Echo Show 8
Alexa Echo Show 8 hits the sweet spot for smart displays
In just two short years,
Amazon’s line of Alexa-powered smart displays has expanded from one oddly
shaped device to three sleek units. They all share similar designs and features
but with three different sizes and price points. The 10-inch Echo
Show 8 occupies the top of the line, with the largest screen, loudest
speakers, and highest price, while the alarm clock-like Echo
Show 8 is less expensive and fits much easier on a nightstand.
The newest model, the $129.99 Echo
Show 8, splits the difference: it’s got an eight-inch screen and the
same dual two-inch speakers and bass port as the 10-inch model, but it has a price that’s much closer to the considerably smaller Echo
Show 8. It can do nearly all of the same things as the other Echo Show 8 models,
making it an ideal pick for someone who wants an Alexa-powered smart display
with great sound without having to shell out more than $200 for the privilege.
Since the Echo Show 8
capabilities are so similar to the other Echo Show 8 models,
I encourage you to read my reviews of the 10-inch
model and the Echo Show 8, which cover a lot of
the details with the experience. As mentioned, the Echo Show 8
capabilities are closer to the 10-inch Show than the five-inch model: it can
play video from a variety of sources (including Hulu, which isn’t available on
the Echo Show 8);
make video calls to other Echo Show 8 devices
or smartphones with the Alexa app; and play music from Amazon Music, Spotify,
Apple Music, Pandora, and others. It shares the same wedge-shaped design as the
other two models, complete with a fabric back and two-color options (white or
black).
The display on the Echo Show 8 isn’t
particularly high-res, but it is bright and easy to see from across the room.
There are sensors on the front to automatically adjust the screen’s brightness,
but it doesn’t have the ability to tune the color to the ambient lighting in a room like Google’s Nest Hub smart displays can.
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