Amazon Echo Show 5 vs. 8: Which should you buy?

Amazon unveiled the Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) and Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) side-by-side in 2021, with the Echo Show 5 receiving a 3rd Gen hardware update in 2023. These compact displays are still the most popular Amazon smart displays available that don't have a premium price tag (like the 10- and 15-inch models). Both have the same smarts built-in and a similar design (aside from the size difference), but it's a very different user experience depending on which you choose. Let us take a look at the smaller Amazon Echo Show models and see if the 8-inch or 5.5-inch version is the better fit for your home.

Amazon Echo Show 5 vs. 8: Small display showdown

The Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) and Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) share a lot of common software features, so you technically get the same experience whichever you buy. But if you look at their differences beyond size, you'll notice that the screen, speaker sizes, camera resolution, and even microphone array also differ. Here is how they compare, stat for stat.

The Second Generation Echo Show 5 was an incremental update over the first generation and the 2023 third-generation model continues that trend with some minor hardware upgrades. Amazon has added a microphone to help with responsiveness taking the total up to four. The 2023 version still has a fairly low-end 2MP camera, but for quick communications, it should be fit for purpose. This is a nice device that can be put in smaller spaces and serves as a great monitor for smart cameras or a glanceable display for quick information. 

Unfortunately, a display that's barely larger than a cell phone's, in a form factor that's not actually portable, isn't the best experience for viewing video content, though it is serviceable. It no longer has a 3.5mm jack like the last model, and the speaker isn't particularly powerful. There were never going to be any miracles in terms of sound quality from the 1.75-inch speaker, but it has been tuned for better bass response and voice clarity than the previous generation.

Similarly, the Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) received a revamped processor that added extra cores for faster commands and scrolling. The MediaTek CPU on the smaller Echo Show 5 has been upgraded from four to six cores with this CPU giving a little more power, but still falling short of the octa-core CPU in the Echo Show 8. It still works, and you shouldn't worry that you're getting a deficient experience.

If what you want is a suitable Echo device for your bedside or office desk, you might be better off picking up an Echo Dot with Clock. True, the speakers in the Dot are not quite as good as the Show 5, but the LED clock is less "in your face." There is no camera to worry about (physical switch notwithstanding). Plus, the Dot with Clock is less expensive than the Echo Show 5.

However, if you want a really nice side table or bedside Echo device with the ability to monitor your smart home security, get text responses to the weather and time, and catch a few videos, the Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) is a great device. The Echo Show 5 is priced where it's almost an impulse buy, and like the Dots, you can often find it bundled with other smart home products for even more savings.

It's important to note that if you've considered getting an Echo Show device for your child, you might want to pick up the all-new Echo Show 5 Kids version. It features additional privacy and parental controls and comes in a fun jungle-themed Chameleon color pattern.

Ever since the original Echo Show 8 came out nearly two years ago, we have called it the Goldilocks of smart screen devices, and the 2nd Gen model remains "just right." Not only does it sit physically between the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) and the Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen), but it seems to have made the right tradeoffs when it comes to its specs between those devices.

It has a larger screen and additional speaker over the Show 5 (2nd Gen), and it has the improved 13MP camera of the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) that auto-frames so your face remains in the center. That camera is perfect for making or taking Zoom calls, and soon you'll be able to add animated backgrounds to your video chats. 

After its launch, Amazon added Visual ID to the Echo Show 8 to bring individualized information to each profile by recognizing each user. Don't worry, it's an opt-in feature. Unlike its smaller sibling, the Show 8 (2nd Gen) only comes in two colors, Charcoal or Glacier White.

The speakers on the Show 8 (2nd Gen) (two 2-inch speakers at 10W per channel) are still pretty good for their size and better than the single 1.75-inch, 4W speaker available on the Show 5 (3rd Gen). At 1280x800 resolution, the Show 8 (2nd Gen) also has a significantly better screen resolution than the Show 5 (3rd Gen) at 960x480, which should translate into sharper images on your video calls, when viewing streaming media, and while browsing personal photos.

Amazon Echo Show 5 vs. 8: Which smaller Show should you get?

Look, it is pretty obvious which is the best Alexa speaker that we think you should get here — the Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen). It's not THAT much bigger than the Show 5 or THAT much smaller than the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen), but the size difference from its siblings is noticeable and meaningful in real-life usage. We honestly think that the Show 5 (2nd Gen) is still a great device, particularly if you get it as a secondary smart screen. We appreciate that both the Echo Show 5 and Show 8 have a physical camera shutter and a mute button for better privacy controls. Plus, both have on-screen access to the Alexa Privacy Hub so that you can take even more control of your digital privacy.