Amazon’s Alexa is not as good as Google Assistant—although Echo’s recipe feature, which shows step-by-step instructions, rivals the similar feature Google cooked up for its displays. Still, Amazon invented this category, and all the Echo Shows are a promising evolution of the smart-screen concept. If the Echo Show 8 doesn’t seem right for you, there are others you might prefer.
Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) for $90: The smaller and cheaper third-gen Echo Show 5 has a 5.5-inch screen that works best on a desk or a bedside table. We think it’s a bit too small for the kitchen or living room, but that depends on how you plan to use it.
Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen, 2021) for $250: This smart display is situated on top of a large cylindrical speaker, which makes it sound great. Plus the screen physically swivels to follow you around the room as you use it, keeping you in frame while you video chat, or keeping your streamed workout video in your line of sight as you move about. Because the screen moves around so much, you may have trouble positioning it in tighter spaces—especially in corners.
Echo Show 15 for $280: This is the largest of them all, with a 15.6-inch display with customizable widgets so you can have smart-home device controls and calendar reminders available whenever. It’s made to be mounted on your wall like a TV (you can get a stand, but it’s sold separately), and the Show 15 also pairs with a Fire TV remote (you can use the app) to use the streaming features. Voice commands for streaming don’t work well, so it feels like a weird in-between of a smart display and a TV that doesn’t excel in either department.
Echo Hub for $180: The Amazon Echo Hub (8/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t exactly a smart display. It lacks powerful speaker capabilities and doesn’t have a camera for calls or Amazon’s Drop-In video call feature. Instead, it focuses entirely on being a smart home dashboard with built-in Alexa, plus features like widgets and the photo frame. I think it takes the best, most easily used features of a smart display and cuts out the rest. But if you want a good speaker, don’t choose this one.
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