I've tested countless smart home hubs, but this one sets a new standard for style

It’s no secret that the best smart home hubs aren’t exactly the James Bond of smart home tech. They’re usually pretty understated and, if we're being honest, all look quite similar. However, a lot of people don’t realise the hub is the centre of a strong smart home setup, so when something different shows up, it's worth checking out.

Waveshare is the latest brand to enter the space, launching a round IPS touchscreen called the 7-inch 1080×1080 LCD. There are a few things to note about functionality which I’ll get to in a moment, but there’s no denying this is one of the nicest looking smart home hub displays I’ve seen in a long time.

The Waveshare 7-inch 1080×1080 LCD is currently available from the brand’s official store for $159.99 – roughly £140. It’s not yet confirmed whether it’ll roll out more widely across the UK and the rest of Europe.

The new 7-inch touchscreen display uses a sharp IPS panel with a square 1080×1080 resolution. You get wide 160° viewing angles and up to 800 nits of brightness, so it should remain clear even in bright rooms. There’s also 6H-rated toughened glass with optical bonding, which improves durability and reduces reflections whilst keeping the image crisp.

On the back, things get a bit more technical. There’s a PCB with mounting points for a Raspberry Pi, which makes this more flexible than your average smart home hub. It includes HDMI for video input, dual USB-C ports for touch and power, a 3.5mm audio jack and two physical buttons for power and screen rotation.

Yes, it’s definitely more tech-heavy than most mainstream smart home hubs. However, for anyone who’s serious about their setup, this could be one to watch.