Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) review

There are times when a standard Echo device feels like it could do with a screen - peace of mind while shopping, for example, or when Alexa keeps picking the wrong song from Spotify - but the Show doesn’t address those issues or make it feel like a necessary addition. Compared to the first generation, this new one is undoubtedly an improvement: better design, improved sound quality (after a bit of help) and a nicer screen. But it still doesn’t feel like the finished article and the way it uses that display remains unconvincing. The visual aspects of its functionality often feel a long way from being essential, sometimes clunky even, and it’s just not cut out for watching videos for more than a few minutes at a time. Its most useful screen-based feature - video calling - is also still undercooked. A step in the right direction, then, but you’re probably still better off picking up a much cheaper Echo Plus if you’re after a smart home hub. Oh, and in case you were wondering, Craig Doyle is 47 (48 in December).

Nice big screen; Improved audio; Decent smart home hub; Alexa still a handy helper;

Pricey; Screen feels underused; Audio needs tweaking; Limited video playback;

Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) Review

The combination of voice and video proved to be a winner with the original, and the Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) improves on the original to deliver the ultimate Alexa experience. At its heart, the high-quality audio delivers the most compelling sound experience of any Echo speaker, making it a great choice for music or radio. The screen comes into its own, displaying more information from your Alexa commands, offering direct control over smart home devices and even letting you watch content from Amazon Prime Video (although the voice search is a little clunky). It's a touch expensive, but if you want the best Alexa experience then look no further.

Great display; Smart home control at your fingertips; Excellent audio quality; Can watch Amazon Prime Video;

Relatively expensive; Poor YouTube access;

Amazon Echo Show 2 review

The new Echo Show improves on the original in just about every way. But, for us, it still doesn’t do enough - especially at this price - to make the screen an indispensable feature. Sound quality is a lot better than other Echos, but you can plug an Echo Dot into your own speakers for a fraction of the price.

Amazon Echo Show (2nd Generation) Review

The original Amazon Echo Show was a natural evolution of the Echo speaker, adding a touch screen to provide visual information in addition to spoken answers to questions. It worked well enough, but a very stark design, anemic sound, and limited touch-screen interactivity left us underwhelmed (and the release of the smaller, less expensive Echo Spot made it even less tempting). Amazon kept working on the idea, though, and the result is a completely new Echo Show. The second-generation model is sleeker, louder, and features loads of new touch-screen features, all for the same $229.99. It addresses nearly all of our issues with the original model, with the promise of even more useful features in the future. That earns it our Editors' Choice for smart displays, though we're also fans of the new Echo Show 5 as a more affordable, space-friendly alternative.An All-New Look The Echo Show benefits from a complete design overhaul that makes original look downright clunky and, well, ugly in ...

The latest model of the Amazon Alexa-powered Echo Show smart display is a major upgrade over the original, with a larger, more functional touch screen and a much more powerful speaker system.

Feature-rich touch-screen interface; Friendly design with big, bright screen; Powerful audio; Web browser

Heavily sculpted sound emphasizes extremes and downplays midrange; Screen only supports 720p video

Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) review review

Nice big screen; Improved audio; Decent smart home hub; Alexa still a handy helper;

Pricey; Screen feels underused; Audio needs tweaking; Limited video playback;