Reviewed in Canada on April 20, 2024
I have many versions and generations of Amazon Alexa devices, so I have lots of experience with them, use them constantly, and can compare devices easily. This new version (3rd gen) of Echo Show 5 is truly terrible in general, especially when compared to the previous 2nd generation. Overall, it was completely redesigned and done unusually poorly.
Compared to the previous (2nd gen) version...
Pros:
- Fuller/deeper sound for music, but *only* if device is positioned with a wall right behind it
- The rubber used has less of a lasting strong toxic smell (but it still has one)
Cons:
- Voice pickup (microphones) work considerably worse, making the device not respond to "Alexa" most of the time (compared to 2nd gen version), so much so, and has become such a frustration that I replaced it with an older 2nd gen version. It is better if placed against a wall but still not good at all
- Sounds clarity is worse, especially for speech, Alexa responses, notifications, announcements, calls, etc
- Sounds is directed rearward, and makes the sound seem like it is coming from elsewhere
- Made to be positioned in front of a wall for sound reflecting purposes, does not sound good otherwise
(All but one of my Echo Show devices are in places like end tables, desks, so that does not work well)
- Screen is not as bright and whites are more yellowish (unless put side-by-side with 2nd gen, the yellow tint is not obvious, but the decreased brightness capability sure is)
- Buttons on top are angled back much more, and can't be seen (the lighted button is now pointless) making them harder to use
- Screen has rounded corners (personal preference, but makes it look cheaper with image cut off in corners)
- Power connector is more difficult to plug in (odd angle and position, which works when device is sitting on table but not when device is hand held to plug in)
- No real improvements (processor does not seem faster, touch screen response is still as slow, etc)
Amazon Echo devices used to be by far the best among the 3 (Amazon, Apple, Google) makers of this type of device, but over the last couple years, the Amazon devices has worked more and more poorly, due to really poor software/firmware updates in the devices. These updates have huge numbers of bugs, often break existing features, have made using the device (say "Alexa ...") and getting it to respond become very frustrating, with having to repeat "Alexa" maybe 1/3 to 1/2 the time you try, and this trend of really bad firmware updates is getting worse, not better. The Alexa devices (all Echo devices) now have many issues, like voice responses that click and pop, the devices often not hearing/responding on first try, WiFi connection issues that they finally fixed after about 2 years, then broke again. Even things like the 'alarm set for' time displaying the wrong time, off by one hour, after the recent daylight saving time change, took Amazon 2 weeks to fix, and that was fast compared to the Alexa voice clicking/popping sound bug that took over 6 months to fix, the first time, then they broke it again, and still not fixed to this day (been maybe a year). Note that if you have more than one Echo device in your home, within earshot of each other, there are also lot more problems - I have echo devices in every room, bathrooms, and this does not work well anymore, though it used to; they have broken things (software/firmware 'updates' that you cannot prevent from happening) and not fixed them in over a year of waiting.
But the Alexa/Echo hardware has always been well designed, up until very recently, with this 'new generation' Echo Show 5 being very poorly designed and working far worse than the previous model.
I'd like to think this is temporary and Amazon will realize the drop in software quality and correct things, but it appears clear after the last couple years that nothing will change. It is really unfortunate, as Amazon had by far the best voice controlled system on the market, and now it is very popular and economical but has the worse voice wakeup, and response quality, no longer the best in that way, not even close. I hope the their software quality trend changes one day, it is all about the software. Note that the best is not Apple either.
Do I recommend Echo devices - yes and no - if you want incredible value for the money, and are willing to put up with issues, bugs and frustrations to make it work, then it is definitely the best value and choice. But if you want a device that will simply respond the first time you say its name and tell it something, then the Echo, especially the new ones, are the wrong choice. If you want real good quality sound/music, then the higher end models of Echo are really good, but at those high prices, there are better choices and value. And if you are looking for a whole-home solution, Echo used to be by far the best, but I would definitely not recommend it anymore, not even close, especially as the management of the Echo software development and updates at Amazon has been getting worse and worse, and has basically broken and made worse a system that once worked exceptionally well, and the last few years shows that is an ongoing trend, not just a short term problem.