Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025): 8.7-inch smart display with spatial audio and smart home hub

The Echo Show 8 is an Alexa speaker with a screen, made for the kitchen, living room or hallway. The current 2025 generation has been redesigned: According to Amazon, the 8.7-inch HD display offers noticeably more screen area than the 2023 Echo Show 8. Inside is Amazon's AZ3 Pro chip, which the manufacturer says makes it faster and ready for Alexa+.

On the display you can follow recipes step by step and see your calendar, shopping lists or the weather at a glance. Shows play via Prime Video, Netflix or the browser. Sound comes from a 2.8-inch woofer and two full-range speakers with spatial audio; Amazon promises clearer vocals and up to twice the bass of the 2023 Echo Show 8. When you are not using it, the home screen becomes a digital photo frame.

A complete smart home hub is built in: Zigbee, Matter and a Thread border router. That lets you pair many lights, plugs or sensors directly without an extra bridge. Camera feeds from Ring or Blink appear on the display. New sensors for temperature and presence let you build routines, such as turning on the light when someone enters the room.

Video calls use the centred 13 MP camera, which automatically keeps you in frame. For privacy there is a button that turns off the microphones and camera, plus camera controls on the device and in the app.

Worth knowing: If you want more screen for shows or recipes, look at the Echo Show 11 with its Full HD display; otherwise the two are technically very similar. Many features require an Amazon account and the Alexa app; some services such as music or video streaming need their own subscriptions. Alexa+ is rolling out gradually and its scope may still change.