Say hello to Amazon’s new, compact smart display, the Echo Show 5.
Given the success of smart home devices — and especially smart speakers — it’s not much of a surprise that today we get yet another choice, yet another AI-enabled device. This time from the current leader in the market segment.
Amazon has pretty much ruled the roost. There’s an Echo smart speaker for just about any situation or location: the car (Echo Auto), tiny smart speaker (Echo Dot), large speaker (Echo), small speaker with display (Echo Spot), larger speaker with display (Echo Show), device for connecting Alexa to an existing stereo system or speakers (Echo Link), a powerful sub-woofer for when deep bass is wanted (Echo Sub), and on and on.
In short, Alexa is everywhere these days.
But, wait.
Amazon has apparently found a gap and today has announced the Echo Show 5 smart speaker.
It looks a lot like the Echo Show, but only smaller. And, for the most, part that seems to be the best way to describe the new Alexa-enabled device. It’s a smaller version of Amazon’s Echo Show. It has a 5.5-inch display instead of the Show’s impressive 10-inch HD display.
The price tag, thankfully, is smaller too.
You can pre-order what Amazon is calling a “compact smart display” for $89.99 (USD) starting today. Deliveries are expected June 26, 2019.
Amazon Echo Show 5: Key Specs
- Alexa built-in
- Smart speaker with voice control
- 5.5″ screen with 960 x 480 resolution
- 1 x 4 W speaker
- 1MP camera
- Built-in camera shutter and microphone/camera off button
- 3.5mm audio output jack
- Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi networks
- Processor: MediaTek MT 8163
- Dimensions: 5.8″W x 3.4″H x 2.9″D
- Colors: Charcoal, Sandstone
- Price: $89.99 USD
The Echo Show 5 should make sense for bedside tables (where you’ll want to use it as a clock with added capabilities such as smart home control and streaming music, etc.), in the office, or, perhaps, a small space along a kitchen counter.
Echo Show 5 comes in charcoal or sandstone. If you’re interested in adding some security to the front of your home, Amazon also offers the speaker bundled with a Ring Video Doorbell Pro (“Alexa, show me the front door”).
Competition-wise, the closest thing we could find on the market to the Echo Show 5 is the Google Nest Hub. It too has a small screen and overall compact design suitable for more confined spaces. Both the Amazon and Google compact speaker won’t have the best audio quality, but it should be serviceable for most smart home needs. One thing to keep in mind: the Nest Hub does not have a camera so the edge there goes to the Echo Show 5 — though to some concerned about privacy the opposite may be true.
Choice and competition in the smart home and smart speaker space is most welcome. Echo Show 5 gives buyers a low cost way to get an Alexa device with a display.
