Amazon Echo Show 10 review: A premium smart display that moves with you

It’s almost like an Amazon Fire Tablet slapped on an Echo smart speaker, and packs enough punch to become your primary speaker for all your music.
Amazon Echo Show 10
Amazon Echo Show 10

There are times when trend spotters and tech geeks like to indulge in crystal ball gazing as we imagine what the immediate future might look like. And then there are moments when a new gadget or a feature gives you a sneak peek into that very future. I experienced one of those moments almost as soon as I set up the third-gen Amazon Echo Show 10 that has just debuted in India. A moment where cool meets creepy as the large screen swivels to keep up with you as you move around the room. This is AI in action, and it’s certainly a sign of things to come.

The all-new Echo Show is bound to spark conversations; I’m not talking about the ones you have with Alexa. The design is a love or loathe thing but it’s likely to grab attention. It’s almost like an Amazon Fire Tablet slapped on an Echo smart speaker. It’s certainly going to need more room than most other smart displays you can buy now, but it’s practical design given the sheer functionality of the device.

The first thing that will catch your attention is the vibrant 10.1-inch display (1280 x 800 pixels). It’s not in the same league as a premium tablet display and it has thicker bezels than most tabs out there. But then, those tabs can’t spin around the way the Echo 10 can. This one can rotate almost 360-degrees and keep up with you. I found it particularly handy in the kitchen while following recipe instructions. 

Setting up is a breeze. I’d recommend using the device mapping option each time you move the device around, this allows you to adjust the range of motion. I set it up on an iPhone with the Amazon Alexa app. You can disable the motion settings with a simple swipe, just like you can turn off the camera on the device. Amazon has kitted its flagship Echo Show device with a 13MP cam. It’s quite brilliant for video calls (with folks who own an Echo device).

Enough about the display. The feature that you will appreciate most, especially in the long run, is the sound quality. This isn’t just the best on any smart display right now, but one that packs enough punch to become your primary speaker for all your music. Two 1-inch, front-firing tweeters combine with a 3-inch woofer — it’s almost party proof, with 80% volume levels likely to reach your neighbour’s apartment. It’s not just the terrific sound, integration of your preferred music streaming service is seamless as well. I tried both Apple Music and Spotify as default music services and they worked well. 

Smart capabilities are a big part of the sales pitch for devices like the Echo Show 10 that has quite a few tricks up its sleeve. Aside from testing Alexa’s weather and news skills, you can also control heaps of smart gadgets and accessories if that’s your thing. Quite a few apps like Netflix are also easy to access with voice controls. We only wish the YouTube experience doesn’t involve the circuitous route of going through a browser each time. This continues to be a crib from earlier Amazon devices.  

The Echo Show 10 is positioned as a premium smart display and it walks (well almost; it revolves for now) the talk. If you’ve already got your first taste of a smart speaker or display, the Echo Show 10 is the next step. It’s loaded with functionality, features a vibrant display while the sound quality is stellar. But more than all that, the cool rotating trick is likely to impress the neighbours.

The Amazon Echo Show 10 is priced at Rs 24,999.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are the author's own.

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