In-depth review
Echo Show 8 (2025) Review 2027
Echo Show 8 (2025) review: the redesigned 8.7 inch Alexa display, compared with the 2023 model and the Show 11.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) Smart Display
The redesigned 8.7 inch Show: bigger viewing area than the 2023 model, newer Alexa hardware, same countertop manners.
Our verdict
The 2025 Echo Show 8 is the middle child done right: a bigger 8.7 inch screen, newer Alexa hardware and spatial audio, in the footprint that fits counters the Show 11 cannot. It is the best buy for Alexa households that want current hardware without the Show 11's size or price step. Owners of the 2023 Show 8 can skip it, but first-time buyers choosing between the two 8 inch models should take the 2025 version without hesitation.
What we like
- 8.7 inch HD touchscreen with more viewing area than the 2023 Show 8, so video and recipes breathe a little
- Spatial audio and a 13 MP camera with auto-framing, in the same fabric-base shape that suits a countertop
- Built-in smart home hub with the AZ3 Pro chip, matching the Show 11's newer Alexa hardware
- A genuinely middle size: large enough for video, small enough for a nightstand-adjacent desk or a crowded counter
What to watch out for
- It is not a dramatic leap over the 2023 Show 8 for owners who already have that model working
- The adjustable stand remains a separate purchase, as with its bigger 2025 sibling
- Screen resolution stays HD-class, so it will not match the Show 11's Full HD crispness side by side
What owners report: Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) Smart Display
Synthesized from recurring themes in long-term owner feedback.
Most praised
- The slightly larger screen over the older Show 8 makes video calls feel less like peering through a letterbox
- Sound fills a kitchen properly now, where the older small Shows stayed desk-sized in volume
- Its footprint slips onto counters that rejected the Show 11 as too wide
Common complaints
- Upgraders from the 2023 model say the day-to-day difference is smaller than the new-model badge implies
- The tilt stand upsell annoys buyers who assumed angling the screen was included
- Text on the HD panel looks soft next to a Full HD phone held at the same distance
Who it is for
Alexa households buying their first display, or replacing a Show 5, who want current hardware in a middle size.
What the redesign actually changes
The screen grows to 8.7 inches with more viewing area, the chip becomes the AZ3 Pro shared with the Show 11, and spatial audio replaces the older sound tuning. In daily use that means video calls frame better, music fills a room rather than a desk, and the newer Alexa experience arrives on day one instead of as a later update. The shape stays the familiar fabric-base countertop design, which is a compliment: it already fit the room.
Against the Show 11
The Show 11's Full HD panel is crisper and its screen is larger, but it also takes more counter and costs more. The 2025 Show 8 gives up resolution and inches, and keeps the same camera, the same hub features and the same newer Alexa hardware. For a desk, a small kitchen or a secondary room, that trade is easy to accept.
Against the 2023 Show 8
The 2023 model remains the value pick, and its owners should not rush to replace a working display. The 2025 model's case is for new buyers: newer hardware, a larger screen and a longer runway of software support, for a modest step up. Buying the older model new in 2027 only makes sense when its price drops well below the 2025 version.
Key specifications
- Display
- 8.7 inch HD touchscreen
- Camera
- 13 MP with auto-framing
- Audio
- Spatial audio
- Smart home hub
- Built-in hub, Zigbee, Matter, Thread
- Processor
- AZ3 Pro with AI accelerator
- Assistant
- Alexa, designed for Alexa+
Also consider
Amazon Echo Show 11 Smart Display
The 2025 mid-large Show: an 11 inch Full HD screen, spatial audio and the newest Alexa hardware in a countertop size.
Why consider it: Choose the Show 11 if you want Full HD and the largest countertop screen.
- Display: 11 inch Full HD touchscreen, 1920 x 1200
- Camera: 13 MP with auto-framing
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) Smart Display
The value Show: the 2023 8 inch model with spatial audio and a hub, usually the cheapest way into a proper Alexa screen.
Why consider it: Choose the 2023 Show 8 if the price gap is large and you accept older hardware.
- Display: 8 inch HD touchscreen, 1280 x 800
- Camera: 13 MP centred auto-framing camera with shutter
Research-based assessment. TrueGear has not hands-on tested this product; this evaluation synthesizes manufacturer specifications, retailer documentation, and published expert reviews.
Questions, answered
Is the 2025 Show 8 much better than the 2023 Show 8?
Moderately, not dramatically. The screen is larger, the chip is newer and the audio is retuned, but the day-to-day experience overlaps heavily. New buyers should take the 2025 model; existing 2023 owners should wait for a real reason to upgrade.
Does the 2025 Show 8 have Fire TV?
No. Fire TV lives on the Show 15 and Show 21. The Show 8 streams video through Alexa and supported apps, but it is not a television replacement.
Does the 2025 Show 8 work as a bedside display?
It can, but the Show 5 and Echo Spot suit nightstands better. The Show 8's screen is large for a nightstand, and its camera needs the shutter closed at night. For a bedroom desk it is a good fit; for the nightstand itself, go smaller.
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