The Echo Show 5 and 8 Enter Amazon’s Smart Display Line-Up

Amazon’s various Echo Show models have been around for a few years now. Adding to the Echo line-up first launched in 2015, the latest of these are the all-new Amazon Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8 smart displays. But does either represent the best Alexa-enabled device to buy in 2021?

Early impressions look good. The second incarnation of each devices new features include improved cameras and added home security functionality. There’s also a fresh new color coming to the Amazon Echo Show 5.

New to the market, introductory pricing makes either device a potentially attractive proposition. This is especially true for those looking to upgrade from the likes of Amazon’s more basic standard Echo and Echo Dot offerings. With that, let’s take a closer look at what’s in store for the launch of the all-new Echo Show 5 and 8.

The ever-growing Echo Show family primarily consists of three different models. Defined by their approximate sizes in inches, these are the Amazon Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 10. The all-new Echo Show 5 and 8 are just the second generation of roughly five- and eight-inch models. Meanwhile, the Echo Show 10 is currently in its third generation.

Costs vary depending on a number of factors including various bundled add-ons. However, basic prices are set out much as one might expect. The cheapest is the Amazon Echo Show 5, while the Echo Show 10 represents the most expensive Alexa-enabled smart display currently available.

Along which lines, the mid-range Echo Show 8 seems as though it should be the obvious all-rounder. First-generation Amazon Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8 reviews certainly suggest that to be the case. Whether this translates as far as the updated version of each device remains to be seen.

One of the second-generation Amazon Echo Show 5’s most significant upgrades is its camera. Offering twice the performance on the camera on the original Echo Show 5, Amazon says that this promises a clearer, smoother video calling experience.

Moreover, there’s also the ability to use the Echo Show 5 as a home security camera for the first time. Buyers of the revised version will be able to view the device’s live feed from the Alexa app on their smartphone or tablet.

Until now, this feature was available exclusively on the much more expensive Amazon Echo Show 10. There’s also a new Deep Sea Blue color available for those looking for something a little different.

Elsewhere, second-generation Echo Show 5s are reportedly being constructed primarily from recycled materials – great for Amazon’s eco-credentials.

Amazon’s brand-new Echo Show 8 delivers almost all of the same benefits as its revised Echo Show 5 stablemate. The only exception is the smaller device’s new Deep Sea Blue color. Instead, second-generation Echo Show 8s will be sold exclusively in Charcoal or Glacier White fabric finishes at launch.

However, the second-generation Amazon Echo Show 8 does get one major upgrade not available on the comparable Echo Show 5. That’s because the slightly larger device’s camera will now automatically pan and zoom on video calls.

Previously, this feature was limited to the Echo Show 10. In that sense, it’s much like the newly added home security camera functionality that’s also coming to both the Amazon Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8 for the first time in 2021.

Amazon’s second-generation Echo Show 5 currently represents the best value for money smart display. The 5.5-inch device costs $84.99. That’s a $5 saving over the previous model, which received an introductory price of $89.99.

Meanwhile, the updated Amazon Echo Show 8 comes to market at $129.99. That’s the same price as the first-generation Echo Show 8, initially launched in 2019. Significantly more expensive is the $249.99 Amazon Echo Show 10.

Purely between the Amazon Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8, the former seems like a particularly good deal. Despite being just 2.5 inches smaller than its mid-range Echo Show 8 sibling, the Amazon Echo Show 5 costs a not-insignificant $45 less.

Those opting for the $45 cheaper Amazon Echo Show 5 could put that saving toward safeguarding their smart display with an extended warranty. Amazon’s protection plans are provided by SquareTrade. While the warranty prices listed on Amazon may look cheap, you’ll pay for it with questionable service and a lack of plan clarity.

Alternatively, consumers can cut out the middleman and save up to 70% versus retailers by choosing Upsie. Three-year comparable, or better, coverage from Upsie for the Echo Show 5 costs just $40.99. Buyers can even secure protection for as little as $22.99. That’s for comprehensive insurance against everything from manufacturing defects to drops and cracked screens.

Better still, Upsie’s tablet warranties boast only a small $25 deductible, and customers can pay upfront or in installments for the plan.

There’s relatively little to separate the Amazon Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8 beyond overall size and price. The only significant difference, perhaps, is the latter, more expensive device’s ability to pan and zoom during video calls automatically.

At the same time, the cheaper Echo Show 5’s slightly smaller form factor also makes it an ideal device for buyers’ nightstands. By contrast, the larger Echo Show 8’s added bulk means that it feels more at home as a standalone product for use in, for example, the kitchen or other rooms where people are likely to gather.

Already made up your mind? Whatever you decide, don’t forget to lock in a suitable extended Amazon Echo Show warranty. Following their purchase, Upsie customers have up to 60 days to obtain comprehensive extended warranty coverage on either an Amazon Echo Show 5 or Echo Show 8. Find out more exclusively at Upsie.com.