# TLDR Review: Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen)

*Published: 2025-12-30 | Updated: 2025-12-30 | Source: https://shopsavvy.com/reviews-tldr/echo-show-5-(3rd-gen)*

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## Product: Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen)
**Brand:** Amazon

## Pros
- The upgraded sound system delivers 2x the bass and clearer, richer audio quality for its compact size, making music enjoyable.
- Great for following recipes hands-free in the kitchen with easy voice control.
- Easy setup for most users, allowing quick access to music, weather, and smart home controls.
- Alexa’s voice commands are generally responsive and accurate, even from across the room.
- Compact and sleek 5.5-inch touchscreen fits well on bedside tables or small countertops without taking up much space.
- Excellent smart home integration, controlling lights, security cameras, and other IoT devices easily.
- The 2MP camera includes a privacy shutter for security.
- The display is bright and sharp enough for videos, calendar viewing, and digital photo frames.

## Cons
- Screen size is too small for comfortable video viewing or multimedia use, with many users wanting a larger display.
- Setup can be tricky, sometimes requiring repeated attempts and dealing with unintuitive app configurations.
- Camera performance is mediocre, often producing grainy, soft video and sometimes not working reliably.
- Auto-dimming is poorly calibrated and either dims too much or behaves inconsistently, making the display hard to read in various lighting conditions.
- Voice control suffers from occasional misinterpretation, decreased responsiveness, and problems with multi-step commands.
- Display brightness is often too dim, especially in daylight, reducing overall usability.
- Bluetooth connection announcements are loud and annoying, with no way to disable them.
- Frequent glitches, freezes, and the need for restarts diminish the smoothness of the user experience.
- Heavy dependency on paid subscriptions for full features like music services and smart home functions can be frustrating.
- Ads and unwanted content clutter the interface, interrupting basic tasks like clock viewing and adding to user frustration.

## Bottom Line

The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) is a compact, stylish smart display that shines in sound quality and smart home control, making it a solid option for bedside or kitchen use. However, the small screen size, camera issues, and persistent annoyances like auto-dimming and Bluetooth announcements hold it back from being truly seamless or versatile. If you want stronger video call quality, a larger screen, or a more polished smart assistant experience, you might want to consider stepping up to the Amazon Echo Show 8 or exploring other smart displays with bigger, brighter screens and more reliable performance.

## Pros vs Cons at a Glance

| Pros | Cons |
|------|------|
| The upgraded sound system delivers 2x the bass and clearer, richer audio quality for its compact size, making music enjoyable. | Screen size is too small for comfortable video viewing or multimedia use, with many users wanting a larger display. |
| Great for following recipes hands-free in the kitchen with easy voice control. | Setup can be tricky, sometimes requiring repeated attempts and dealing with unintuitive app configurations. |
| Easy setup for most users, allowing quick access to music, weather, and smart home controls. | Camera performance is mediocre, often producing grainy, soft video and sometimes not working reliably. |
| Alexa’s voice commands are generally responsive and accurate, even from across the room. | Auto-dimming is poorly calibrated and either dims too much or behaves inconsistently, making the display hard to read in various lighting conditions. |
| Compact and sleek 5.5-inch touchscreen fits well on bedside tables or small countertops without taking up much space. | Voice control suffers from occasional misinterpretation, decreased responsiveness, and problems with multi-step commands. |
| Excellent smart home integration, controlling lights, security cameras, and other IoT devices easily. | Display brightness is often too dim, especially in daylight, reducing overall usability. |
| The 2MP camera includes a privacy shutter for security. | Bluetooth connection announcements are loud and annoying, with no way to disable them. |
| The display is bright and sharp enough for videos, calendar viewing, and digital photo frames. | Frequent glitches, freezes, and the need for restarts diminish the smoothness of the user experience. |
|  | Heavy dependency on paid subscriptions for full features like music services and smart home functions can be frustrating. |
|  | Ads and unwanted content clutter the interface, interrupting basic tasks like clock viewing and adding to user frustration. |

## Current Prices

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|----------|-------|-------------|
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*About this review: We pulled together findings from professional and user reviews, and cross-referenced them with ShopSavvy's pricing data from thousands of retailers to give you the short version.*