Amazon Echo Hub vs Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen)

Amazon Echo Hub wins with its Ethernet option, full Zigbee, Thread and Matter hub radios, bigger 8-inch screen and extra sensors. Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) is cheaper and better rated, with a camera and good sound in a compact bedside format.

Role. The Echo Hub is a wall-mounted, camera-free control panel that coordinates Zigbee and Thread devices directly. The Show 5 is a small countertop display for alarms, timers, music and video calls, with only Matter bridging and a slower processor.

The Amazon Echo Hub, decisively: Zigbee coordinator, Thread border router and Matter bridge, plus Ethernet for a stable wired link. The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) bridges Matter only, with no Zigbee or Thread radios.

No camera at all, and its speakers are weak by design. The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) includes a camera with a physical shutter for calls and room checks, and owners praise its room-filling sound for the size.

Choose Amazon Echo Hub to command a whole smart home from the wall: devices, groups, routines and Ring feeds on one 8-inch panel, with the radios to run Zigbee and Thread gear natively.

Choose Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) for a nightstand or desk: alarm clock, timers, quick camera checks and music at a bargain price, accepting laggier menus and the lack of Zigbee or Thread radios.