Amazon Echo Show 5 Review

The Echo Show 5 is smaller, and more importantly, much more affordable than the full-size Amazon Echo Show.    

                                                                               The Echo Show 5 is smaller and more affordable than the Echo Show

The Amazon Echo arrangement of savvy speakers is ordinarily centered around Alexa, the organization's AI-based voice right hand. Utilizing the speaker includes a tone of voice directions, yet one ongoing item in the range, the Amazon Echo Show, likewise included a visual component. While we very enjoyed the Echo Show, its Rs. 22,999 sticker price was a piece too high to even consider considering it anything over a specialty item for early adopters. 

It appears that Amazon is tuning in, and has now propelled the Echo Show 5, a littler and considerably more reasonable brilliant presentation and speaker. It resembles the bigger Echo Show from multiple points of view, however, it has significantly more alluring Rs. 8,999 sticker price, and Amazon trusts this will make it simpler for purchasers to embrace its screen-and-voice model of communicating with Alexa. How about we make a plunge and investigate the Amazon Echo Show 5. 

Amazon Echo Show 5 design and specifications

The Amazon Echo series of smart speakers are typically focused on Alexa, the company's AI-based voice assistant. Using the speaker involves a lot of voice commands, but one recent product in the range, the Amazon Echo Show, also added a visual element. While we quite liked the Echo Show, its Rs. 22,999 price tag was a bit too high to consider it anything more than a niche product for early adopters.

It seems that Amazon is listening, and has now launched the Echo Show 5, a smaller and much more affordable smart display and speaker. It's like the larger Echo Show in many ways, but has a much more attractive Rs. 8,999 price tag, and Amazon hopes this will make it easier for buyers to adopt its screen-and-voice model of interacting with Alexa. Let's dive right in and take a closer look at the Amazon Echo Show 5.

The Amazon Echo Show 5 is, at its core, the same as the larger Echo Show in its positioning; it can be considered a smart display but is more aptly described as a smart speaker with a screen for additional cues and information. It would even fit the description of a very technologically advanced table-top clock, if that's what you would want to use it for.

The most significant difference between the Echo Show 5 and its larger and more expensive counterpart is size — this new model is much smaller, with a 5.5-inch touchscreen and a single 1.65-inch speaker driver for sound. The screen has an 18:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 960x480 pixels, which is a lot smaller and more compact than the tablet-like 10.1-inch, 16:10 screen on the Amazon Echo Show.

The smaller size makes the Echo Show 5 more convenient for table-top use. This design is good for basic functions, including serving as a clock, displaying the weather, and providing visual cues such as track name and album art when listening to music. While we did like the convenience of this size, the screen was a bit too small for viewing across a regular-sized room.

At 5.5 inches, the Echo Show 5's screen is smaller than those on a lot of smartphones today, and we could barely read any text on it unless we went right up to the device. The touchscreen can be used to control some basic settings on the Amazon Echo Show 5, such as brightness and the do not disturb status.

In terms of design, the Echo Show 5 has the same general look and feel as its bigger sibling, with the screen tilted slightly upwards and the back of the device wrapped in fabric. The speaker grille is at the bottom, below the screen, and fires directly at the surface the Echo Show 5 is placed on. There is rubber for grip at the bottom of the device, and three buttons at the top — one to activate or disable the microphones, and two to control the volume. There is also a slider switch that controls a physical cover for the 1-megapixel camera.

amazon echo show 5 review side better Amazon Echo Show 5The camera switch comes as a response to various privacy concerns, including those in recent reports about AI-based assistants, and a physical cover certainly negates any possibility of the Echo Show 5 seeing and recording something it shouldn't. However, disabling the microphones is still a software-based function, and you're just going to have to trust Amazon when it says they are off.

Amazon Echo Show 5 features and app

Like other Echo speakers, the Amazon Echo Show 5 relies on Alexa for its core functionality. We've explored these features in detail in previous reviews of Echo products including the Amazon Echo Plus and Amazon Echo Show, While Amazon seems to be continuously improving Alexa's ability to understand voice commands and give more relevant responses, it remains the same Alexa that we're already familiar with.

As with the Echo Show, the Amazon Echo Show 5 lets you make video calls, including the drop-in feature that you can use to quickly make a call from any smartphone with the Alexa app installed to the Echo Show 5. It's also possible to set up Alexa skills that make use of the screen. You can play videos using the built-in browser, and watch TV shows and movies on Amazon Prime Video.

Although Alexa can play YouTube and other online videos through voice commands, we found that it usually didn't play the right video this way, and only really got voice searches right when we asked for movie trailers. We found it easier to go to YouTube through the browser, manually search by typing, and then play the videos we wanted to watch.

While the larger Echo Show primarily shows images and news flashes, the Echo Show 5 devotes a lot of screen time to functioning as a clock. You can choose from various clock faces for the Echo Show 5 and the device will stick to that clock face when displaying the time, but you can't choose what exactly shows on screen when the Echo Show 5 is in standby mode. The device chooses what to display on screen itself, cycling between the clock and trending topics, such as news and Alexa tips.

Some relatively new changes we've seen that utilise the screen include displaying lyrics for some tracks streamed on Amazon Music, and there are various new skills that seem to be focused on making the Echo Show 5 useful and safe for children. You can use the Alexa app to select and configure these skills, as well as control other features on the Amazon Echo Show 5.

Amazon Echo Show 5 sound quality

Like other Echo speakers, the Amazon Echo Show 5 relies on Alexa for its core functionality. We've explored these features in detail in previous reviews of Echo products including the Amazon Echo Plus and Amazon Echo Show, While Amazon seems to be continuously improving Alexa's ability to understand voice commands and give more relevant responses, it remains the same Alexa that we're already familiar with.

All things considered, this gadget is very boisterous, on account of its base terminating plan which bobs sound off the surface the speaker is on. This shouldn't imply that that the Echo Show 5 is as noisy as even the Rs. 7,999 Google Home, yet it is boisterous enough to be heard easily anyplace in a huge room. For the best solid imaging, we should have been situated before the Echo Show 5. 

Going to the genuine sound quality, the Echo Show 5 was average enough for easygoing tuning in. Music was marginally tinny, with to some degree sharp highs that caused some sibilance. The low-end is not too bad enough as far as quality, yet the bass appeared to be boomy as opposed to determined. Taking into account that there unquestionably is space at the back of this gadget, we feel that Amazon ought to have incorporated an inactive radiator with the Echo Show 5 for better low-end reactions. 

Tuning in to Pjanoo by Eric Prydz spilled over Amazon Music, we observed the soundstage to be genuinely tight, however the sonic mark was acceptably perfect. Music played over Bluetooth sounded like spilled music, and all in all that we tuned in to was somewhat dull at lower volumes. The mid-range was likewise OK, notwithstanding the shopper neighborly V-molded sound mark. 

Amazon Echo Show 5 sound quality

The Amazon Echo Show 5 isn't quite as well equipped in the sound department as most other Echo products. It has a single 1.65-inch speaker, which is around the same size as the one on the Rs. 3,499 Amazon Echo Dot.

The Amazon Echo Show 5 is, as we would like to think, a genuinely necessary item for the Echo run. It consolidates the advantages of Alexa with both sound and visual input, much the same as the Echo Show, yet at a substantially more reasonable cost. Albeit sound quality is normal, best-case scenario, the general list of capabilities makes this an appealing item. 

In case you're hoping to purchase a shrewd speaker and jump on the voice aide fleeting trend, the Amazon Echo Show 5 is maybe the most element filled and able gadget today that costs not as much as Rs. 10,000. There are better-sounding choices at around a similar value that you can purchase rather if sound quality is your primary concern, for example, the Google Home or Amazon Echo. Be that as it may, the advantages of the screen, just as the Echo Show 5's utility when not in dynamic use, make it a superior choice at this cost, as we would see it. This gadget opens up the plausibility of having a savvy show to a lot more purchasers, on account of its sensible valuing..

Verdict

The Amazon Echo Show 5 is, in our opinion, a much-needed product for the Echo range. It combines the benefits of Alexa with both sound and visual feedback, just like the Echo Show, but at a much more affordable price. Although sound quality is average at best, the overall feature set makes this an attractive product.

If you're looking to buy a smart speaker and get on the voice assistant bandwagon, the Amazon Echo Show 5 is perhaps the most feature-filled and capable device today that costs less than Rs. 10,000. There are better-sounding options at around the same price that you can buy instead if sound quality is your main concern, such as the Google Home or Amazon Echo. However, the benefits of the screen, as well as the Echo Show 5's utility when not in active use, make it a better option at this price, in our opinion. This device opens up the possibility of having a smart display to many more buyers, thanks to its reasonable pricing.

Price: Rs. 8,999

Pros

• Good looks, useful screen
• Decent visual content available
• Alexa is constantly improving
• Good value for money

Cons

• Screen is too small for a smart display
• Average sound quality

Ratings (out of 5)

• Design: 4
• Smart features: 4
• Audio quality: 3
• Value for money: 4
• Overall: 4