Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) Smart Display

What it is and who it's for

The Echo Show 5 is Amazon's smallest display-equipped smart speaker. At £89.99, it occupies the middle ground of the Echo lineup—pricier than the screenless Echo Dot (£54.99) but significantly cheaper than the Studio (£189.99). The 5.5-inch touchscreen adds visual feedback to Alexa's responses, making it useful for quick glances at weather, calendars, and smart home controls without reaching for your phone.

This is best for bedside tables or small kitchens where you want more than audio but don't need a full tablet experience. If you're already committed to Alexa, it's a natural upgrade from a basic Echo speaker. It's not for people who want serious streaming capability or a device that doubles as a productivity tool—for that, you'd look at tablets or dedicated media devices.

Design and build

Amazon has kept the Show 5 compact and genuinely portable. The 5.5-inch display dominates the front, with a 2MP camera mounted above it. The frame is plastic with a matte finish that resists fingerprints better than you'd expect. It's functional rather than luxurious—the materials feel honest about the price point rather than apologetic about it.

Physical controls are minimal: just a volume rocker and microphone mute button on top. There's a power jack on the back, and the entire unit weighs around 410g, making it genuinely moveable between rooms. The stand is fixed, which is frustrating on a bedside unit—you're stuck with Amazon's predetermined angle, with no way to tilt the screen toward you. The 2MP camera is basic but adequate for video calls, though the absence of physical lens covers means you'll want to cover it manually if privacy is a concern.

Performance

The display is where you need realistic expectations. It's a 1280×720 IPS panel—perfectly fine for checking weather or recipes, but text looks slightly rough at close range. Colours are adequate, brightness is reasonable indoors, though bright kitchens or outdoor use will strain your eyes. The 60Hz refresh rate is standard; scrolling isn't buttery smooth, but it's fine for the static information this device handles.

The speaker is genuinely underwhelming. Amazon claims "clearer sound" than previous generations, and technically that's true, but it's still a single downward-firing driver. For background music or podcasts, it's acceptable. For anything requiring dynamic range or bass—which, frankly, isn't much on a 5.5-inch speaker—the limitations are immediately apparent. The Echo Pop costs half as much and delivers comparable audio quality, which rather undermines the Show 5's price premium.

Voice recognition is snappy, with the far-field mics picking up commands across a medium-sized room reliably. The screen responds quickly to touches, though the interface occasionally feels sluggish when navigating multiple menus.

Key features

Visual Alexa responses are genuinely useful. Instead of hearing "it's 3 o'clock," you see it on screen with a clean visual layout. Calendars, shopping lists, and reminders all benefit from this treatment, making quick reference information far more accessible than on voice-only Echos.

Video calling works well with other Alexa devices or via the Alexa app. The 2MP camera captures enough detail for faces and expressions, and the microphone-speaker combo handles calls adequately—not ideal for frequent video chatting, but fine for the occasional check-in.

Photo frame mode is genuinely lovely. Link it to Amazon Photos, and it cycles through your library during idle time. It adds personality without being intrusive, and while the panel's brightness and 60Hz refresh rate mean it's not perfect as a digital frame, it's close enough for casual display.

Smart home control through the touchscreen is logical and responsive. You can adjust thermostats, lights, and cameras directly from the interface. It's faster than voice commands when making multiple adjustments, and the visual feedback is more useful than confirming changes through audio alone.

Value versus competitors

The Echo Dot (5th Gen) costs £54.99 with comparable processing power and audio quality. For audio-only use, it's the smarter buy—you save £35 and get no worse sound. If you never look at your devices, the Dot is more than sufficient.

The Echo Pop at £44.99 sits between the Dot and Show 5, offering modest speaker improvements but no screen. For the price, if displays aren't essential, it's excellent value.

The Echo Studio (£189.99) is a completely different device—a high-fidelity speaker for audio enthusiasts. If you want both a screen and serious sound, you'd be better off combining a Show 5 with a separate quality speaker rather than stretching to the Studio. The price jump doesn't justify the screen quality.

At £89.99, the Show 5 occupies an awkward middle ground. It's too expensive if you only want audio, yet the screen isn't advanced enough to justify the cost if displays are your main priority. It's most compelling if you specifically want a screened Alexa device and you're already committed to the ecosystem.

Verdict

The Echo Show 5 is a competent, unfussy smart display that does what it promises. The screen is genuinely useful for quick information, video calling works well enough, and smart home controls are responsive and logical. But it's not exceptional anywhere. The speaker is weak, the display is basic, and the design is purely functional.

It's worth buying if you're already in the Alexa ecosystem and want visual feedback for information and smart home control. For casual buyers or those making their first Alexa purchase, consider whether a Dot plus your phone might suit you better. The Show 5 is the solid choice for Alexa believers; it's less obvious for everyone else.