Amazon recently updated a pair of Alexa-based Echo Show smart displays. The new Echo Show 8 (second generation) saw a couple of improvements over its predecessor, but the smaller Echo Show 5 received an even smaller update. The new Echo Show 5 (second generation), costing $84.99, has only three key changes: it has a 2-megapixel camera instead of the 1-megapixel sensor of the first model; it comes in blue, in addition to black and white color options; and the 3.5 mm output jack on the back is gone.
Unlike the larger Echo Show 8, the new 5 has not been equipped with a new processor, and its camera does not feature the automatic pan and crop functions offered by the Echo Show 8 and 10. This means that this new model effectively offers the same experience as the previous generation. It is a compact smart display that can be used primarily as a smart alarm clock or as a desk companion in a home office.
The 5.5-inch 960 x 480 pixel touchscreen is bright and colorful, but it is not as easy to read from across the room as Amazon’s larger smart displays. The Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd generation) is not much of a departure from the original, but it is still a compact and capable bedside smart display with built-in camera and Alexa. In addition to the Echo Show 5 we tested, the Echo Show 5 Kids Edition ($94.99) comes in a chameleon green color and is a smart bedside clock for your kids.
It also includes a 1-year subscription to Amazon Kids Plus (subsequently $2.99 per month) and a 2-year replacement policy if your child breaks it. It is not every generation that we see major changes in the form factor of one of Amazon’s devices, and this is certainly the case with the Echo Show 5 (second generation). However, if you put the new speaker side by side with its big brother, you will not notice much difference.
On the back of the Echo Show 5 is the familiar barrel-shaped power port and a microUSB service port, but one key interface is now missing: a 3.5 mm jack for connecting a wired speaker. It is still possible to connect a wireless speaker to the Echo Show 5 via Bluetooth, but the lack of an audio jack is unfortunate.
