Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) vs. Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen): Which should you buy?

Over the past few years, Amazon has updated and expanded its Echo Show line, with devices coming in three different sizes. The original Echo Show and Echo Show (2nd Gen) at 10 inches were the first such devices, followed by an Echo Show 5 at five inches and the Echo Show 8 coming in at — you guessed it — eight inches. 

In late 2020, we were introduced to a new form factor in the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen), which replaced the discontinued Echo Show (2nd Gen). In May of 2021, we saw minor refreshes to the Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) and Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen). But out of these two bigger Echo Show speakers, which one should you get? Let's compare the Echo Show 8 vs. Show 10 to see which comes out on top.

Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) vs. Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen): Echo showing more than ever

Smart home screens with speakers have become an important category for Amazon and Google, with companies like Facebook and Lenovo coming up with interesting products in this space. Amazon started the trend with the Echo Show (1st and 2nd Gens) and then continued with the Echo Spot, and now the Shows 5, 8, and 10. Why would you want one of these Echo Shows over the other? Let's start by looking at the specs to see how they differ.

The Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) certainly has a lot going for it in this face-off. It's got a larger display for a better viewing experience. It has slightly larger and improved speakers capable of outputting directional sound to better fill the space you're listening in. It also has an impressive 13MP front-facing camera for video chats and features a built-in Zigbee hub for improved smart home controls.

With its unique rotating display, the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) can follow you around a room to provide you with an uninterrupted view of the screen, which is perfect for reading a recipe while working in the kitchen or keeping your moving toddler in the frame during a video call. You can even take over the camera remotely through the Alexa app and use the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) as an on-demand home security camera when you're away from the house. This is the Echo Show to get if you have plenty of counter space or only want to have one Echo in the house. Now that the Echo Shows once again have YouTube support and exclusive Food Network content, you'll never be bored with this big box!

The Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is arguably Amazon's most popular smart screen, and it has certainly taken all of the good parts of the previous products and combined them into a really solid device. With the Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen), you get the same high-quality HD screen as the larger Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) with speakers that are actually pretty good. You also get all of the enhanced privacy features first introduced on the Echo Show 5 and now on the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen), like a physical camera shutter and on-screen Privacy Hub controls. Plus, you get the same excellent 13 MP camera that the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) has. That's impressive in and of itself and is better than the competition, but it's doubly impressive when you consider the previous Echo Show 8 only had a 1 MP camera!

You could argue that the Zigbee hub integration, which was necessary at one point to help pair with other smart products, on the older Echo Show (2nd Gen) and Echo Plus (2nd Gen) devices is not nearly as important as it was when those devices were first released. This is particularly true with Amazon introducing a new Certified for Humans (opens in new tab) program to make smart home device pairing, setup, and control much easier and more seamless than ever before. So really, then the decision between these two devices comes down to three main factors: screen size, price, and additional features and functionality.

Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) vs. Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen): Just Show me which one to get

While the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) is a fantastically advanced device, and has a lot of advantages over the newer Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen), I still feel like the Show 8 (2nd Gen) wins out as the better Echo Show for most people. The Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) size is just too big for most of the places I'd want to put it in my home, while the Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is just small enough to make sense in my spaces. 

While the rotating screen on the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) can be very useful and is respectful of your privacy since it isn't capable of facial recognition, I can certainly see how some people would be a little creeped out by it. With the same image resolution on a smaller screen, the pictures and videos are that much crisper on the Show 8. Plus, you're going to look just as good to the people you're chatting with on an Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) as on an Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) now that both devices have the same 13 MP camera.