Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) review

Our Verdict

The $129 Amazon Echo Show viii (2d Gen) has a clever new machine-framing camera for video chats, making the best affordable Alexa display even better.

For

Display feels more responsive
Auto-framing works well
Good sound for size
Comes with Amazon Sidewalk

Confronting

Wish information technology offered more upgrades

Tom's Guide Verdict

The $129 Amazon Repeat Show eight (2d Gen) has a clever new auto-framing camera for video chats, making the best affordable Alexa display fifty-fifty better.

Pros

+
Display feels more than responsive
+
Auto-framing works well
+
Good audio for size
+
Comes with Amazon Sidewalk

Cons

-
Wish information technology offered more upgrades

Amazon Echo Evidence eight (2nd Gen) specs

Size: 7.ix x 5.iv ten 3.9 inches
Display: eight inches/1280 10 800
Audio: Dual ane-inch tweeters
Camera: 13MP
Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/northward/air-conditioning Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Sidewalk

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)'s camera earned a major upgrade, so fifty-fifty if you're a little ill of speaking to loved ones via video conversation these days, you'll expect good while doing information technology.

Since the showtime Amazon Echo Evidence 8 launched, we've considered it one of the best Alexa speakers with a display, if not the best 1 overall. Different the towering Echo Evidence 10 (third Gen), the $129 Testify 8'due south more compact build makes information technology a versatile smart home device.

The refreshed Echo Prove 8 steals some of the new Echo Show 10'south key features, including a sharp 13-megapixel photographic camera for video chatting and digital pan-and-zoom for always keeping you in frame.

Not much else is new in this Amazon Repeat Show viii (2nd Gen) review, merely there wasn't much room for improvement. It's even so one of the best smart displays for near people, offering all the powers of Amazon's banana, plus additional video chat abilities, in a counter-friendly build.

Amazon Echo Prove eight (2nd Gen) review: Price and availability

The new Amazon Echo Bear witness 8 is available as of June 9, 2021 and costs $129, which is the aforementioned cost the start Echo Bear witness 8 started at when information technology debuted. The previous-gen model oft went on sale for $99 or less. We're expecting Amazon Prime number Day to bring some of the yr's best Amazon deals, including discounts on the latest Echo Show eight.

Without sales, the Echo Show 8 is all the same more affordable than the $249 Echo Evidence ten and wall-mountable Echo Show 15, but a bit pricier than the $99 Google Nest Hub (second gen) that debuted earlier this twelvemonth. Not only is Google's newest smart brandish one of the best smart speakers, it offers great sleep sensing capabilities, too.

Amazon Echo Show viii (2nd Gen) review: Design and brandish

While the overall look of the seven.9 x v.4 x iii.9 inch smart brandish is mostly the same, donning a minimalistic textile-swathed outside, the camera system is visibly unlike. Replacing the first Echo Evidence viii's subtle 1 megapixel photographic camera, the new model has a thirteen-MP photographic camera housed in a larger, foursquare component.

Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) review — (Paradigm credit: Tom'southward Guide)

This component features a prominent physical shutter, which is not but satisfying to use just adds a layer of privacy, as well. Although I've recently come up to terms with using an indoor security camera in my dwelling, I appreciate being able to close the shutter at times. There's also a separate toggle for the microphone, so I tin can still communicate with Alexa when the camera is disabled.

Of course, I tin accomplish a lot without using my voice, since the "prove" attribute of the Repeat Show viii acts as a touchscreen tablet. It'southward not as an advanced as an Amazon Burn down tablet — it's actually quite simple by comparing — but the interface has nearly of what you'd desire to see at a glance. I noticed the interface is more responsive than on the previous Repeat Show 8, besides, providing snappier navigation and smoother transitions between diverse menus.

The display itself can be manually brightened or dimmed, but the Echo Show 8'south ambient lite sensors likewise adjust the brightness and display temperature to accommodate its surroundings. I find it skews yellow with most overhead lighting, which is soft on the eyes but a little abrasive for watching videos, where it seems like everything has a slight sepia filter. The Echo Bear witness 8 overall isn't ideal for TV shows or movies, though it's user-friendly for catching up on Amazon Prime Video content while I'm doing busy piece of work in the kitchen.

Amazon Echo Show eight (2nd Gen) review: Photographic camera features

The Amazon Echo Show 8 camera upgrades were designed with the era of video chatting in mind. Information technology upgrades the first Echo Evidence eight's simple i-MPcamera with a thirteen-MP one — that's the same quality of the Repeat Show 10'southward camera.

The new Echo Show eight also adopted the digital pan-and-zoom abilities of the Show 10. While the display can't physically rotate to keep yous in frame, the new wide-angle lens can middle you like the Google Nest Hub Max and the Facebook Portal can. The iPad Pro 2021 (12.9-inch)'south Center Stage uses a like tracking technology for video calls.

When I tested out the characteristic using Drop In and video calls, I plant the Repeat Show eight more often than not succeeded in following my movements. It's not perfect — sometimes it kept me on the cusp on the feed or got tripped up with exaggerated arm movements — just it works. I actually similar how it doesn't follow me effectually the room like the Echo Show x, also.

Amazon'southward smart displays piece of work with Zoom, Skype and some of the best video conversation apps, meaning you can start and answer calls simply past asking Alexa. Easily-free video chat is one of the all-time Alexa skills for keeping in touch with your loved ones. Amazon also added some in-call animations and AR effects to spice up your calls. I'll admit, I took some light-headed selfies with them.

Amazon Echo Show viii (2nd Gen) review: Sound quality

We thought the original Show viii sounded great for its size, so we expected similar performance from the new version. The dual 2-inch speakers produce powerful sound, only the fullness depends on which way it's facing. Your music will sound improve if the display is faced away from you, which seems counterintuitive for using the Echo Show's "show" abilities. Part of the Echo Show 10'southward speaker grille faces you lot at all times, making it better for listening, especially to podcasts.

I remember the Echo Bear witness 8 provided aplenty sound for my kitchen, with Elton John'south "Bennie and the Jets" thumping over the audio of dishwashing. Again, the crooner's vocalization could've been crisper, and when I switched to an episode of The Daily from the New York Times I had to turn the book up to hear Michael Barbaro's besides as I'd similar. Luckily, the Echo Evidence viii gets pretty loud.

That said, there are amend-sounding smart speakers out there. The Sonos Ane is our favorite in terms of audio quality, but information technology costs $199 and doesn't have a brandish, so you can't use information technology to follow along with recipes, lookout other videos or control smart home devices without using your vocalization. For an Alexa smart brandish with strongest audio quality, the Repeat Show 10 is your best option.

Amazon Echo Testify 8 (2nd Gen) review: Alexa and smart habitation features

When you lot're non using it to video chat or control music, the Echo Show 8 can be used for in-home communications. Information technology can also integrate with the best Alexa compatible devices, providing a visual dashboard for your system of smart home products. You can manage your devices individually or assign them to Alexa routines for advanced home automation.

Similar Amazon's other smart speakers (and some Ring devices), the new Echo Prove eight has Amazon Sidewalk built-in. Sidewalk, which is live as of this writing, is a Wi-Fi sharing protocol that will let devices — such every bit Tile trackers — connect to the cloud through the Echo Show via a low-power, long range network.

You can ask Alexa to pull upwardly recipes and launch videos (no congenital-in YouTube app, though). Yous tin also ask the assistant to set timers, make shopping lists and order stuff for you through Amazon Prime. Check out our guide on how to use Alexa for more common tips and tricks.

Beyond these conveniences, Alexa might exist able to requite you peace of mind while you're out,. Alexa Guard turns your Echo smart speakers into security devices, listening for signs of trouble such as glass breaking or your smoke alarm going off. Your Alexa app will then notify you when it hears anything suspicious, which might be faster when you're out of the house.

Amazon Echo Show viii (2d Gen) review: Verdict

Although the Echo Show 10 might be the best Alexa brandish we've ever tested, it costs $249. For one-half the price, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) now has the same camera and Alexa features. Certain, it can't follow you every bit you movement around the room, but I prefer it that way.

I will say the speaker seems less impressive than information technology did in the start-generation model, but maybe I'chiliad just disappointed Amazon didn't beef information technology upward this time around. Across the 13-MP camera with auto-framing, at that place'southward little that makes this new version better than the original. Unless yous want to meliorate your video chatting game, there's no need to upgrade. But for a gift or a showtime-time Alexa display purchase, you can't do much amend than the Amazon Echo Show 8 (second Gen) right at present.

Kate Kozuch is a senior author at Tom's Guide covering wearables, TVs and everything smart-abode related. When she'south not in cyborg manner, y'all can notice her on an do bike or channeling her inner celebrity chef. She and her robot regular army will rule the earth one day, but until and so, reach her at kate.kozuch@futurenet.com.