Amazon Echo Show 5 Review

Amazon’s approach to its range of Echo speakers and screens appears to follow the philosophy that one size does not fit all homes. As of now, there are three different Echo speakers, three devices with screens, and the Echo Input which you use to transform a dumb speaker into a smart speaker.

In essence, all of these different devices are designed to do the same thing - get Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant into your home, but we all have different ideas about how much of our home we’re willing to dedicate to the purpose.

The Echo Show 5 is the latest in the Alexa family and further proof of this. The original Echo Show is a great device, something I use every day, but its 10.1-inch screen is too big for some rooms. For example, I use the Show in my living room, but I wouldn’t put it on my bedside table or on the desk in my office.

The Echo Show 5 fits where the Echo Show doesn’t. It’s 5.5-inch screen isn’t overwhelming as an alarm clock, and it would find a space on the kitchen counter top as well. But by the same token, I wouldn’t replace the larger screen in my living room with the Show 5, it’s too small to see clearly from across the room. 

The easiest way to think of the difference in screen size is that the Echo Show is about the same size as an iPad, while the Show 5 is closer to an iPhone. 

The downsizing doesn’t stop there either. The Show 5 has fewer pixels than the screen in the original Show, the screen is clearly less bright, and the camera is scaled down from 5-megapixels to 1-megapixel.

The audio is also less impressive, with a single 4W speaker in the Show 5, compared with dual 10W speakers in the Show. That said, I was pretty impressed with the sound quality you get with the Show 5. It isn’t loud or clear enough to be the only sound system at a party, but it sounds great while listening to music in bed, or while you’re preparing dinner.

The microphone in the Show 5 is good too and seems to work as well as the larger model. That is to say that it doesn’t always pick up voice commands on the first try, but the success to failure ratio is about the same regardless of which model you choose.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the Echo Show 5 though, is the price with Amazon for just $129. This is a great price for something that can handle all of the same tasks that any of Echo product can. You can ask Alexa questions, control smart home devices like light bulbs, make video calls to other Echo Show devices, and use it as an intercom to communicate with other Amazon speakers in your home. You can also use it to view products on Amazon, compare prices and place an order, all by using your voice alone.

And of course, the price is also the encouragement you might need to buy a second Echo speaker. And a third; and so on, until you have your house fully wired in to the Amazon ecosystem.

Joseph Hanlon

Editorial Director | X | LinkedIn

Joe Hanlon has been immersed in mobile phones, plans and the internet for over a decade, having written for publications like CNET, Techradar, Gizmodo and Lifehacker. He steers the editorial ship and makes sure that we are always serving up the most useful guides and recommendations. If you ever bump into Joe on the street, don't be afraid to ask for a phone recommendation. It's embarrassing how much he enjoys talking about this stuff. He also loves listening to podcasts, so feel free to email Joe with recommendations.

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