Our homes are increasingly smart: from light bulbs to thermostats, we can control almost everything via Wi-Fi. But to manage it in a truly intelligent way, you need a voice assistant and a speaker or display to talk to it. Alexa it is now a point of reference, and theEcho Show 8 Of Amazonnow in its third generation, after the tests in this review it confirms it smart display to beat.
It’s the device for (almost) everyone. With a display from 8 inchesmanages to place itself halfway between the cheapest and most compact Echo Show 5 and more expensive versions like theEcho Show 10 ed Echo Show 15. With a price of 169.99 euros (which during Black Friday becomes 139.99 euros), it can become the control center of the entire smart home. But not necessarily everyone’s: some might be satisfied with Echo smart speakers, others will want something more. In this review we help you understand if the 3rd generation Echo Show 8 is for you.
Our review of the 3rd generation Echo Show 8
Amazon has paid attention to the essentials in the packaging of the new Echo Show 8, which arrives in a box eco friendly (made with 99% recyclable materials, with 29% of the materials recycled in the device) which contains just the smart display and the cylinder input adapter. We would have preferred a USB-C charger, but we appreciate that the cable is long enough to place the device where it’s most convenient for you.
We placed it in the kitchen, with the ambition of using the display to follow recipes and cook delicacies. But even with the right technology, the desire to do so was short-lived.
Design: Small improvements (but big bezels)
The design of theEcho Show 8 of the third generation is similar to its predecessor, available in color variants bianco o nero. It maintains the overall shape with slight changes, such as the front edge being completely flush with the screen and a change to the placement of the camera, which is now centered at the top of the screen instead of right. The bezels remain quite large, making the design seem less appealing – although they didn’t particularly bother us during our daily use. The dimensions have increased slightly to 200mm x 139mm x 106mm.
On the top side, it has a mechanical slider for the privacy of the camera, a dedicated button for silence microphone audio and controls volumeas well as two microphones. The back houses the connectorpower supply and gives space for hardware and speakers, with a fabric covering.
A good display and powerful audio
On the hardware side, the features audio e video they seem to remain almost unchanged compared to the previous generation. The display gives 8 inches offers a resolution of 1.280 x 800 pixel, good enough quality to watch YouTube videos and the occasional series if you have placed it in a room without a TV (although it does not have the Full HD support with integrated Fire TV of the Echo Show 15). Don’t expect deep contrast or very faithful colors, but it is bright and vibrant even under rather strong lights.
The two drivers of the speakers and 2 inches they provide a balanced sound and have new software features softwarewhich supports thespatial audio and analyze theacoustics of the room to optimize the sound. The result is truly powerful audio: the volume goes up a lot, filling even very large rooms without major distortions.
The bass is also quite powerful, although not always very faithful and profound. Neither the volume nor the quality compares to dedicated speakers for music playback. But compared to other smart speakers and for the price, the 2023 Echo Show 8 actually holds its own quite well.
Third generation Echo Show 8 review: the hardware equipment
Powered by a processor octa-core with the neural engine AZ2 Of Amazonoffers responsive and fast performance, both in voice commands with Alexa than in interaction touch. It is the same chip that also powers the other speakers and displays released in the last year such as the Echo Pop (review here) and the Echo Show 15 (review here), but it continues to defend itself well. Especially because of how perfect Alexa is for communicating with us: activation is immediate, the response is always quick enough to create a fluid conversation.
Furthermore, it supports the Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac e il Bluetooth to stream music from your phone. Both connections proved solid during our test. Support Zigbee for the home automationwith certification Matter for theinteroperability e Thread as an extra wireless network protocol. This ensures you can use it as a smart home hub – and it’s the Echo Show with the smaller display that does that.
Video camera
Closes the hardware device one video camera and 13 MP with functionality automatic framing, which not only works very well for video calls, but also detects your presence to activate and provide contextual information when you approach. THEFurthermore, it shows more or less detailed contents depending on the distance: if you are far away, large icons and little text, while if you get closer there are more details. But if you prefer, you can physically close the webcam to protect your privacy.
As you can see from this image, the camcorder does a great job of holding focus your face (even though we tried to deceive her by moving our hand). So if you want to call or have someone call you, it could be very useful. The quality is not excellent, but more than enough for quality video calls – also because the powerful audio and good microphones help the conversation. And ask “Alexa, call [nome del contatto]” is much easier than opening apps on your smartphone or PC.
You can even use the webcam as an additional security camera, wading through the live feed and listening to the audio from your smartphone. There are no movement notifications and recordings like dedicated security devices, but it is an added value.
Talking with Alexa is increasingly simple (also thanks to the screen)
The “Alexa” command gives access to the voice assistant, responsive as ever. You can ask what the weather will be like the next day, explain a concept, create lists and schedules or open as many skills as you want. Indeed, Echo Show actively shows you interesting skills to try, so you can try games and activities with Alexa. But above all, he is able to control smart home devices. Not just those from Amazon, but also all those that support the Matter and Zigbee standard – which are the majority.
We have connected air conditioners (using them with the heat pump, given the increasing cold), the TV, but also smart light bulbs and door and window sensors. All quite simple, even from the screen or by asking Alexa directly. You even can see feeds from security cameras or video intercoms, qualify yourself.
Multimedia and the convenience of a smart display
The voice assistant Alexa can search and play music, podcasts and multimedia content from a wide range of services such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Netflix and many others. Even if there is no app, it can play content via the Amazon Silk browser: we watched a couple of videos from our channel without problems.
As we said, the display gives eight inches may limit the experience of video viewing. But it’s not about replacing your TV. We used it to watch videos and listen to podcasts while we cooked, but moving it to the bedroom can help you relax with an audiobook or soothing noises.
Interact with the touchscreen
While voice remains the easiest way to interact with Alexa, the display touch allows direct interaction with the device. Scrolling through the settings, for example, is easier for those of us who are used to smartphones. But the strong point lies in the widget present, which allow quick access to various features. With the camera, Alexa understands that you are approaching and shows different possibilities: skills, music playlists or searches that you just need to touch to start.
Although there are different customization optionslo limited screen implies that i Widgets act like individual apps, making it difficult to use more than one at the same time. You can customize them, although the process isn’t as smooth as we’d like: you have to remove widgets already in use before adding others.
Third Generation Echo Show 8 Review: Is It Worth It?
The third generation of Amazon Echo Show 8 it costs a little more than its predecessor at launch. Compared to the last generation, released in 2021, it is more responsive and understands what we want much more quickly. However, the old model remains a valid alternative for those who want to save a little, although there is a difference.
Compared to the Echo Show 5 it sounds better and allows you to fully manage your smart home, with the lower price making it more attractive to the 10 and 15 inch models. Therefore, in our opinion, It’s the right smart display with Alexa for most people.
Those who want to save money and don’t need video can focus on Echo speakers, those who want a higher quality smart speaker for audio can find solutions from other brands specialized in the music sector with Alexa. And those who prefer Siri or Google Assistant will have to change manufacturer. But if you have decided to buy a smart display, the value for money Echo Show 8 remains the one to beat…