Amazon Echo Show 10 review

Released in February 2021, the Amazon Echo Show 10 is the first Amazon device to feature a 10-inch touchscreen display that follows you around the room as you chat, tidy or simply get on with your day. The result? The screen should always be in view, no matter how much you move around.

In this Amazon Echo Show 10 review, we test out its sound quality, voice recognition technology and design, as well as practicalities such as set-up and how easy it is to use day-to-day. These are assessed against its price tag to decide whether it is worth spending your well-earned cash on.

Here is why, despite a few teething issues, the new Echo Show 10 proves that Amazon remains leaps ahead of its competitors when it comes to its smart home technology.

Is Alexa your voice assistant of choice? Head over to the best Alexa speakers and best streaming devices guides for our Alexa-powered favourites. To build up your smart home collection, try our best Alexa-compatible devices, too.

Jump to:

• Amazon Echo Show 10 review: summary
• What is Amazon Echo Show 10?
• How much is Amazon Echo Show 10?
• Design
• Sound quality
• Amazon Echo Show 10 set-up
• Difference between Amazon Echo Show 10 and Amazon Echo Show 8
• Our verdict
• Where to buy

Amazon Echo Show 10 review: summary

Designed to follow you around the room as you chat, cook or tidy, the Amazon Echo Show 10's display can rotate almost 360 degrees. This makes it not only the most advanced Amazon device but one of the most advanced smart displays regardless of brand. For £20 more than the Google Nest Hub Max, the Amazon Echo Show 10 offers sophisticated voice recognition technology, an extensive range of skills and apps, including Spotify, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Uber. All that, and it can double-up as a digital photo frame.

Price: The Amazon Echo Show 10 is available at Amazon for £239.99.

Key features:

• Automatically follows the user around the room
• Built-in camera can be used for security
• Make video calls via Alexa app or Skype
• Voice control via Alexa

Pros:

• Responsive 10-inch touchscreen
• Intelligent voice recognition technology
• Can be used as a digital photo frame
• Microphone/camera off buttons
• Great range of skills and apps available

Cons:

• Occasional issue with locating the user

What is Amazon Echo Show 10?

The Amazon Echo Show 10 is the brand's most advanced smart display. With a 10.1-inch touchscreen, the Echo Show 10 can be used to make video calls, watch Amazon Prime Video or display your favourite pictures. It also has all the typical smart speaker features you've come to expect from the likes of the Amazon Echo Dot. These include weather, news and traffic updates, along with apps and skills such as Ring, Uber, Spotify, Skype and BBC Sounds.

What does Amazon Echo Show 10 do?

• 13MP camera for video calls
• Automatically follows the user as they move around the room
• Can be used as a digital photo frame when not in active use
• Built-in camera can be used as an indoor security camera
• Compatible apps (known as Alexa skills) include BBC Sounds, Uber, Netflix and Spotify

How much is Amazon Echo Show 10?

The Amazon Echo Show 10 is available to buy at Amazon for £239.99.

Is Amazon Echo Show 10 good value for money?

At £239.99, the Echo Show 10 is Amazon's most expensive Alexa device. However, that price tag takes into account that several features are only available on the Echo Show 10. The first is that the screen automatically follows you as you move around the room so that it is always in view. It is currently the only smart display to offer this function, which is particularly handy during video calls or while cooking.

The second consideration is the camera. The Echo Show 10 has a much higher spec camera than the Amazon Echo Show 8 or Echo Show 5. While the Echo Show 8 has just a 1MP camera, the Echo Show 10's is a 13MP camera. This will make a significant difference to your video calls or indoor security footage. Overall, we think the Amazon Echo Show 10 is good value for money considering the range and quality of features it offers.

Amazon Echo Show 10 design

With a 10.1-inch display, the Amazon Echo Show 10 is the biggest Amazon smart display. The shape is a little different to that of its predecessors as it now comes with a rounded, fabric base to allow the screen to rotate and follow the user around the room, rather than a square design. The elevated screen makes the device feel a lot bigger but does mean any photos, videos, or calls can be seen across the room with ease.

• Style: Available in two colours, charcoal and glacier white, the Amazon Echo Show 10 has a rounded fabric base. Attached to this is the 10.1-inch HD touchscreen that can rotate up to 360 degrees.
• Robustness: The Amazon Echo Show 10 is weighty, particularly the base, which has been designed to avoid it toppling over as the display follows you around the room.
• Size: This Amazon smart display is the biggest the brand makes. It has a 10.1-inch touchscreen, and the base is 6.7-inches in diameter. It also needs additional space cleared around the device to prevent anything from being knocked over when it rotates.

Amazon Echo Show 10 sound quality

With two 1-inch tweeters and a 3-inch woofer, Amazon has worked hard to improve the sound quality on the new Echo Show 10 compared to its older smart displays.

And overall, the sound quality is good. There's a good range of volume, and music sounds crisp and balanced. It is more than good enough for casual everyday use, but if you primarily want to use the display for playing music, you might be better off with a smart speaker like the Google Nest Audio or Amazon Echo Dot.

However, where this smart display performs best is when voice recognition technology is involved. Alexa is both responsive and accurate to requests for music, news and weather updates, and even when it comes to random trivia. The Amazon Echo Show 10 works with a huge range of 'Alexa skills' including Uber, BBC Sounds, Fitbit and even Pointless, so you can quiz against your friends and family.

The screen is also incredibly responsive to touch. While we found it easier to navigate via voice commands, that does not mean you cannot set-up alarms and reminders manually with the screen itself. The display can also be controlled via the Amazon Alexa app, which is also the easiest way to manage settings, including turning off the motion.

Amazon Echo Show 10 set-up: how easy is it to use?

From the box, the Amazon Echo Show 10 takes a total of 15 minutes to set-up. As part of Amazon's push to be more sustainable, the smart display arrives in packaging that is 99% wood fibre-based materials from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources. Everything to get started is included in the box, which is simply the device and a power cable with an adaptor.

To begin setting up, the Echo Show 10 needs to be placed down in the location where you intend for it to stay. A paper cut-out is provided to ensure you have cleared enough space around the device before it is turned on. This ensures the Echo Show 10 will not knock over or break any nearby items.

The next step is to turn on the device and follow the instructions on the screen. This will include downloading the Amazon Alexa app and creating an account if you do not already have one.

The final element is setting how far you would like the display to rotate and a quick run-through of how to set up features such as alarms and routines. On a couple of occasions following the set-up, the Echo Show 10 struggled to locate us. However, we were prompted to give feedback on the motion, and by the end of the first day of use, the user detection and motion was much more accurate.

What is the difference between Amazon Echo Show 10 and Echo Show 8?

Our verdict: should you buy Amazon Echo Show 10?

The Amazon Echo Show 10 is a combination of well-loved smart home features and new additional flares. The biggest addition is, of course, the display's ability to automatically move with the user as they move around the room, but there's also a new, higher-spec 13MP camera and better sound quality. These join sophisticated voice recognition technology in the form of Alexa, which allows you to set hands-free reminders and alarms, get news updates and make video calls. And when that's all done, the smart display can simply double-up as a digital photo frame or indoor security camera. Yes, at £239.99, there are definitely more affordable smart displays available, but if you want the most advanced device, you need the Amazon Echo Show 10.

Where to buy Amazon Echo Show 10

The Amazon Echo Show 10 is available to buy at Amazon for £239.99.

For more reviews, head over to our technology section. Or, try our Amazon Echo deals page for the latest offers on Amazon's smart speakers and displays.