Amazon Echo Show 10 Review: It’s on the Move

By Tobey Grumet Segal @tgrumet
Published March 12, 2021, 10:20 a.m. ET
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Meet the newest addition to the Amazon Echo Show collection. The Echo Show 10 (3rd Generation) not only comes equipped with a 10.1-inch HD display and hugely upgraded 13-megapixel front-facing camera, but this Alexa voice-controlled, touchscreen smart display rocks. Like, with a built-in motor. It really moves.

In fact, what makes this version of the Echo special is the unique motorized base which allows the camera to follow you around the room nearly 360 degrees. And yes, it’s more than a little cool.

Price and Availability: The Amazon Echo Show is available now for $250 at Amazon and Best Buy.

Why We Chose It: The Echo Show 10 is like two products in one. It’s a fully functional 13-megapixel HD Amazon Fire tablet which sits atop a voice-activated speaker. And for the price, you can bet it’s the most advanced smart display we’ve seen yet.

But what makes this Echo different than all the others is its motorized rotating base, which can swivel a full 350 degrees. The idea is that the screen will follow as you freely move around, so you’ll always be able to see it. That’s quite helpful if you’re on a video call or watching content from the included streaming apps, like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime—but you better make sure you have enough counterspace for the moving screen.

Just wake the speaker up with your chosen word and the screen will turn to face you. Other products, like the Google Nest Hub Max, have similar features which allow them to pan-and-zoom, but none of them physically move like the Echo 10.

Why You Need It: The newly added ability to call up Netflix and Hulu (obviously, Prime Video was always accessible) using the Alexa Voice Assistant is a boon for streamers, and the swivel motion of the screen means you’ll be able to easily watch your movies and TV shows even when you’re not sitting still. Add to this a high-definition screen with 1280 x 800 pixels and three powerful speakers which include a downward facing woofer and two tweeters, and you know you’ll be getting one of the best A/V experiences possible on a screen this size. Of course, you can also ask Alexa to stream music, radio, podcasts and audio books.

The higher resolution camera found in the upper right-hand corner of the Echo’s bezel is the command center for the new tracking movement. And, if you decide that you’d like the smart display to be still for some (or all) of the time, you can turn the camera off with the flick of a switch on the top of the device.

When the camera is on, however, you can also use it to make video calls with up to eight people if they have an Echo device or the downloaded Amazon Alexa app on their phone or tablet. Zoom access is not available yet, but Amazon promises it will be coming soon (we’ll keep you updated). We especially like the Drop In service, which lets you communicate to other Echo devices in your home using the speaker or video. When our high schooler has a class and he’s busy looking at his phone, we can be even more annoying and blast our voice into his room from our office. All in a day’s work.

Other new features include the ability to use the camera’s feed as a home security camera, which is obviously enhanced with the Echo 10’s motion and control smart home devices with the Zigbee hub as well. You can grab it in charcoal or white.

What Others Are Saying: PCMag notes the high price tag for the Amazon Echo Show 10 but notes the upgraded features may be worth it. “Still, the extra $120 you’ll spend on the Echo Show 10 gets you more powerful audio performance, a bigger screen, and most importantly, motion tracking that lets the device follow you as you move around the room. If you make lots of video calls or have limited mobility, the Echo Show 10 is absolutely worth considering.”

Tom’s Guide agrees that the tracking motion is worth the extra cost. “As my family and I tried the Echo Show 10 for this review, I was relieved — and half surprised—that neither they nor I were creeped out by its motion tracking, and took to it pretty quickly, playing music, looking up recipes, podcasts, and more. If you have the room and the budget, it’s one of the best smart displays around.”

Final Conclusion: The Echo Show 10 (3rd Generation) may be pricier than its predecessors, but its upgraded 13-megapixel camera, robust speakers and futuristic motorized swivel base makes it a super choice if you’re looking for a smart home display.