Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Generation) Review

Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd generation): Introduction

• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Wired, Bluetooth, Zigbee
• Ecosystems: Matter, Amazon Alexa.

Late last year, Amazon made Alexa bigger than ever by taking the covers off the new Echo Show 21, along with an updated Echo 15, reviewed here.

Both models feature built-in smart home hub capabilities, acting as Materia controllers, with Thread edge routing capabilities, and there’s also Zigbee support, an aspect that was missing from the original Show 15, which launched in 2022.

This puts the pair of big Show-offs on par with the Echo Hub or the latest Echo Show 8.

They’re also the first Echo devices equipped with Wi-Fi 6E, which means smoother, faster streaming of both video and music through Fire TV integration.

The new Echo Show 15 comes with an Alexa voice remote for Fire TV, making it easy to switch from the regular home screen with widgets. That was also available in the OG 15… but it was very patchy.

The home screen offers a pretty slick touchscreen experience with customizable widgets that allow easy access to calendars, shopping lists, to-dos, smart home device favorites, and more.

There’s also an updated audio widget for managing music and podcasts, along with the ability to play content on multiple speakers at once.

So whether you want to manage your smart devices, stream content, or even make video calls, the Show 15 is now more capable than ever.

But is it worth upgrading to this new version or should you stick with your first-generation model? Read our full Amazon Echo Show 15 (2024 release) to find out…

Design and build

• 1080p Full HD display
• Camera (with privacy shutter)
• Wall or table mount
• Same mounting bracket as the first generation model.

The Echo Show 15 (2nd generation) doesn’t stray far from its predecessor in terms of design. It’s still a large wall-mounted screen with the option of a stand.

Take it out of the box and the Amazon Echo Show 15 looks more like a computer monitor or a small TV; The latter is especially true if you combine it with that optional desktop stand.

If you decide to go that route, keep in mind that the new model takes up a lot more space, so you may prefer to opt for the smaller Echo Show 8 if space is at a premium.

It’s actually a bit wider than the original, at 41cm x 26cm x 4cm, although the 2.2kg weight remains the same and to be honest you have to look closely to notice the differences.

One thing you might notice is that the camera is now in the middle of the top bezel and actually has an uglier square finish compared to the quaint circle of the original. There is still a privacy shutter that physically blocks the webcam.

Smart display showdown: Echo Show 21 vs Echo Show 15

At 15.6 inches and with Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, the screen quality is quite sharp, and if you’re a fan of PPI, you’ll probably have noticed that it makes for a more focused screen than the Show . 21, which has the same resolution.

I think most people will opt to have the Show 15 in landscape mode, but you can do it in portrait mode if you want, which makes the Echo Show 15 a pretty decent rival to the Meural Smart Frame as well, as there’s a mode to display your photos and/or artwork on the smart screen as well.

Little: Amazon Echo Pop Review

Common to all Echo Show devices, the 15 has the standard set of physical controls: volume up and down, plus a mute button that turns off the microphones.

The speakers are located on the back of the device and add quite a bit to the mix. But it still looks good when mounted on the wall and doesn’t stick out too much.

The good news, if you’re upgrading from the original Echo Show 15, is that the mounting bracket that comes in the box is exactly the same one you already have installed.

This means upgrading is a piece of cake. However, even if it will be your first wall-mounted big screen Show, there’s no need to panic as mounting is as simple as screwing in four screws and placing the new Show 15 on top using the back panel.

You’ll also get a handy guide in the box, so you won’t have to break out your tape measure or spirit level.

In daily use

• Fast performance
• Responsive content on the home screen
• Touch Screen Widgets
• TV fire mode

The new Show 15, as you would expect, is powered by Alexa and therefore boasts an absolute abundance of voice- and automation-driven capabilities.

When you first connect the second-generation Show 15, you’ll see on-screen images that will give you a step-by-step guide to connecting to your home Wi-Fi and syncing it with your Amazon account and the Alexa app.

However, I won’t delve too deeply into everything Alexa-related in this review. If you’re looking for specific information on what Alexa can offer you, check out some of our comprehensive guides:

Obviously, Alexa underpins everything related to any Echo speaker, which are devices that prioritize voice despite the presence of a screen.

Ask Alexa a question in Show 15, such as what the weather is like, and you’ll see additional information on the screen.

If you make a voice command to control a smart device, Alexa will show you touchscreen controls on the screen to let you adjust the action. Turn on the heating, for example, and you can adjust the temperature by touch. Or manually adjust the brightness of a smart bulb.

You can also do things like activate video feeds from security cameras with voice commands or answer the doorbell with video.

The second-generation Show 15 is therefore a complete Alexa device that can do anything any other Echo smart speaker can do when it comes to managing your Alexa smart home system.

In fact, when it comes to managing your smart home, it offers the same options as the latest Echo Show 8 or the Echo Hub. It’s a Matter controller that can connect directly to Wi-Fi, Thread, and Zigbee devices, but you don’t get the Smart Home Hub’s dedicated UI.

I understand that the Show 15 is designed as an entertainment device and a smart home touchpad, but I would like the option to use the Echo Hub UI at times, especially the smart home widgets on the Show 15 .they are still a little clumsy.

Like other Echo Shows, you have to make an extra tap on the screen just for the smart home controls to display. That means you’ll double-tap to turn off a socket, for example.

Additional tap issues aside, however, the 2024 Show 15 is a competent smart home operator, especially for anyone already firmly in Camp Alexa and looking to make Matter jump.

I’ve paired Matter devices over Wi-Fi and Thread, and also Zigbee devices directly to the Show 15 and everything works as seamlessly as you’d expect.

There’s also a picture-in-picture mode so you can see who’s ringing the doorbell with video or stream a security camera to the Show, without interrupting your viewing.

Video and music playback.

However, as mentioned, the Show 15 is not a smart home device and there is a big emphasis on the entertainment aspects.

It ships with an Alexa voice remote for Fire TV, which you can switch to from the regular home screen with widgets, and I’m happy to report that the Fire TV experience on the new Show 15 is a far cry from the buggy mess that It was in Show 15 of the first generation.

It’s not as good as the larger screen Show 21, for obvious reasons. but 15.6 inches is still big enough to act as a small kitchen TV.

The TV apps you get will depend on the region you’re in, but the good news is that YouTube can be installed, so there’s no need to use the Silk-based browser workaround like you do with shows like Show 5 or 8. .

We generally find the Echo Show devices to be among the best for music in the Echo range, with a deep base and quality stereo.

However, in these wall-mountable programs, the thinner screen means there’s less room for the speakers, but Amazon has managed to include two-inch woofers and 0.6-inch tweeters, upgrading the 1.6-inch drivers of the original.

The result, at least for watching television, is quite good. It’s certainly loud and I found that I can easily keep up with the news while using the kitchen appliances.

Listening to music is a bit disappointing though, the audio gets a little muddy and the lack of substantial bass means it’s quite a distorted sound if you play it too loud.

If you want an Echo Show for music, then the old Show 10 is still a better option.

You can play music from Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Spotify on the Show 15. If you subscribe to Amazon Music, it scrolls song lyrics on the screen, so it can also function as a karaoke machine.

Away from Fire TV and the home screen offers an easy-to-use touchscreen experience with a variety of customizable widgets, allowing easy access to calendars, shopping lists, to-dos, smart home device favorites, and more.

There’s also a new audio widget for managing music and podcasts, along with the ability to play content on multiple speakers at once.

This content can be further customized if you have Visual ID set up through your Amazon account.

For example, there’s a shared calendar for your home that you can always keep in view, but Alexa can customize the results for each profile in the home; Show 15 recognizes who is watching and presents personalized (and age-appropriate) material on the screen.

It’s all a bit reminiscent of the big screen found on Samsung’s Family Hub range of smart fridges and Amazon definitely has the kitchen in mind for the new Echo Show; It was described as a smart kitchen TV several times during the launch event.

However, the selection of widgets is still quite limited. When the original Show 15 launched, we were told that third-party developers would be able to create widgets, but aside from some novel games and audio-visual experiences, there’s nothing to get too excited about here.

If you just want to use your Show to display photos and nothing else, you’ll also have to go through the rigmarole of turning off the ever-growing list of clutter that Amazon insists on showing you, via the Home Content settings.

Like other recent Show models, the Show 15 also has Home Monitoring remote view mode, which lets you monitor your home when you’re not in the Alexa app; It basically turns your smart display into a makeshift smart security camera.

An alert appears on the screen, letting anyone in the room know they are on camera. You cannot record or store these videos.

The camera has been upgraded to a 13-megapixel wide-angle camera, which also features auto-framing and a 3.3x zoom. So it’s easy to stay in the frame during video calls, even if you’re not right next to the device.

Performance

Powered by Amazon’s Octa-core SoC with the Amazon AZ2 neural network engine, the latest Show 15 is remarkably fast, with no delays in voice or touch prompts.

The screen, although not in the OLED league, really stands out and you’ll easily be able to use the Show 15 as a miniature TV for the bedroom or kitchen.

Streaming is also faster than ever, as the Show 15, along with the new Show 21, were the first Echo devices to feature Wi-Fi 6E.

Final thoughts

If you’ve been putting off the Echo Show 15 because the first-generation model wasn’t enough, the second-generation version is definitely a step up. With improved sound, a better camera, faster performance, and all the features you loved before, it’s a compelling option for anyone looking to integrate a smart display into their home.

Whether you’re new to the Echo Show family or looking to replace your previous model, the Show 15 (2nd generation) is a more reliable, better-sounding, polished product in every way. It’s one of the best smart home displays you can buy right now, but be sure to also check out the Show 21 as it’s basically the same product in a larger size.

how we test

When we publish our reviews, you can be sure that they are the result of “living with” long-term testing.

Smart speakers typically live within or even control a smart home ecosystem, or a range of products that supposedly all work in harmony. It is therefore impossible to use a connected speaker for a week and give a verdict.

Because we test smart home kit all day, every day, we know what matters and how a particular smart speaker compares to alternatives you might also be considering.

Our reviews are complete, objective and fair, and of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our smart speaker review process to learn more.

Frequently asked questions

Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd generation): specifications