Amazon has discounted all of its Echo Shows for Cyber Monday, in most cases at lower prices than we saw during the October Prime Day event. Of these, my first recommendation is the smart display that I personally own: the Echo Show 2nd Gen, currently 58% off ($54.99) for Cyber Monday.
Of the best Echo Show devices, we list the Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) at the top. That’s also on sale for 30% off ($104.99), but the Echo Show 8 2nd Gen is $50 cheaper, and the better deal of the two.
If you compare the Echo Show 8 3rd Gen vs. 2nd Gen, you’ll see they have the same general size, display size and resolution, 13MP camera, dual 2-inch neodymium stereo speakers, Bluetooth and wi-fi standards, and other similarities.
To be clear, the 3rd-gen Echo Show 8 is better: it supports spatial audio, has a revamped AZ2 neural engine for faster commands, and adds support for Thread and Zigbee. But are these changes enough to justify spending nearly double the price, for essentially the same package? That’s why I’d say buying the Echo Show 8 2nd Gen at this low price is the better deal, even if your commands are a little slower.
Why did I say this is your “last chance” at this Cyber Monday Echo deal? Because aside from the fact that Cyber Monday ends tonight, Amazon doesn’t like to clutter up its Amazon device search results with too many generations, unless there’s a reason to sell multiple versions. My guess is that Amazon is clearing out the last of its Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) stock so that it can fully transition to the 3rd-gen smart display, as it has done many times in the past.
My colleagues recommended the new Echo Show 5 for $40, but its MediaTek MT8169 processor is probably no faster than the Show 8’s MediaTek MT8183, the display is smaller and lower resolution, and it has only one speaker. It’s worth spending the extra $15 in this case.
Otherwise, I’d certainly recommend the Echo Show 10 ($90 off) as a premium alternative if you can afford it, or even the Echo Show 15 ($95 off). But they’re both still on the pricey side for a smart speaker, even if they come with significant upgrades. It’s up to you how much you want to spend!
Cyber Monday quick links
