Measuring 6.84 x 10.1 x 3.1 inches, it’s slightly smaller than the Facebook Portal and is powered by a rechargeable battery, which along with an integrated handle makes it easy to move between rooms. It’s also mains-powered. But with more powerful speakers, the Facebook Portal Go offers a better audio experience when listening to music and watching video streaming services If you have an Amazon Echo smart speaker, you’ll need to use the Alexa app to achieve this, but if you have one of Amazon’s smart displays, such as the Amazon Echo 10 or the Amazon Echo Spot, then you can also use the screen to access the settings menu on the device itself. Once again, you’ll need to use the Alexa app unless you have one of Amazon’s smart displays, then you can do it on the device itself. Carrie specializes in smart home devices such as smart plugs and smart lights, as well as large and small appliances including vacuum cleaners, air fryers, and blenders.

Read on to find out just how these smart displays compare – or, if you know which Facebook Portal you want, check out the best prices right now for both products below: However, there is a feature available on all Amazon Echo smart speakers and Amazon Echo Show displays that can put an end to this – the ability to change Alexa’s name to something else. Carrie-Ann Skinner is Smart Home & Appliances Editor at TechRadar, and has more than two decades experience in both online and print journalism, with 13 years of that spent covering all-things tech. Amazon’s Alexa is also built into both smart displays, so you can set timers, control your smart home devices and even find out the latest headlines or sports scores. However the wake word will only be changed on the device you’ve selected, so you may need to repeat this process if you want to use the same wake word with every Alexa device in your home. As smart displays go, both the Facebook Portal Go and the Facebook Portal are slightly more affordable than other similar-sized devices on the market.

While more is visible in the picture, we did find the fisheye effect created by this wider lens did detract from the image slightly. Meanwhile, the Facebook Portal has just one 10W speaker, and can’t match the room-filling sound and sense of bass the Facebook Portal Go offers. The Amazon Echo Show 10, costs $249.99 / £239.99 / AU$ 399.99 while the Google Nest Hub Max is priced at $229 / £219 / $349. Or perhaps you find when asking Alexa to drop-in on another device (an instant video or audio call between two Echo devices), the name is too much of a mouthful, or too similar to other devices, so Alexa mishears your command. The Portal Go has a wider 125 degree field of view compared to the 103 degrees the Portal offers.

Scroll down and select Device Options, then select Device Name to amend it. However, it’s not giving up and has come back with another round of refined video calling devices – the Portal Go and Portal Plus. Both are ideal if you want a device primarily for video calling, as they are the only smart displays that let you make WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger video calls, and they are likely to be heavily discounted on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

They’re often heavily discounted on Black Friday and Cyber Monday too, which can make them a very attractive purchase. The brand also has a larger 14-inch version called the Facebook Portal Plus, but for most people, the 10-inch display will be enough. Facebook has been in the video calling game for a few years now, but its Portal displays have struggled to gain the traction that other brands have found during the pandemic.

It measures 7.03 x 10.2 x 5.6 inches, making it slightly larger than the Portal Go and it comes in both black and white finishes. We found this effective at starting video calls, adjusting the brightness, and setting timers, but it lacked deeper control such as the ability to adjust music playback. The voice assistants built into smart devices can prove extremely useful, setting timers, providing the weather report, and even controlling your smart home devices.

If you have an Amazon smart display, you can also swipe down from the top of the screen, and select the Settings menu by tapping the cog icon. On an Amazon smart display, swipe down from the top of the screen, and select the Settings menu by tapping the cog icon. Those that are concerned about privacy may not be impressed to discover that Facebook records and transcribes whatever it hears after the wake word i used.

However, we’re not surprised at the price difference as adding a rechargeable battery to a device will understandably push the cost up. However, it’s worth pointing out that you can’t change it to whatever you like – instead, you can pick from four predefined options; Alexa, Amazon, Computer or Echo. The Facebook Portal looks more like a picture frame with it’s rectangular design, while the stand located on the back, means it can be positioned in both portrait or landscape orientations. For example, if you say “Alexa, who is the Queen of England?” and then follow up her response with “How old is she?” Alexa understands you still mean Her Majesty. However, as we’ve already mentioned the Facebook Portal’s ability to be positioned in both portrait and landscape orientation means it’s more effective when it comes to being used as a digital photo frame.

Tap edit name, and erase the current name replacing it with a new title. We’ve asked Facebook why this is, but they have yet to respond. That said, on test we didn’t feel there was a significant difference in the quality of the picture when video calling using both devices.

If you plan on regularly moving the device between rooms, even when on video calls, or want a device that can double as a portable speaker for your home, you should opt for the Facebook Portal Go. There’s also a built-in web browser in both smart displays, which Fingerprint Scanners as well as finding information on the web, also doubles as a way to watch some video streaming services such as Prime Video and YouTube on the smart display. The Facebook Portal Go has two 5W tweeters and one 20-W tweeter, which is not surprising given Facebook also pitches the device as a portable speaker for the home. However, when it comes to audio, the two devices differ slightly.

When she’s not discovering the next must-have gadget for the home, Carrie can be found cooking up a storm in her kitchen, and is particularly passionate about baking, often rustling up tasty cakes and bread. Carrie specializes in smart home devices such as smart plugs and smart lights, as well as large and small appliances including vacuum cleaners, air fryers, and blenders. Open the Settings menu by tapping the cog icon in the top right-hand corner and scroll down to the section marked Wake word. It can take a few minutes to activate the change, but Alexa will flag when it’s been completed.

The Facebook Portal Go will set you back $199 / £199 / AU$279 while the Facebook Portal costs $169 / £169 / $279, which means in the UK and US it’s slightly more affordable than the Portal Go. For many, including this writer, it’s when someone on TV mentions Alexa, and the Amazon Echo in my lounge suddenly springs to life. However, those that are less worried about a portable smart display, and instead want a device that can be used as an effective digital photo frame, or are on a budget, the Facebook Portal will be a better choice.

How to change Alexa’s name and end one of the worst things about an Echo

p> It also ensures that your conversation with Alexa can be more like conversing with a person. However, the original Portal does trump the Facebook Portal Go when it comes to camera quality. Choose which of the four phrases you want to use and press the confirmation when it appears. Open the Settings menu by tapping the cog icon in the top right-hand corner and the first option that is displayed is the device’s moniker. While the megapixels of the camera may differ, both have the ability to automatically pan and zoom to ensure you’re always in the center of the frame during a video call, even if you get up and move about the room. ‘Alexa’ is what’s known as a wake word – the word or phrase you utter to get Amazon’s voice assistant to spring into life ready to answer your query or activate your command.

Fancy grabbing yourself one of Amazon’s smart speakers or smart displays? Check out the best prices on offer right now. But aside from the way they’re powered, you’re probably wondering exactly what the differences are and whether they’re both worth investing in.

For example, you may have given it a moniker such as living room, but now you’ve upgraded the Amazon Echo in this room, and you’re moving it to the spare bedroom, or even passing it on to a friend or family member outside of the house. On test, we found both were extremely smooth when panning and zooming, and we were impressed the camera didn’t pan for small movements, such as if we shifted in our seat. At the same time, a friend also admitted to carelessly calling her cat Alexa on more than one occasion, due to the frequency with which she calls on her smart speaker. If you turn on Follow-Up mode on an Amazon Echo device then Amazon’s voice assistant continues to listen for around five seconds after it activates a command or answers a query, so you won’t need to use the wake word again. Both allow you to make video calls using Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp as well as conferencing apps such as Zoom, WebEx, and GoTo Meeting.

It boasts a 13 megapixel camera compared to the 12 megapixel lens on the Portal Go. However, there’s also the option to use “Hey Portal” – Facebook’s own basic voice control. This information is stored on Facebook’s servers for up to three years before it’s deleted, however. The Facebook Portal Go has a wedge-shaped design, wrapped in grey mesh fabric with the screen on the front. Both smart displays have the same HD screen with a 1200 x 800 resolution and an adaptive lighting feature that automatically tweaks the brightness so it suits your surroundings.

Open the Alexa app, and from the Devices tab at the bottom of the screen, select Echo & Alexa, then from the list of devices choose the one you want to change the name of. That’s not to say the best smart speakers and smart displays aren’t without their frustrations. Open the Alexa app, and from the Devices tab at the bottom of the screen, select Echo & Alexa, then from the list of devices choose the one you want to change the wake word on.

But can it battle Google or Amazon at the top of the best smart displays game? The Facebook Portal is the brand’s 10-inch smart display that was launched in 2019, and now this has been joined by a new battery-powered version, known as the Facebook Portal Go. Carrie-Ann Skinner is Smart Home & Appliances Editor at TechRadar, and has more than two decades experience in both online and print journalism, with 13 years of that spent covering all-things tech. When it comes to choosing between the Facebook Portal Go and the Facbook Portal, how you plan to use the smart display will affect which model you choose. However, some such as Netflix can’t be viewed at all.

Scroll down and select Device Options, then select Wake Word and select the word you want to use. Is the Facebook Portal Go better than the original Portal? While the Facebook Portal Go and the Facebook Portal both have 10in displays, you can easily differentiate between them due to their slightly different looks.

When it comes to basic smart display features, the Facebook Portal Go and the Facebook Portal are evenly matched. A few years ago, thanks to an Amazon TV advert that was airing at the time, my shopping lists constantly included dog biscuits even though I have no pets of my own. When she’s not discovering the next must-have gadget for the home, Carrie can be found cooking up a storm in her kitchen, and is particularly passionate about baking, often rustling up tasty cakes and bread.