Along with the new Echo Show 8, Amazon has also updated the smaller Echo Show 5 Smart Display. The camera gets a small update, but it’s not quite the same step up in image quality that you get with the new Echo Show 8. There’s really no reason to upgrade if you own the original model, but for new users, the second-generation Echo Show 5 remains a handy, affordable smart display that’s small enough to fit anywhere you need Alexa and a screen.
The second-generation Echo Show 5 is almost identical in appearance to the first model. It’s still a miniature version of the Echo Show 8, a Toblerone-shaped device with a triangular side profile that allows the screen to tilt back slightly. It measures 3.4 x 5.8 x 2.9 inches (HWD) and is available in black, blue or white.
The 5.5-inch touchscreen with 960 x 480 pixels is surrounded by a black border that is flush with the screen and includes a camera in the upper right corner. On the top edge are two cutouts for the far-field microphones, a mechanical switch for the camera shutter, and buttons for muting the microphone and turning the volume up and down.
On the back of the new Echo Show 5, there is the only physical change. There’s a port for the power adapter and a micro-USB port for maintenance, but the 3.5mm audio output on the previous model has been removed. This means you can no longer use a cable to send audio from the smart display to your speaker of choice.
Internally, the Show 5 still runs the same MediaTek MT8163 processor and uses the same 1.65-inch speaker driver for audio. The only hardware change is that the 1MP front camera has been replaced with a 2MP sensor. That’s an upgrade, though it’s not quite the jump from 1MP to 13MP that the Echo Show 8 made, which also offers digital panning and zooming to automatically track you on video calls.
As an Amazon Smart Display, the Echo Show 5 uses Amazon’s digital assistant for all voice controls. You can use it to ask for general information like weather and sports scores, with answers displayed through Alexa’s voice as well as on the touchscreen. Alexa can also tell you your schedule and check your email, with informative text also appearing on the screen.
If you have smart home devices that are compatible with Alexa, you can control them by voice or touch, with the appropriate control panels and security cameras appearing as needed. You can also use the Echo Show 5’s own camera to monitor your home via the Alexa app.