Amazon Echo Show 5 (2023, 3rd gen) review

Greatest Costs At this time: Amazon Echo Present 5 (Third gen)

Amazon initially launched its smallest Echo Present good show in 2019 and has launched a brand new mannequin each two years since. Meant as a kind of good alarm clock on your bedside desk, it may present much more data than, say, an Echo Dot with Clock.

It isn’t merely a scaled down model of Amazon’s larger good shows although and has a few limitations that would show to be deal-breakers.

Design & construct

• 5.5in display screen
• Rounded corners
• Charcoal, White & Cloud Blue colors

At a look, there isn’t a lot distinction between any of the Echo Present 5 generations. This newest mannequin rounds off the corners of each the system itself and the display screen, giving it a softer look.

Solely the Charcoal mannequin has a black bezel across the display screen. Select White or Cloud Blue (a a lot lighter shade than Deep Sea blue on the two^nd-gen) and it’ll have a white bezel.

The rear, as ever, is roofed in material and hides the upwards-firing speaker that Amazon says has higher voice readability and deeper bass than the two^nd-gen Echo Present 5, reviewed. That’s an excellent factor as a result of audio high quality was one of many essential criticisms levelled at that system.

Jim Martin / Foundry

I like that Amazon has up to date the amount buttons to match the + and – symbols discovered on the newest Echo good audio system as a result of it’s now attainable to really feel which is which. That’s an issue with the older Echo Present 5 (and Echo Present 15) as a result of there’s no distinction between their round buttons.

The one connector is for energy: there’s no microUSB port any extra. That’s no drawback because the port on older Echo Present 5s was for a USB-to-Ethernet adapter which I’ll guess nearly no-one used.

Jim Martin / Foundry

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The 5.5in display screen is identical dimension as earlier than, however the distinction right here is that it’s in a position to dim much more and never disturb your sleep as some homeowners discovered the first- and second-gen fashions might.

Colors, distinction and viewing angles are nice.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Organising the Echo Present 5 is straightforward as a result of its show means there’s no want to make use of the Alexa app in your telephone. An on-screen keyboard means that you can key in your Wi-Fi password after which your Amazon account particulars. Nevertheless, my US-based colleague Michael additionally obtained a Third-gen system to assessment and couldn’t set it up. An error message stated “We are able to’t discover your Amazon account” regardless of the main points being appropriate. As of publishing this assessment, we’re nonetheless none the wiser as to what the issue is.

Michael Brown / Foundry

Options

• 2Mp digital camera
• Faucet to snooze
• Privateness shutter

There’s a digital camera constructed into the entrance of the Echo Present 5 which you should use for Alexa calling (video calls to different Echo Reveals), however it may additionally double as a type of safety digital camera, albeit one which solely helps you to view reside video.

It will be helpful for checking what’s occurring within the room once you’re not house (or simply in one other room) however the reality the display screen is tilted again means you get a terrific view of the ceiling however nothing of the ground or first few toes. You’ll be able to not less than hear what’s occurring due to the built-in mics.

Jim Martin / Foundry

When utilizing the Echo Present 5 for video calls, I missed the ‘keep in body’ characteristic from the Echo Present 8 that retains you in view even if you happen to transfer round. In actual fact, I needed to transfer additional away from the digital camera than anticipated to keep away from the highest of my head being chopped off by the fastened angle.

Because it’s designed for bed room use, it’s good there’s a shutter which you’ll slide in entrance of the digital camera to fully block its view. Amazon says it additionally electronically disables the digital camera too.

Jim Martin / Foundry

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There are three microphones – another than on the two^nd-gen Echo Present 5 – which are supposed to assist Alexa hear you higher however I couldn’t inform the distinction. Alexa definitely responded reliably after I stated the wake phrase.

Night time mode isn’t unique to the three^rd-gen Echo Present 5, because it’s accessible on the earlier generations too. It removes all distractions from the display screen and reveals simply the clock in a purple font so you possibly can test it if you happen to get up in the course of the evening.

Jim Martin / Foundry

When your morning alarm sounds you possibly can faucet the highest to snooze, however there’s no setting to vary this to cease the alarm as an alternative.

Through the day you’ll in all probability use the display screen for data greater than anything, but it surely’s nearly sufficiently big to understand photographs from Amazon Images. It’s in all probability not the kind of system you’d watch reveals on from Amazon Prime Video, and I definitely wouldn’t need to watch a film on it. The display screen is smaller than most telephones’.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Due to this, it’s not such a deal-breaker that Netflix has disappeared. It’s accessible on older Echo Present 5s, however for some cause it isn’t on this newest one.

Not like an Amazon Fireplace TV Stick, you possibly can’t set up apps on an Echo Present, so that you’re caught with what it comes with or what you may get in an internet browser. Ask Alexa to open YouTube, for instance, and the online browser will pop up and cargo the YouTube web site.

Sound high quality

The only 1.75in speaker does sound higher than the earlier Echo Present 5’s same-sized woofer. No-one would say it sounds spectacular but it surely does have extra bass and voices are, as promised, clearer.

This makes it good for listening to Alexa’s responses in addition to listening to the radio or podcasts. It’s even acceptable for watching the odd video.

You’ll be able to, as with all Echo gadgets, pair Bluetooth headphones to hear with higher high quality and with out disturbing anybody else.

It’s additionally attainable to pair a Bluetooth speaker for higher sound high quality

Value & availability

You should purchase an Echo Present 5 3^rd-gen proper now from Amazon for $89.99 within the US and £89.99 within the UK.

As ever, you may also purchase them elsewhere, together with Greatest Purchase and Goal within the US and John Lewis and Currys within the UK.

That’s $5 greater than the earlier mannequin within the UK and £15 extra within the UK.

Nevertheless, you possibly can nonetheless purchase the second-gen Echo Present 5 from retailers that also have inventory and it prices quite a bit lower than it did when it launched. For instance, it was simply $42.99 from Greatest Purchase and £49.99 from Argos on the time of writing, however if you wish to seize one in all these bargains, you need to be fast as a result of they gained’t be round for lengthy.

The most recent Echo Present 5 additionally is available in a Youngsters Version that has a playful galaxy print on its material and features a 12 months’s entry to Amazon Youngsters+ and the identical two-year guarantee that you simply get with a Fireplace pill Youngsters Version which covers unintentional harm. This model is $99.99 within the US and £99.99 within the UK. That’s a terrific deal for simply £10 extra.

However it’s price realizing you could make a daily Echo Present 5 3^rd-gen little one pleasant by enabling the children mode within the settings.

Verdict

The three^rd-gen Echo Present 5 is a good good alarm clock to place by your mattress for individuals who need a display screen to point out photographs, the odd video and – principally – visible data. Perhaps even to manage your good house gadgets.

Jim Martin / Foundry

It’s a bit irritating that Netflix isn’t supported when it has been on Amazon’s smallest good show prior to now. Nevertheless, video doesn’t actually make sense on a display screen this small.

Those that dislike gadgets with screens and cameras can be higher off with an Echo Dot 5 with clock: it’s cheaper, has a helpful clock show and nearly goes dim sufficient to sleep subsequent to.

An alternate can be to make use of the Echo Present 5 in a kitchen, however the Echo Present 8, 10 and particularly 15 are arguably extra appropriate with their bigger screens which make it simpler to see element from a distance, whether or not checking the climate forecast or following a recipe.

Amazon isn’t the one model to make these types of gadgets, in fact. And also you’ll discover options and our suggestions for others in our roundup of the very best good shows.

Specs

• 5.5in, 960 x 480-pixel display screen
• 1.75in speaker
• 2Mp digital camera with shutter
• 147 x 82 x 91 mm
• 456g
• 802.11ac Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
• MediaTek MT 8169 B processor
• One-year guarantee