The Echo Show 8 has always been Amazon’s most practical smart display. It is big enough to be useful but small enough to fit almost anywhere. It has been priced just right to justify putting Alexa in rooms you might not have bothered with before. The 2025 fourth-generation model keeps that spirit while looking more confident and stylish.
The biggest change is how it looks. The old wedge shape is gone. Now the display floats above a rounded speaker base. It borrows design cues from the Echo Show 10, and it works well. The new look is calmer, more modern, and fits naturally into a room instead of standing out as a gadget.
The screen is 8.7 inches, slightly bigger and brighter than before. It is thin, sharp, and easy to read from across the room. Recipes, video calls, and weather updates all look better. Touch interactions feel quicker and smoother.
The downside is privacy. The physical camera shutter is gone. You can still turn off the camera and mic with a button or in software, but it is not the same as having a real barrier. It makes you rely more on trusting Amazon than on seeing a physical switch.
Performance, display, and sound
The Echo Show 8 feels fast in daily use. The new processor makes swipes smooth, Alexa responses quick, and video playback smoother than older models. Jumping between widgets, asking questions, or starting a show happens almost instantly.
The interface can feel busy. Photos, suggestions, widgets, ads, and reminders compete for attention. On an 8.7-inch screen, it can get cramped. You can simplify it by setting photo backgrounds or limiting content, but it takes some setup. The display works best when you tell it what to show rather than letting it decide for you.
The speakers are surprisingly capable. They get loud enough for a medium room and handle voices well. Music sounds warm but not very detailed. Complex tracks can feel compressed, and vocals sometimes disappear into the mix. It is good for background sound but not for serious listening. For most people, that is fine.
A smart home hub that works
Where the Echo Show 8 shines is as a smart home control center. It supports Matter, Thread, and Zigbee, so it can act as the brain of a connected home without extra hubs. Presence detection, motion awareness, and temperature sensing all worked reliably.
It makes routines effortless. Lights turn on when you enter a room. Temperature triggers automations. Cameras and doorbells show up on the screen without needing your phone. Multiple camera feeds can be viewed at once, which works well in practice. It feels less like a voice assistant and more like a control panel that talks back.
Alexa experience
Alexa is faster than before, sometimes too eager. It answers questions quickly, even before you finish speaking. Media playback across streaming apps is smoother. Some newer features require Alexa Plus, which is not available in every region, including India. That makes the device more valuable depending on where you live.
Verdict
The Echo Show 8 (2025) is smarter, faster, and better-looking than its predecessor. It feels like a real part of your home rather than just a plastic gadget. Privacy is something you need to manage in software, but if you are comfortable with that, it is one of the most capable Alexa displays available.
It looks good, sounds decent, and makes running your smart home easy. For anyone wanting a reliable smart display, the Echo Show 8 makes a strong case.
The Echo Show 8 costs ₹23,999 and comes in Graphite and Glacier White. It is available on Amazon, Flipkart, and offline stores like Reliance Digital and Croma.
