If “custom software” means a web dashboard you control, the best-supported small-display route is a Raspberry Pi connected to a compatible screen and set to open Chromium in kiosk mode. That gives you a compact browser-based display rather than a locked smart speaker screen. If you mean installing arbitrary native apps on an Echo- or Nest-style device, the sources here do not establish a suitable commercial model.
What counts as running custom software?
There are two different goals that are easy to confuse:
- A browser-based dashboard: a web page or self-hosted interface loads full-screen in a browser. A Raspberry Pi kiosk can do this.
- An arbitrary native app: software is installed directly on a vendor-controlled smart display. The cited platform documentation does not establish that capability for a particular commercial device.
Google’s Smart Displays developer documentation describes platform-specific Actions with visual responses such as cards, lists, tables, and carousels. It says the primary modality remains voice and that “linking out to the web from smart displays is currently not supported.” That is Google’s guidance for the documented Smart Display Actions platform, not proof about every Google-branded device or all third-party app support. Google Smart Displays developer documentation
Best-supported option: a Raspberry Pi kiosk display
For a small screen that should show software you control, use a Raspberry Pi, a screen verified to work with that board, Chromium, and a web interface. Raspberry Pi’s official tutorial demonstrates configuring Chromium kiosk mode to launch automatically after the desktop loads and displaying web pages. Raspberry Pi kiosk-mode tutorial
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Home Screens is one example of a self-hosted, web-based smart display system for Raspberry Pi. Its project page describes a Chromium kiosk setup, touch-friendly interface, and modules for calendars, weather, images and video, and display control. The project lists 45 built-in modules; that is the project’s own feature count, not an independent evaluation. Home Screens project on GitHub
What this setup can and cannot do
- Can: show a web dashboard in a browser and automatically open it full-screen when the desktop starts.
- May support: touch interaction, if the selected screen and software are compatible.
- Does not establish: that any specific small touchscreen will work well with a chosen Pi, or that the build runs arbitrary native apps as a smart-display operating system.
How to choose the screen and software
The sources support the general Pi-and-display architecture, not a model-by-model shortlist. Before buying components, verify that the screen’s video connection matches the board, that touch input connects and is supported, and that the enclosure or stand fits the installation. Also consider the screen’s size and resolution for the dashboard you intend to show. No comparable model-level evidence is available here for image quality, latency, or price, so those factors cannot support a defensible ranking.
Rank #2
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Decide whether your interface is already a web page or needs to be built. Home Screens offers a configurable dashboard-style option; if you are developing for Home Assistant, its developer portal documents creating integrations and frontend interfaces, but does not certify any display hardware combination. Home Assistant developer documentation
Where Home Assistant fits
Home Assistant OpenDisplay is a narrower companion feature, not a general-purpose app runtime. Its official documentation covers adding the integration and uploading images, and warns that Bluetooth Low Energy range can make transfers unreliable when the display is too far from the adapter. Home Assistant OpenDisplay integration
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Home Assistant’s software is free and open source. Home Assistant Green is described as a plug-and-play hub, while Raspberry Pi, mini PC, NUC, and virtual machine installations are other host options. These are choices for running Home Assistant, not smart-display hardware; Green is not required to run a Pi kiosk. Home Assistant estimates a custom installation usually takes 1 to 2 hours, but that estimate is for setting up Home Assistant—not for building or configuring a smart display. Home Assistant Green and installation FAQ
When a commercial smart display is the wrong fit
A branded voice assistant or developer program does not by itself mean a device accepts arbitrary apps or unrestricted web dashboards. The Google documentation cited above describes an Actions-based visual experience with platform-specific constraints. The available evidence does not identify a commercial smart display that currently provides a verified route for running a custom web app, so choose a Pi kiosk if openness is the deciding requirement.
Rank #4
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Practical buying and setup checklist
- Define the workload: decide whether you need a web dashboard or a native app. The documented kiosk path is for browser-based content.
- Choose the Pi and screen together: check video connector, touch connection, physical fit, and resolution before ordering. “Raspberry Pi touchscreen display” is a useful component search phrase, not a verified model recommendation.
- Choose the interface: use a self-hosted project such as Home Screens or your own web page, depending on how much configuration or development you want.
- Configure kiosk launch: follow Raspberry Pi’s kiosk tutorial to launch Chromium automatically after the desktop loads and display the intended page.
- Plan maintenance: decide how you will update the operating system and dashboard, and how you will regain access to the desktop if the kiosk page fails to load.
If you also need a dedicated Home Assistant host, evaluate Green or another supported host separately; it is not part of the display requirement.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
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