Bigger is better — Amazon has introduced its largest Echo Show display yet.
The new Echo Show 21 joins a refreshed, wall-mountable Echo Show 15 design and represents Amazon’s biggest Alexa-powered smart display to date. (For size context, the 27-inch Skylight Calendar Max is larger but is a calendar-focused device without onboard camera or speakers.)
The Echo Show line keeps the same general design introduced with the original Echo Show 15 in 2021, which was notable as Amazon’s first wall-mountable Echo. That model fit well in kitchens with large widgets and enough screen for extended video viewing, though our 2022 review criticized its weak audio, relatively low-resolution panel, and the lack of a Zigbee hub.
Amazon addresses many of those shortcomings with the new Echo Show 15 and Echo Show 21. The 15-inch and 21-inch models are priced at $299.99 and $399.99, respectively. Both feature improved audio — twin 2-inch woofers that Amazon says deliver double the bass — plus “room adaptation” technology to tune sound to the room’s acoustics.
Visually, the Echo Show 21 offers nearly twice the screen area of the 15-inch model, though both displays share the same 1920 x 1080 resolution. They continue to support Fire TV apps such as YouTube, Paramount+, Peacock, and Max, and provide access to morning news segments from CBS News, FOX News Channel, and NBC News.
A major upgrade is the inclusion of Zigbee and Thread radios in both models, enabling them to act as Matter smart home hubs. That fills a notable gap from the original Echo Show 15, which lacked a built-in Zigbee hub and required separate hardware for non–Wi-Fi smart devices.
Camera and call quality have been improved as well: the auto-framing camera now offers double the field of view and roughly 65% more zoom, and added noise reduction should improve video-call audio. Both displays are also Amazon’s first Echo devices with Wi‑Fi 6E for smoother streaming.
Each unit ships with wall-mount kits. Optional accessories include a frame available in light brown or white for $34.99 and a “premium” counter stand for $99.99.
TechHive will publish full reviews of the Echo Show 15 and 21 after hands-on testing.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has written about consumer technology for over 20 years. He joined TechHive in 2019 and has contributed to PCWorld, PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, and more.
