Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) Review

Amazon’s Echo Show lineup of devices has gone through several design changes since its launch in 2017. The biggest one is the 3rd Gen Echo Show 10 that just recently launched.

Design & Hardware

While the new Echo Show 10 doesn’t have the spherical of the Echo (2020), it does takes inspiration from past Amazon devices. The fabric-covered main rotating base that houses the speakers and other internals looks like the Echo Studio while the display looks like it’s a Fire Tablet.

The Echo Show 10 has a 10-inch HD display that can be manually tilted. The biggest feature of the device is that the screen will rotate so it can stay in view. When it does rotate, it’ll be silent, thanks to the brushless motor.

If you prefer the Echo Show 10’s screen to stay in one place, just say “Alexa, turn off motion”, “Alexa, stop following me” or you can use the quick setting by swiping down on the screen.

On the top of the screen you’ll find a volume up and down button, mic mute/camera button on & off and a physical camera shutter. The front of the screen has a 13MP camera that should be great for video calls.

The 13MP can also be Home Monitoring, meaning you Echo Show 10 can basically become a security camera when you’re not around. This is part of Alexa Guard that has a free version and paid Plus option that adds Activity Sounds, sounding a siren and more.

Inside the Echo Show 10, you’ll find the device is powered by the Amazon AZ1 Neural Edge processor. The chip helps provide fast and accurate wake-word and keyword detection to make Alexa more responsive. The processor is also found in the Echo (2020) and Echo Dot (2020).

In most cases, Alexa is fairly responsive, but there have been times where I say “Alexa” and the device doesn’t respond. That could be more to do with the mics featured on the device.

For sound quality, the Echo Show 10 has dual, front-firing tweeters and a powerful woofer. While the device is larger than the Echo (2020), the speaker can get fairly loud and fill a room. Plus the Echo Show 10 can automatically adapt the sound to your space.

The Echo Show 10 is available now from Amazon.ca and Best Buy Canada for $329 CAD. It comes in Charcoal and Glacier White.

Software

If you’ve used any of Amazon’s other Echo smart displays, then the interface on the Echo Show 10 will seem familiar. To get started, you won’t need the Alexa app. The entire setup process takes place on the device itself including connecting to Wi-Fi and your Amazon account.

While it does make it easier, I found the on-screen keyboard to be awkward to type on because there’s a giant Echo logo in the middle. I wish the Echo Show 10 had a setup feature like the Echo (2020), where when you open the Alexa app, you’ll get a prompt that it’s found an Echo device nearby.

The interface of the Echo Show 10 is almost a copy of the Alexa app on your phone. The main screen will show you the time, date, weather and wallpaper. When you swipe to the right, you’ll be taken to an Alexa menu that is divided into six areas, Communicate, Music, Routines, Smart Home, Video and Alarms.

Communicate is where you can call (video or audio) your friends and family via their Echo devices or the Alexa app via the Drop-In feature.

Amazon Echo Show 10 (2020) – Communicate

Music is where you can control media playback on your devices and see all your linked music/podcast services.

Routines are all the routines you’ve created to start different automations. The Smart Home section of the Alexa app shows you all the Echo devices and smart home products connected to your Amazon account.

Video lets you watch content from services like Prime Video, Netflix and more. And finally, Alarms are where you can make alarms.

The Echo Show 10 can rotate a fair bit but to help it not bump into anything, there’s the Device Mapping feature that is done in the setup processing. With Device Mapping, you’ll choose where your Echo Show 10 is placed and how far you want it to rotate. There’s also the option to choose its idle position.

All the Device Mapping settings can be adjusted later on to suit your preferences. As mentioned earlier, you can disable motion on the device by using quick settings, voice commands or putting on the camera shutter.