Amazon Echo Show 10 vs Echo Show 8 vs Echo Show 5: What difference does it make?

 


(Pocket-lint) - Amazon has revamped its 10-inch Echo Display and redesigned it. The third-generation unit, named the Echo Show 10, replaces the bulkier two-year-old predecessor with a new model that has a fresh look and even rotates if you are on a video call, to follow you around the room.

But how does it relate to other devices for the Echo Show? Here we compare the latest version of the proven Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8 - the Echo Show 10 published at the end of 2020, spec by spec and feature by feature.

What's the same? 

In terms of software capability, the Echo Display set is very similar, but it is in terms of design that the devices have improved over the last year or so.

The Echo Display 5 and 8 are very similar in terms of design and capabilities - but there are some variations in terms of audio prowess as you'll hear. Now, the Echo Display 10 is quite a different product and is suitable in a family room or kitchen as a primary Echo device.

Of course, Alexa, Amazon's voice assistant that can help you with all the basics as well as more complicated things through the addition of Alexa Skills and automation through routines, is at the heart of each Echo system.

Alexa has been a mixed bag on-screen so far, simply because she's voice-first. With the Echo Show 10, the gui that functions alongside the touchscreen display has taken work and Amazon knows this - an upgraded interface is coming to Echo Show. We're going to have to reserve judgement because we haven't been hands-on with it yet, but it seems like changes are on the way to all Echo Display units.

In addition to the new Amazon Prime Video and Hulu, Amazon is now powering up the show, with Netflix support. You will now now get Zoom support (plus Amazon's own Chime communication service for calling other Show devices) as well as the new Skype in terms of video calling. Community calls are on the way, too. Of course, several music services, including Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer, are already sponsored by Alexa.

Recipe support comes courtesy of Food Network Kitchen in the United States and BBC Healthy Food in the United Kingdom.

All three systems now have a physical privacy shutter (with mic/camera off) and physical volume controls in terms of design, although all are available in white (glacier) and dark grey (charcoal). Every device's main body is covered in cloth.

While they support 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) and A2DP support for streaming audio via Bluetooth, none of the devices support Wi-Fi 6.

What's different? 

Design

  • Echo Show 10: 251 x 230 x 172 mm. 2.6kg
  • Echo Show 8: 200 x 136 x 99 mm, 1.04kg
  • Echo Show 5: 148 x 86 x 73 mm, 410g
The Echo Show 10 has always been used as more of an entertainment system for room filling, while Show 5 and 8 are more devices for the bedside or desk. Show 5 is, indeed, more of an Echo Spot or radio-esque alarm clock unit.

A trapezoid form on the rear is the Echo Display 5 and 8, while the current Show 10 looks more like an old iMac, with a 'bulb' or flattened sphere shape holding the frame. As the screen can rotate up to 175 degrees, there's a reason for that. In order to hold you in the picture, if you're on a video call, it will switch when you do. The 'tilt' of the screen is, however, manually controlled.

In terms of the Echo Show 10's design, the biggest disappointment is that the monitor itself has relatively large bezels, but it was obviously designed to reach a price point. That's no different from any other system with an Echo.

Display

  • Echo Show 10: 10.1-inch HD touchscreen (1,280 x 800 resolution)
  • Echo Show 8: 8-inch HD touchscreen (1,280 x 800 resolution)
  • Echo Show 5: 5.5-inch touchscreen (960 x 480 resolution)
There is a 10.1-inch HD (not full HD) touchscreen monitor on the Echo Show 10 that seems to have the same 1,280 x 800 as the old 10-inch Echo Show. The lack of high resolution is a little disappointing, but Amazon obviously didn't want to make its current Echo line-up more costly than its predecessor.

However, on the Echo Show 8 (compared to the same resolution screen as in last year's Echo Show 10, that is), the resolution seems much more appropriate. The Echo Display 5 understandably lags a little behind, but the lower resolution does not scratch because of its small scale.

Hardware

  • Echo Show 10: MediaTek 8183 processor, Zigbee smart hub
  • Echo Show 8: MediaTek MT 8163 processor
  • Echo Show 5:  MediaTek MT 8163 processor
Show 10 is moving to a MediaTek 8183 chip this year. Intel Atom-based was the old unit. As well as an ambient light sensor, there's also a second neural network processor.

Show 10, like the current Echo, has a built-in Zigbee smart hub, so you can now ask Alexa to discover new smart home gadgets that comply with Zigbee. They don't have this for Echo 5 and 8.

The Echo Display 10 has a front-facing 13-megapixel camera that is a big improvement to the cameras used on the other devices - a meagre single megapixel that is pretty bad.

Sound and speakers

  • Echo Show 10: two 1-inch tweeters and a 3-inch woofer
  • Echo Show 8:  dual two-inch drivers (10W)
  • Echo Show 5: one 1.7-inch (4W)
Clearly, Echo Show 10 has stronger audio than the other two systems - it has a 2.1 system: two 1-inch stereo tweeters and a 3-inch woofer. There's no mention of Dolby-enhanced audio, unlike the previous generation.

Show 8 has dual drivers of two inches that pump out 10W per channel. Actually, the audio is pretty good, but it doesn't fill the room. Show 5 has a single 1.7-inch 4W driver and is definitely more of a desk or bedside table speaker.

Conclusion

Price points are one of the hardest things to speak about for Echo devices because they differ too much because of daily sales from Amazon. Overall, we feel sure that the best value for these devices is provided by Echo Show 8.

It's not enough for a main household space, though, so you need the Echo Show 10 if you want an Echo Show for one of those places. This is obviously the most impressive gadget here, but there are some things that let it down, namely the layout and resolution of the screen.

During sales, Echo Show 5 is normally available at a really attractive price, but it's really just enough for the bedside or desk. However, it's still, of course, a very capable unit.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Night Mode on iPhone: Everything You Need to Know

Image
The newest iPhones from Apple, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, are fitted with a new feature called Night mode, designed to take crisp, clear pictures even if lighting conditions, such as at night, are low.   Unfortunately, Night mode is not supported on the   iPhone SE   or   iPhone XR . It remains an exclusive feature for the ‌iPhone 11‌ line of phones. As the name suggests, Night mode allows you to take pictures at night, with lighting that has never been possible on an iPhone before, thanks to new hardware and new machine learning algorithms. Although Night Mode brightens photos, it also preserves the feeling of night time, balancing an image's light and dark elements. For a while now, Android smartphone manufacturers such as Google and Samsung have had unique modes to brighten up evening shots, and Apple is on equal footing with these other smartphone cameras with the 2019 iPhones. What is Night Mode? Night mode is an automatic setting that take...
Read more

Best 2021 Xbox controllers: Get the advantage of these third-party and official pads with these

Image
  (Pocket-lint) - The Xbox controller has a pretty remarkable lineage already - following the very unusual design embraced by the original console's chunky gamepad, the Xbox 360 introduced a new type that's stood the test of time. It has been updated only marginally over the Xbox One years, and for the Xbox Series X and S as well, it has remained very similar. That's a testament to a great deal of architecture, but it also has some limitations. Picking up a new controller might be a game-changer, because it's not quite the right shape for you, or whether you want some extra buttons and features. It has been updated only marginally over the Xbox One years, and for the Xbox Series X and S as well, it has remained very similar. That's a testament to a great deal of architecture, but it also has some limitations. Picking up a new controller might be a game-changer, because it's not quite the right shape for you, or whether you want some extra buttons and features. T...
Read more

The best Samsung Galaxy S20 cases: Protect your new S20, S20+ or S20 Ultra.

Image
  (Pocket-lint) - The new flagship phone from Samsung, the Galaxy S20, is a bit of a stunner, as is the Galaxy S20+, taking its place in a long line of impressive South Korean handsets. If you're about to pick up Samsung's latest smartphone, or if you already have it, you're probably going to want to keep it safe from harm, whether it's the edge-to-edge display and stunning screen, the utterly baffling amount of power under its hood or the incredible output of its cameras. Thankfully, there is already a nice range of smartphone cases on the market, which means that you can choose from stylish and robust options. Right here, we have compiled a list of some of the very best S20 cases for you and we're going to update it with more new ones as they come in. Our guide to the best Samsung S20 cases to buy today Samsung Smart LED View Cover Samsung has made this lovely LED-laden shell case for its new phone, similar to a case that it made for previous versions of its Galax...
Read more