This has actually been a review that had been requested a number of times. The most recent was during a conversation about how small the Echo Show 5 is compared to what some might be assuming. So here we go! A little late to the game here, but here’s your review.
Even though Amazon is beginning to move past its normal wedge-style Show models, starting with the new Echo Show 10, the wedge design continues to be quite popular. In fact, this Christmas to even now, some consumers have been seeing delays in shipping as Amazon tries to fulfill orders. As much as 8-10 days vs your normal 2-day Prime delivery.
Product Design + Our General Opinion
It is the smallest of the Echo models with a screen, which should be quite obvious by its name. It only has a 5-inch (diagonal) screen, which is close to the size of an average modern smartphone. This is where some of our conversations have come up in response to comments that the screen was a lot smaller than expected (for some).
The above image spells it all out when sat next to a typical can of soda. It is a small screen if you were looking for something more comparable to a tablet, which is what the 10-inch model is for. Instead, Show 5 is designed for those looking for a smaller footprint. Something like a nightstand or desk that isn’t going to consume a lot of space.
It’s a clever approach to adding video to a consumer’s Alexa experience and the Alexa we prefer at times when you are looking for something as small as an Echo Dot–while also acting as a clock, video chat portal (pun-intended), and more. I mean, if you are going to add an Alexa speaker somewhere, why shouldn’t it fulfill multiple tasks? Now you won’t need a clock in the room as it will handle that for you. It will also keep the time updated, even during Daylight savings time changes. So that is one less clock to have to change twice a year.
There are a lot of benefits to using this over an Echo Dot speaker. One of the biggest is the current price point. Since they are slowly moving to a new design, the price has fallen to the Prime Day or Black Friday price of only $45 and remained there. It’s never been a better time to scoop one of these up. It isn’t much more than the normal price of an Echo Dot.
The build quality is good and the audio quality is a tad better than the Echo Dot as well. It isn’t going to be a massive upgrade in sound, but the difference is noticeable when it comes to things like volume. That being said, the Echo Dot has also been quite worthy in the sound department ever since the Gen 3 release (with the fabric exterior).
You have similar buttons to the other speakers. The only difference is what they look like. Smaller circular buttons running across the top that allow you to directly control volume or mute the microphone. There is also a small slider switch that blocks the camera, in case you’d like to guarantee yourself a little more privacy when you aren’t making use of the camera for video chats and other features.
Similar to the other models, you have your power connection on the back, as well as a 3.5mm analog aux connection for physically connecting the Echo Show 5 to a larger speaker or stereo system. It can also do this via Bluetooth as well–also just like the other models.
The touchscreen is quite responsive like any smartphone would be. The overall experience of being able to use a screen like that and not just your voice is helpful and informative. You are able to get more information on what you are listening to, along with music videos and more. You can tap into security cameras on your network (if they support Amazon Alexa) and instantly get a view on the screen by simply asking. You can check the news and weather as you relax at your desk or eat at the counter. And, of course, you can quickly call up video chats with friends and family.
There are just so many uses of having a screen like that, which allows the feature list to shadow that of the Echo Dot. So it kind of sells itself (again, especially at the current price tag). Although I’m sure once they launch a replacement for the Show 5, the price will go back up and this won’t necessarily be true anymore.
The Setup Experience
The setup of the Echo Show 5 is a little different. Since there is a screen, you do everything from the device without having to take out your smartphone. That being said, it is a little easier to do things over the smartphone for the Dot speakers. This is because you have to manually type out your network’s password on the screen, which can be a task if your passwords are as insane as ours. Thankfully, the on-screen keyboard on the Echo Show is quite friendly, so it only added an extra minute or less into the setup of the speaker.
Once you finish answering some questions on the screen (and saying yes/no to a few attempts to get you to sign up with their music membership options), you are ready to start using the Echo Show. It is at this point that it will also show up in your app. So you can immediately add it to device groups and more from here.
Our Conclusion
Really, the Echo Show 5 is best considered an Echo Dot with a touchscreen and a camera. In the end, there isn’t much more of a difference between the two models outside of the vast amount of features that come with having a touchscreen and camera. It’s when you upgrade to the Echo Show 10 that it becomes a cross between an Echo speaker and a tablet. Do we like it? Absolutely! It’s nice and compact, allowing it to fit into any situation. It doubles as a clock when not in use and even gives you the local weather. It serves much more of a use than the Echo Dot and at its current price point, it is incredibly enticing.
The latter part having a huge effect on our score of this model. If it wasn’t for the current price (at the time of this story), it would likely fall around an 8/10. However, with its current price point, it nearly scored a perfect 10 with us.
Our Rating | Average Price* $45 | ||
*Average price is based on the time this article was published
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