Echo Show 5 Features, Specs, Pros & Cons

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Gained early experience with automation technology in the private and industrial sector, can turn his living room into a movie theater with one voice command and is the owner of this website. He is happy to share his accumulated experience with every new article.

Echo Show 5 – Advantages & Disadvantages

PRO:

Wide range of colors
HD camera with 2 megapixel
physical camera cover available
Smart home control included
good for voice and video calls

CON:

Display is relatively weak
weak processor installed
Camera is just enough for video telephony and simple surveillance
Speakers only offer very rudimentary music quality with too much bass

Echo Show 5 – 2nd vs. 1st Generation

Alarm clock, clock and radio – the second generation of the Echo Show 5 can do that as well as the first generation. Normally, the price increases when manufacturers revise a device and launch a new version on the market. That is not the case with the Echo Show 5, the second generation is even a bit cheaper than the first generation devices. Two things have changed compared to the predecessor:

The image quality of the HD camera on top of the small device is much better with twice the number of pixels.
Black is the trend, but the Echo Show 5 is now also available in dark blue.

Nothing else has changed. If you already know and use the first-generation Echo Show 5, you will not experience any surprises. You will have to decide for yourself whether the upgrade to the newer device is worth it. If the camera of your old device annoys you, it is certainly worth considering.

However, if you are looking for a display that is also a pleasure to watch series on, you can safely stay with the predecessor. Nothing has changed in terms of sound quality either; the second-generation Echo Show 5 is still quite shrill in the higher pitches. Let’s take a look at the details.

Echo Show 5 -Technical Details

410 gram heavy
148 x 86 x 73 millimeters large
5-inch touchscreen
2-megapixel camera with manual cover
Alexa with language support German, English, French, Italian and Spanish
42-millimeter full-range loudspeaker
Bluetooth
MediaTek MT8163 processor
Colors: Anthracite, dark blue and white
App: Alexa for Android and iOS

Check Price:

AMAZON*

Processing, Design and Size

Visually, the Echo Show 5 is reminiscent of its big brother, the Echo Show 8*. However, it is smaller. The slightly tilted display sits on a wedge-shaped body, in which the speaker is located. On the body, above the display, are volume controls and switches for the Alexa microphone. The Echo Show 5’s 2-megapixel camera also sits here. The camera is intended for video chats and surveillance; you should not expect artistically valuable pictures.

The slim dimensions are practical because the small Echo Show 5 fits well on small nightstands and in the corner on the desk. And it also fits well there with its blue or black casing, after all, this is not an object with high design demands. The compact form is well chosen, the device is stable. If you tend to move around a lot while sleeping, the smart clock radio is not immediately broken.

Camera and Display

The webcam integrated into the Echo Show 5 has a resolution of 2 megapixels. That is sufficient for video calls. The camera can also be used as a surveillance camera via the Alexa app. The smartphone screen leaves some wishes unfulfilled in terms of sharpness, brilliance and resolution anyway.

Because many people are now afraid of secret surveillance and do not trust the Echo Show 5, Amazon has installed a physical camera cover. Simply slide the cover over the lens and you are safe from prying eyes.

Absolutely note: The Echo Show 8 and the Echo Show 10* support Zoom. This is not the case with the Echo Show 5, not even in the second generation! The device only supports normal Alexa calls and only works with other Alexa-enabled devices. However, you can access the camera image from your smartphone at any time via the app. This means you can also use the Echo Show 5 to have a serious word with your kids at home or the dog when you are out and about.

As a security camera, the Echo Show 5 does not offer any additional features. There is neither motion detection, nor alarms. There is only live transmission via the app.

The display has a diagonal of 5.5 inches or 12.7 centimeters. Thus, the display of the Echo Show 5 is smaller than most modern smartphones. It is quite clear that you will not use the screen for streaming; binge watching is no fun. This is not only due to the size, but also the resolution, since 960 x 480 pixels are not very impressive.

However, the color reproduction is quite decent, and the sharpness is good according to the size. Therefore, Alexa responses can be visualized excellently. The Echo Show 5 can even be used as a digital picture frame for pictures stored in Amazon Photo.

It is pleasant that the Echo Show 5 can be used as a light alarm clock. The wake-up time is set either via voice command or via the Alexa app. With the corresponding setting, the display gradually gets brighter at this time to gently wake you up. However, this only works in completely darkened bedrooms; the display is not powerful enough in residual light. Then you should connect the light alarm clock to music via Internet radio or Spotify or Amazon Music.

Alexa

The voice assistant Alexa is essential for operating the Echo Show 5. This is the case for all Echo devices and therefore not surprising. You use Alexa just like with other devices: You can listen to music via compatible streaming services or turn connected devices in the smart home spectrum on and off. Alexa also answers your questions based on online searches. However, do not expect too much from it; this function is rarely useful in practice.

The speech recognition works very well in the Echo Show 5. It is the results of the online searches that leave much to be desired. The integrated microphones respond well to the activation word even at high volumes. You select that from the four given words.

The Echo Show 5 doesn’t have quite as high-quality a processor compared to the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 10, so it takes a bit longer to get your answers than the larger devices.

Processor

You don’t have to talk to Alexa with the Echo Show 5, you can also use the touchscreen. Since many people usually have the microphones disabled, this is of course useful. However, with the touchscreen, you really notice that the processor of the Echo Show 5 is not that powerful. This is because the navigation is sluggish, which is noticeable.

The user interface looks tidy as usual. Special functions are also available via the touchscreen. For example, you can show the controls for brightness and color adjustment of the Philips Hue lights right after switching them on and control the lighting via the touchscreen.

You also need the touchscreen if you want to use YouTube on the Echo Show 5. YouTube playback only works via the Silk browser, which is preinstalled. The media libraries of the public broadcasters as well as Prime Video, Netflix and so on can also be controlled via Alexa.

Audio

The Echo Show 5 is too small to really convince with sound miracles as a smart speaker. However, the small speaker achieves quite a good volume for its size. The device can get quite loud when that is desired. The speaker reproduces speech, such as audiobooks and podcasts, very clearly, and the sound is balanced.

However, it looks quite different when reproducing music. Rock, pop or hip hop, even jazz only sounds mediocre with this speaker. The device is good as a bedside radio, but nothing more. Amazon has added too much bass, which is why the Echo Show 5 rocks the desk noticeably in the default setting.

So you better don’t put the full coffee cup next to the computer keyboard when the device is in use. Or you can turn down the bass via equalizer.

The Echo Show 5 of the first generation still had a 3.5 mm jack plug. Amazon has omitted the jack from the second-generation devices for an unknown reason. Thus, you can only get the sound upgrade via Bluetooth. Fortunately, Bluetooth speakers can be easily paired with the Echo Show 5.

Privacy

Amazon is well aware of the data protection issue. The company has repeatedly fought with scandals in the past few years. All devices that have Alexa Skills and the associated voice control are affected. The microphone has to pick up the previously defined activation words and react to them – this does not work without permanent recording of all conversations in the room.

The problem is that the voice recordings are not all processed locally, but end up in the Amazon Cloud. Amazon employees partially listen in, as Amazon itself states. This is supposed to serve product optimization. Amazon has defined two different delete commands so that the search history can be deleted.

Ultimately, it is impossible for you as a user to say for sure whether your conversations are being recorded, stored, evaluated or forwarded to other parties. There is no objective evidence that Amazon is misusing your data. But there is also no objective evidence that this does not happen in any case. So it is ultimately a question of trust whether you use the Echo Show 5 or not.

The second weak point is the camera. Of course, it is vulnerable as long as there is an Internet connection. Amazon has tried to dispel concerns with a physical lens cover. Amazon has also kept the buttons for turning off the camera and microphone in this model. This way, the power supply of both components can be interrupted, which should at least theoretically rule out activation from the outside.

Conclusion: Smar Alarm With Fun Gimmicks

The Echo Show 5* is an affordable solution if you are looking for the smallest possible device with Alexa voice assistance that should also have an integrated display. The display is really practical and is an advantage over the classic Echo speakers. However, you should not expect too much from the small display: It is simply no fun as a TV.

The device is good for video calls, and it can also be used as an alarm clock (maybe even a light alarm clock). You can even use the Echo Show 5 as a clock radio. However, if you have fine ears and value the nuances in the music, you will suffer. The voices are a bit sibilant, and the trebles seem very sharp. Amazon has exaggerated the bass a bit, but that can be corrected via the equalizer.

If you are looking for a small device for your desk to read the time, maybe see a weather report now and then or similar, the Echo Show 5 is absolutely sufficient. The small dimensions of the Echo Show 5 are even advantageous in this case; the device does not take up much space and does not get in the way. The compact design makes the Echo Show 5 very stable.

If you want to invest a bit more money, the Echo Show 8* is always the better choice. It simply has the better technology. So, we can say that the functions of the second-generation Echo Show 5 are great, but the built-in technology is lacking. However, the small device is unbeatably cheap.

Attention: When installing electronic equipment, please be sure to observe the manufacturer’s safety instructions. You have to take care of your own safety. The information on this site only helps you to learn.
Disclosure: This website is the property of Martin Lütkemeyer and is operated by Martin Lütkemeyer. Martin Lütkemeyer is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to enable Web sites to earn advertising revenue through advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Links marked with * are affiliate links.

Echo Show 5 Features, Specs, Pros & Cons | Is It Worth It?