Most people’s Alexa smart display has long been Amazon’s Echo Show 8. Its 8-inch display was ideal for scrolling widgets, controlling smart home devices, and even video-calling with others. The built-in speakers also produced powerful sound, making it ideal for listening to music.
The Echo Show 8, now in its third version, has a better-looking design, room in the back for two speakers, and Amazon’s latest chip to speed things up.
A less blocky, more rotund build: The Echo Show 8, like the original Show 10 and current Show 5, has had a more blocky, triangular form with the screen tilted backward since its beginnings. The Show 8 retains the 8-inch display with a slight tilt, but it feels more like a tablet propped up in front of a more rounded, bulbous triangular back.
Instead of harsh corners, a slightly raised ovular rubberized bottom has rounded edges. This provides it with a very low profile and prevents the smart display from being easily knocked out of place.
Simply said, it’s more modern and keeps the attention on the screen, which makes sense given that this is a smart display. It also has smooth, soft glass bezels around the display, which adds to the premium feel.
On the top edge of the Show 8, there are buttons for operating the device, such as a mute button and volume up and volume down buttons. You also get a physically sliding camera shutter that allows you to obscure the view of the 13-megapixel lens. It’s excellent for privacy.
Another significant design change is the placement of the camera, which is now located above the display rather than in the right corner. It makes more sense because it better frames you for video calls or communications. It was an unusual decision on the prior Echo Show 8′, so it’s nice that Amazon fixed it.
Under the hood, there is yet another Echo device capable of controlling your smart home and acting as a true hub. Aside from Z-Wave, it also supports Zigbee and Matter, but maybe most notably, it functions as a Thread Border Router. This means you can use Show 8 to help get and keep other smart home devices like lights, plugs, and more online.
Alexa responses now faster, with a great view: An Echo Show, as opposed to an Echo Pop or Dot, really shows. The Show 8 has a familiar 8-inch 1280 x 800 HD Display, which gives you a terrific view of whatever you’d use a smart display for.
At first glance, when it scrolls over headlines and widgets, it appears to provide plenty of color clarity and accuracy. Alexa’s responses to requests and questions are clear, as is the language that goes with them.
The Echo Show interface has been simplified, so instead of swiping to navigate, you may now utilize a series of buttons up top. You can easily access one of your favorite songs, select anything to highlight from the widget gallery, check your shopping list, or even access linked gadgets. It’s still easy to read and now a little easier to navigate.
While I did experience a few slowdowns while the gadget was still establishing itself, these have already smoothed out. Furthermore, while the 13-megapixel camera has the same megapixel count as the previous generation, it is in a better position and will keep you in the frame automatically.
So, whether you’re using Amazon’s own service or a third party like Zoom, you’ll be kept in the shot even if you wander about or move from side to side at your workstation.
You can even stream material from Fire TV-supported channels and watch Prime Video content on Show 8. It’s modest for a feature-length film, but the display does a good job of crafting pictures.
The display is intelligent in terms of the type of stuff it shows you according to how close or far you are. For example, standing nearer to or near the Echo Show 8 will provide more comprehensive information, whereas standing further away will reveal lesser quantities of larger text and a larger image. It works automatically if you leave it on, and Amazon refers to this as “Adaptive Content.” By adjusting the home screen, widgets, and Alexa voice answers, you can readily see what’s on screen no matter how far away you are.
This is only available on the third-generation Echo Show 8, although it will ultimately be available on other Echo Show devices.
Strong sound with spatial tuning support: With the Echo Show 8, I saved the best for last: the audio experience. The previous-generation Echo Show 8 always provided an excellent playback experience with powerful audio.
In comparison to the second generation, the third generation sounds better and arranges audio in a space with more elegance and intelligence. It features two 2-inch full-range neodymium speakers and a passive bass radiator. And it all adds up to a tremendously rich listening experience.
That’s crucial because I’m sure most of us still use our Alexa devices to play music hands-free. I played a variety of tunes from Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Prime Music on Show 8, and they all sound amazing. Bruce Springsteen’s “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” began easily with the traditional horn theme, and Show 8 expertly handled the wall-of-sound effect as vocals came in on top.
The most important night and day enhancement over the second generation is twofold: the newest Show 8 is louder yet has a far broader soundstage. Tracks have a little more breathing room, and they can still fill a good-sized room with sound, rivaling the Echo 4th Gen smart speaker.
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Bad Idea Right” has steady bass notes with her vocals stacked on top of the rest of the band. It’s a dense track with many elements, but Show 8 pulls it off for the most part. The initial few seconds of a track may sound muddy at ultra-high volumes, however, this is likely due to Show 8 reading the room for the right mix. In any case, it immediately adjusts for stable music playback.
To summarize, if you have an Echo Show 8 second- or first-generation and primarily use it for audio playing, I recommend upgrading to the Show 8.
Is the new Echo Show 8 worth it?
The latest generation of the Show 8 strikes the same chord as it has long stood as a solid middle-of-the-line pick for most people. It does not spin like Show 10 and does not need to be mounted on the wall like Show 15, but it is not as compact as Show 5.
The Echo Show 8 is the greatest Alexa smart display for most people, with an incredible audio setup, an excellent visual experience that is now intelligent, and all the power of Alexa packed into a better-looking material design. Consider the $150 Echo Show 8 if you want images while asking Alexa questions, a device to assist you in cooking in the kitchen, or a little karaoke machine with superb audio playback.
It is available for purchase from Amazon for $150 and will begin shipping on October 25. All you have to do now is choose whether you want the Show 8 in Charcoal or Glacier White.
