This budget smart display has a bit of an identity crisis.

Physical camera shutter, Cute and compact, Good video-call quality, Smart-home camera and doorbell integration

So-so video, Laggy interface, Limited uses

The screen-bedecked Alexa device is back—this time with a smaller display.

It’s the Echo Show! Just smaller and more adorable. And it has a physical shutter that covers the front-facing camera.

The smaller screen robs it of some of the magic inherent in the larger Echo Show. Alexa isn’t quite as good as Google Assistant.

The usefulness of Alexa, and integration with WikiHow, is enough to justify the low price of the Echo Show 5, even if the lack of some features grates on us. This isn’t quite the definitive smart display, but it is one we can imagine in a lot of people’s homes.

Low, low price; Integrated how-to videos; Camera shutter;

Low resolution; No YouTube app; Frustrating UI

Smart displays are getting smaller, more affordable, and more functional. The Amazon Echo Spot has stood as our favorite bedside companion for over a year thanks to its petite size and price tag compared with the full-size Echo Show. And now Amazon offers another small-screen alternative in the form of the $89.99 Echo Show 5, a 5.5-inch model that lacks the booming stereo speakers of the 10-inch, $229.99 original, but offers a terrific selection of Alexa voice assistant and touch-screen features for $40 less than the Echo Spot. Its versatility and value easily earn it our Editors' Choice for small-screen smart displays.Design The Echo Show 5 looks like a tinier version of the original model. It's dominated by a touch screen, with angled fabric sides that tilt the screen slightly upward. You can get it with a black frame and dark gray fabric sides, or with a white frame and light gray fabric sides. No matter the color, it measures 3.3 by 5.8 by 3.2 inches (HWD), with a 5.5-inch, 96...

The Amazon Echo Show 5 is an affordable little smart display that brings Alexa voice commands to your desk, shelf, or nightstand.

Affordable; Powerful voice assistant features; Useful touch-screen controls with web browser

Mediocre sound quality; Music streamed over Bluetooth is filled with artifacts

Despite its name, the Amazon Echo Show 5 ($50) is the third generation of Alexa-enabled devices to pack a screen. Designed for desktops, bedside night stands, kitchens, side tables, and shelves, it’s the most compact Echo Show yet, with a 5.5-inch screen, integrated HD camera, and a number of feature enhancements. If you need something larger, there’s always the Amazon Echo Show 8 and Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) for consideration, but just know that a successor was recently announced. We won’t blame you if your head is spinning, especially given how Amazon rapidly developed its smart displays. Amazon, Google, and partners are all experimenting with designs, features, and price points to find the sweet spot that will drive users to scatter these devices around the home. That begs the question of whether the Echo Show 5 has a place within the pack. Google’s Nest Hub ($90) and Lenovo Smart Display 7 ($100) are two of its closest rivals, offering similar features in compact sizes. In con...

Compact size fits anywhere; Attractive design; Versatile features; Enhanced privacy controls; Entry-level price;

Sluggish smart home touchscreen control; Alexa calling isn’t easy enough yet; No Google Photos or YouTube;

Works brilliantly as a bedside clock; Great price; Full set of Echo Show features;

Very similar to last year’s model;

Like the idea of Amazon's Echo Show, but don't have $180 to spend on a smart display? You might be interested in the highly-rated Echo Show 5, which is on sale right now for just $64.99, a 28 percent discount. Released in June, the Alexa-powered Echo Show 5 features a 5.5-inch display on which you can view the time, calendars, to-do lists, recipes, song lyrics, news and sports highlights, video calls, feeds from connected devices like security cameras and baby monitors, and more. You can put it on your nightstand, then simply ask Alexa to set and turn off alarms. Reviewers love its "big, clear numbers" and "nice clockfaces, which are easy to change." The Echo Show 5 earned an excellent rating in PCMag's review and praise for its "powerful voice assistant features" and "useful touch-screen controls with web browser." It's our Editors' Choice for small-screen smart displays. "The Amazon Echo Show 5 is a fantastic little smart display that offers loads of features, with a more...

Sub-£100 price tag; Plays video; Surprisingly loud; Works brilliantly as an alarm clock ; Visual element improves many Alexa skills;

Resolution isn’t great ; Won’t do your music library justice; Alexa can be temperamental ;