Built on published evidence, the Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is the Alexa smart display for most homes: an 8-inch screen, room-filling spatial audio, a centered auto-framing camera, and a Zigbee, Matter, and Thread hub in one box. Thick bezels, an unchanged camera, and no eero built-in are the compromises. Check the current price on Amazon.
— THE VERDICT · JUDGEANY EDITORSThe 8-inch Alexa display, refined
Amazon's third-generation Echo Show 8, released in 2023, keeps the 8-inch HD touchscreen of the 2021 model and changes what sits around it: edge-to-edge glass, a curved fabric back, a centered camera, and a built-in smart home hub. This review pulls together Amazon's published specs, reviews from Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Pocket-lint, Trusted Reviews, and MakeUseOf, and aggregated owner impressions. We don't run a test lab; the scores below are editorial judgments built on that evidence.
Design and display
At 7.9 x 5.5 x 4.2 inches and 36.6 oz, the third-generation Show 8 is a countertop device that stays put. The 8-inch touchscreen keeps the 1280 x 800 resolution of its predecessor, now under edge-to-edge glass with a curved fabric-covered back that Pocket-lint praised as a more modern look. TechRadar called the screen sharp, bright, and responsive, but flagged the same complaint in every generation: the bezels are still thick and look dated. Adaptive Content changes what the screen shows based on how close you are, and Visual ID personalizes the display for recognized household members. Tom's Guide noted that up to three widgets can sit on the home screen at once. On top sit the volume buttons, a mic/camera off button, and a physical camera shutter slider that Pocket-lint described as crisp and hard to knock by accident.
Sound
The speaker hardware is unchanged on paper: two 2-inch neodymium drivers with a passive bass radiator. The processing changed instead: spatial audio and room adaptation tune the output to the room. Tom's Guide found the result room-filling, with crisp lyrics and surprising bass for the size. TechRadar agreed, finding it loud enough to fill a one-bedroom apartment with decent bass response. Neither outlet called it an audiophile speaker, and Tom's Guide was explicit that the Echo Studio or Sonos Era 100 sound better if music is all you want. For a kitchen or bedroom display that also plays music, the Show 8 is more than good enough.
Camera and video calls
The 13MP camera is the same sensor as before — but its move from the corner to the center of the top bezel is the change that matters for calls: Tom's Guide found that you now look at the screen instead of slightly off to one side. Auto-framing pans and zooms digitally to keep you in the shot, and the Top Connections widget gives quick access to favorite devices and contacts for Drop In. Tom's Guide reported that Drop In tracking followed movement well even from more than 15 feet away. The same camera also powers Visual ID and motion-triggered routines, and the physical shutter covers the lens when you want it blind.
Smart home hub
This is the generation where the Show 8 became a genuine hub. It pairs and controls Zigbee, Matter, and Thread devices directly, with no separate hub, and keeps Amazon Sidewalk for low-power outdoor devices. Amazon says local smart home responses are 40% faster than on the previous generation, a claim Tom's Guide repeated in its review, and TechRadar described the new processor as a clear step up in everyday responsiveness after a year with a slower Show 5. A swipe down from the top of the screen opens the Smart Home menu with favorites, groups, lights, plugs, and cameras. The one hub feature it lacks is eero Built-in, which Tom's Guide listed as its main omission: unlike the Echo Dot, the Show 8 cannot extend an eero mesh network.
Where the reviews disagree
Tom's Guide and TechRadar did not see the camera the same way. Tom's Guide praised Drop In tracking that kept its reviewer in frame from more than 15 feet away, while TechRadar found the auto-framing slightly slow compared with webcams it had tested. Both observations can be true at once: the framing works and lands in sensible positions, but the pan takes a beat to catch up. That gap does not overturn the verdict, since calls are only one of the Show 8's jobs, but buyers who mainly want video calls should know that the Show 10's rotating screen, which Tom's Guide pointed to as the better calling device, is the step up.
Who should buy it
The Show 8 (3rd Gen) is the right Alexa display for a kitchen or bedroom where one device should handle video calls, music, recipes, timers, and smart home control. Owners of the second-generation Show 8 should only upgrade for the hub, the faster responses, and the centered camera, since the screen and camera hardware are unchanged. Amazon discounts its devices regularly, according to TechRadar, so check the current price on Amazon before buying.