of the appeal. A smart display in the kitchen, bedroom, or entry area can be a voice assistant, timer, media controller, and smart home control point while also staying powered as the Matter and Thread layer.

## What it fixes

Matter-over-Thread devices need a Thread border router. If a Google Home user buys a Thread lock, contact sensor, motion sensor, bulb, or switch without a compatible Google Thread border router, setup can stop before the device becomes useful.

Nest Hub second generation is one of the small Google options that fills that gap. It keeps the setup inside the Google Home app instead of asking the buyer to run a separate controller just to make Thread work.

## Setup path

Set up the display in the Google Home app, assign it to the right home, and keep it powered on. Google also calls out IPv6 as part of the Matter setup path, so router settings and network health still matter.

After the hub is stable, add Matter devices from the Google Home app and keep the manufacturer app available for firmware, calibration, and device-specific settings. Matter covers the common control layer, not every vendor feature.

## Where it is the wrong buy

Skip Nest Hub second generation if the main system is Apple Home, Alexa, SmartThings, or Home Assistant. Matter can share supported devices across ecosystems, but a Google Nest Hub is still Google Home infrastructure.

It is also worth skipping if you already have a better-placed Google Thread border router, such as Nest Hub Max, Nest Wifi Pro, or Google TV Streamer. In that case, the next purchase should usually be the Matter accessory, not another hub.