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

Over the past few years, Amazon has expanded the size of its Echo Show line. The first such device was the original Echo Show at 10 inches, followed by the second generation at five and eight inches, and finally the third generation at five and eight inches.

The discontinued Echo Show 2nd Gen was replaced by a new form factor in the late 2020s. The Echo Show 5 and 8 were refreshed in May of 2021. Which speaker should you get? To see which comes out on top, we'll compare the two shows.

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

The category of smart home screens with speakers has become an important one for Amazon and Google, with companies like Facebook and Lenovo coming up with interesting products in this area. The trend began with the first and 2nd Gens of the Echo Show and then continued with the second and third Gens. Why would you want a different show?

The face-off has a lot going for it. It has a bigger display for a better view. The speakers are slightly larger and have better sound quality to fill the room. It has an impressive 13MP front-facing camera for video chats, as well as a built-in zigbee hub for improved smart home controls.

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With its unique rotating display, the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) can follow you around a room to give you a constant view of the screen, which is perfect for reading a recipe while working in the kitchen or keeping your toddler in the frame during a video call. When you are away from the house, you can use the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) as an on-demand home security camera. If you want to have a single echo in the house, this is the show for you. You will never be bored with this big box because the Echo Shows have exclusive Food Network content.

The Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is Amazon's most popular smart screen and it has taken all of the good parts of the previous products and combined them into a really solid device. The Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) has the same high-quality HD screen as the larger Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) with speakers that are pretty decent. Privacy features like a physical camera shutter and on-screen Privacy Hub controls were first introduced on the Echo Show 5 and now on the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen). The 13MP camera that the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) has is the same as the one you get. It's better than the competition, but it's even better when you consider the previous show 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, is not as important as it was when those devices first came out. With the introduction of a new Certified for Humans program by Amazon, smart home device setup, and control is much easier and more seamless than before. The decision between these two devices comes down to screen size, price, and additional features.

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

The Show 8 (2nd Gen) has a lot of advantages over the newer Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen), but I think the Show 8 is the better device. The size of the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) is too large for most of the places I would want to put it in my home, while the size of the Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is just small enough to fit in my space.

The rotating screen on the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) is respectful of your privacy, but it isn't capable of facial recognition, so some people would be a little freaked out by it. The pictures and videos on the Show 8 are much sharper than the pictures and videos on a larger screen. You're going to look just as good to the people you're chatting with on an Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) as you are to the people you're chatting with on an Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) now that both devices have the same 13MP camera.