Whether you're using it as an alarm clock, a video player, or a smart home hub, the Echo Show 5 is a fantastic addition to the Alexa family.

Good looks and a small size make it extremely versatile; Excellent information density for a small display; Good sound and music playback options,...

No native YouTube; Hulu; or Netflix; Plug can be unsightly

The Echo Show 5 is the Echo Dot of smart displays. It’s smaller, cheaper and does most of the things you want from a smart display. But like the Echo Dot, when you try to use it more for entertainment it begins to fall down.

relatively compact; sounds good; Alexa; good smart home control; 3.5mm output; extra clock and alarm features; relatively low cost

too small to watch long videos; fairly big on your bedside table; large bezels around screen; screen isn’t HD; can’t stand vertically

The Amazon Echo Show 5 is a long overdue compromise for diehard Echo users. The original Echo Show is a bit large and not suitable for desks and nightstands. Their smart alarm clock, the Echo Spot , uses a round screen which diminished video capabilities.

A terrific price point; Good sound for its size; Physical privacy shutter on the camera

Resolution on screen is not great; No access to Google services yet; Removing annoying Alexa tips requires a workaround

The Echo Show 5's sweet price point makes this the best smart display for the bedroom

Decent speakers; Smart home controls on-screen are super handy; Cute and compact design

A bit slow; Doesn't have some of my favourite features from the Nest Hub; Setting reminders is a bit odd

has come a long way since it first launched almost exactly four years ago. We've had various smaller iterations in that time as well as the addition of display in the form of a range of devices under the Echo Show name.

Great price point; well-designed and sturdy; good sound for the size

Slight lag on the touch screen; low-ish resolution

Does everything it's big Sister Echo Show 10 does and then some. Besides the usual functions of lights, doorbell, music etc., it has a great clock function. I bought it mainly for the clock function to replace my ancient digital/mechanical clock and an more than pleased.

In many ways, the Echo Show 5 isn't anything particularly special, then. It sounds okay, but its microphone array isn't great and it doesn't move the smart display paradigm on significantly over the Echo Show 2. It's essentially the same device, just smaller.

Great price; Privacy shield on camera; All the features of the Show 2 in a smaller package

So-so audio quality; Disappointing microphone sensitivity

If you're going purely on cost versus features, I'd still pick the Nest Hub first and foremost. It offers a 7-inch display, and Google's platform is ultimately easier to use and more flexible.

The Amazon Echo Show 5 will fit in nicely on your nightstand. It's a pretty good smart display and a pretty good smart alarm clock at an attractive $90 price that's well below the list price of the next lowest competition -- the $130 Google Nest Hub (formerly the Google Home Hub).

The Amazon Echo Show 5 packs a lot of features into a compact smart display that can easily fit on your nightstand; The sunrise alarms make getting out of bed easy; The new smart home control panel gives you a handy way to control your gadgets with a touch.

The similar Google Nest Hub is better at showing off your pictures, walking you through recipes and organizing your smart home; The Show 5's screen is a little too bright for a darkened room; You can't customize your snooze times, see your commands or set a sunrise alarm outside of certain hours

Amazon's Echo Show 5 is so much more than a smart alarm clock.

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