Echo Show 8 | 2nd generation (2021 release), HD smart display with Alexa and 13 MP camera | Charcoal

I bought this as a smart house accessory for my elderly mother but she never used it. It now lives in my tiny kitchen, it has become my mini kitchen tv while I’m cooking. It’s the perfect size, very durable, looks neat. It connects to Netflix, prime, audible, Spotify, the web browser is great for YouTube etc. and connects to other smart devices in the house for control. the audio is good, and the full touchscreen allows normal navigation similar to a smartphone. it’s very easy to use, I would be lost without it now

I'm absolutely loving my Echo Show 8 (2nd generation)! The display is crisp and vibrant, and the sound quality is surprisingly good. I've been using it to control my smart home devices, play music, and watch videos, and it's been a seamless experience. The voice assistant is incredibly responsive, and I love being able to use Alexa to set reminders, check the weather, and get news updates. The camera quality is also great, and I've been using it for video calls with friends and family. The Echo Show 8 is also a great entertainment device. I've been using it to watch movies and TV shows, play games, and listen to music. The display is perfect for streaming content, and the sound quality is rich and clear. Overall, I'm thoroughly impressed with the Echo Show 8 (2nd generation). It's a fantastic device that's made my life easier, more convenient, and more fun. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a smart display that can do it all! If you're considering purchasing an Echo Show 8, I say go for it! You won't regret it.

I got hold of the Echo Show 8 (2nd generation) back in 2022, and it quickly became an indispensable part of my home. If you're looking for a smart display that truly delivers, look no further. The HD display is crisp and vibrant, making video calls, recipe following, or even just checking the weather a real pleasure. The 13 MP camera is a huge upgrade for video calls – friends and family have commented on how clear the picture is, and the auto-framing feature is surprisingly useful, keeping you centered even if you move around a bit. Alexa is, as always, incredibly responsive and helpful. From managing my calendar and setting reminders to playing my favorite music and controlling smart home devices, it handles everything seamlessly. The sound quality is also impressive for its size, filling the room with clear audio. Setup was a breeze, and integrating it with my existing smart home devices was effortless. It's fantastic for quick glances at security camera feeds, catching up on news headlines, or even just having a digital photo frame. While there's a newer 3rd Gen model available with a faster processor, a centered camera, Zigbee, Thread, and Matter support, and slightly better speakers, it does come at a higher cost. However, if you're just dipping your toes into smart displays, the 2nd Gen still holds up exceptionally well and offers fantastic value. Overall, the Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is a fantastic device that offers a lot of value. It's intuitive, powerful, and genuinely enhances daily life. Highly recommended!

Generally good but sometimes it does not respond at all and has to be "called" again, sometimes its given a command and says it cannot do it, but then give it the same command seconds later and its done. A bit like a surly teenager really........ask a second time and its done grudgingly!! Doesnt always recognise what its told such as shopping list items..... I have had some very weird or amusing things on my list and then worked out what I actually asked for. I know I am Cornish but this is not like Siri and the Glaswegian.......Alexa should at least understand the Kings English even if spoken with a slight west country twang. I mean.....whats wrong with me asking for a few spuds a Mangel Wurzel, a pot of Roddas and a Pasty me ansome!! It would also be great if could add more than one item at a time without having do go through the whole "alexa add to shopping list"...... every time. All of the above however is somewhat in humour as the screen is good, the sound quality is good enough for my kitchen and although not HIFI, for background music and reading out notes its fine. I also bought the wall mount bracket and the camera can keep aa bit of an eye on my cats if I dial in remotely. Its useful for simple things like calling up a recipe etc and I can also control a lot of the house automation from the screen. I just wish I could rename it ZEN and have it answer "Confirmed" to each command. That would be much more fun.

I bought this as the 1MP camera on the Gen 1 show 8 was hopeless both in clarity and narrow angle view. This is so much better although for some reason to use the camera it is necessary to disable it from the device settings menu, enable it again and enter Amazon password. The field of view of the camera is much wider than the original show 8 making it useful to keep an eye on your property while away. There does however appear to be a defect which I hope is just a software issue that will be rectified. I have seen reviews of this product showing the camera follow a caller round the room during a video call to keep them in the frame. This simply does not work. In a call it starts moving towards the subject but then snaps back and repeats this in a loop. Even of the subject remains still, it will exhibit this bizarre behaviour and it is very disconcerting to watch. I had the unit replaced but the replacement behaves in an identical manner. Aside from that although it looks almost identical to the gen 1, it seems to work better when it comes to recognition of commands. I have various versions in several rooms around the house and often Alexas in other rooms would respond. This one has fixed that issue and I don't have to shout at Alexa quite so much. UPDATE Dec 2021 The juddering camera issue had been fixed some time ago. With latest 7.5.5.0 update, I see some significant software improvements over previous generation Echo Shows. Face recognition as well as voice recognition have been added plus the ability to link different calendars to different family members, and relationships between the users can be defined. Better smart home controls would be nice such as permanent touch screen tiles and widgets, and it would be really nice if this could automatically show Ring door bell feed as soon as some door to door salesman presses the door bell. Also this should have the ability to act as a Ring alarm panel. Missed opportunities aside, I feel differently about this device and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. It now seems a significant upgrade over the Gen 1 version and worth the extra few quid.

A while back, I purchased the Echo Show 8 (2nd generation, 2021 release) in Glacier White and have been using it for the past few months. Here’s my detailed review of this smart device. The Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) features a sleek design and an 8-inch HD screen, perfect for video calls, streaming, and displaying your favourite photos. It comes with a 13 MP camera that provides crisp and clear video quality for calls and has an integrated camera cover for privacy. The device also includes powerful speakers that deliver rich and full sound. The Echo Show 8 has been great and helpful in everyday life. I frequently use it to check my calendar, set reminders, and control my smart home devices. The routines feature is particularly useful, allowing me to automate various tasks and create custom voice commands. However, I have noticed that the device can be slightly laggy at times, which can be a bit frustrating. Overall, the Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is a fantastic addition to any smart home. Its robust features, great sound quality, and impressive camera make it a versatile device for everyday use. Despite occasional lag and some weird activity, it remains a valuable tool for managing daily tasks and staying connected with loved ones. I would definitely recommend it to others, especially those with a smart home setup.

This is my third Echo Show (and I’ve got a few Echo Dot units around the house too). I had 2 of the 5” versions before, one for beside my bed and, because my daughter was so enamored with it, I got her one too. I won’t go into the functionality too much, apart from to say it becomes second nature to talk to these things to get your music up, check the weather, set reminders and alarms and more. Although the complete list of things it can do is impressive, many of them you just try once - and end up just using the things you need frequently (which is still great, and becomes indispensable). I got this larger 8” screen version because I’m in a long distance relationship - I gave her my old 5” Echo Show, and got this 8” one for myself in a Black Friday deal. We now use the “drop in” video chat every day when we are apart, and even sleep together (aaaw, how cute!). This 8” version takes up quite a bit more real estate compared to the dinky little 5” ones, but the trade off is a better screen and the sound quality from the built-in speaker is better. In summary, these are great little units, comparatively cheap (vs the alternatives) and I highly recommend them

Highly recommend