Winner
Updated November 2026
Data from the official Amazon site.
2026 verdict
The newer model takes it: the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) edges the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) on Wi-Fi, screen size and sensors.
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) adds a 6 GHz Wi-Fi band for newer routers, a slightly larger 8.7 inch screen, a 13 MP auto-framing camera, an ambient temperature sensor and a redesigned speaker base. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) keeps a narrowly higher owner rating on years of reviews and the lower price, and it is the one with a physical sliding camera shutter. Both share the same Zigbee coordinator, Thread border router and Matter bridge, both run Alexa with only partial Home Assistant support, and neither works with Google Home or Apple HomeKit. Buy the 2025 model for the newest connectivity, the bigger screen and the extra sensor, and the 3rd Gen to save money on a proven display if the shutter matters to you.
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| Feature | Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) | Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.99 | $149.99 | Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.5 | Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) |
| Connectivity | 2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, 6 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth | 2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth | Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) |
| Screen Size | 8.7" | 8" | Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) |
| Sensors | Motion, Temperature, Ambient Light | Motion, Ambient Light | Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | Tie |
| Integrations | Alexa, Home Assistant | Alexa, Home Assistant | Tie |
| Hub | Zigbee Coordinator, Thread Border Router, Matter Bridge | Zigbee Coordinator, Thread Border Router, Matter Bridge | Tie |
| Voice Assistant | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa | Tie |
| Camera | YES | YES | Tie |
| Local Control | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Wi-Fi generation
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) has Wi-Fi 6E, covering the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands, while the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) tops out at dual-band 2.4 and 5 GHz. On a crowded home network the newer band keeps streaming and video calls steadier.
Screen and camera
The 2025 model steps up to an 8.7 inch 1340 x 800 panel and a 13 MP camera with auto framing and 3.3x zoom; the 3rd Gen uses an 8 inch 1280 x 800 screen. The newer one is a little larger and sharper for video calls and recipes.
Temperature sensing
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) adds an ambient temperature sensor alongside motion and light, so routines can fire on a warm room. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) has no temperature sensor, only motion and light.
Camera privacy hardware
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) has a physical sliding lens shutter, which owners in bedrooms value. The 2025 redesign drops the shutter for a microphone and camera enable/disable button plus software controls, which some owners count as a downgrade.
Sound
The 2025 model rebuilds the base around a larger woofer and two full-range drivers for spatial audio, and owners describe a clear step up in bass and clarity. The 3rd Gen's spatial-audio speakers were already well liked, so the gap is real but not night and day.
Which one to buy if
- you want the newest Wi-Fi and the larger screen
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) adds Wi-Fi 6E and an 8.7 inch 1340 x 800 panel over the 3rd Gen.
- you want a physical sliding camera shutter
Only the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) keeps the sliding lens cover; the 2025 model relies on an enable and disable button.
- you want routines that react to room temperature
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) has an ambient temperature sensor the 3rd Gen does not.
- you want proven hardware at the lower price
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) has the higher owner rating on far more reviews and typically costs less.
- you want the better-sounding display
The 2025 base uses a larger woofer and dual full-range drivers that owners rate above the previous generation.
Winner
$199.99
- + Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, 6 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth
- + Screen Size: 8.7"
- + Sensors: Motion, Temperature, Ambient Light
- - Price: $199.99 vs $149.99
- - Rating: 4.2 vs 4.5
$149.99
- + Price: $149.99
- + Rating: 4.5
- - Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth vs 2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, 6 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth
- - Screen Size: 8" vs 8.7"
What owners say
Owners of both generations agree on the essentials: a bright, responsive screen that is the right size for a kitchen or nightstand, a full Zigbee, Thread and Matter hub that recognizes devices instantly, and easy voice access to Ring, Blink and Arlo camera feeds. Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) owners single out the sharper, brighter panel, the clearly improved speaker and the snappier response, and their complaints are the screen being fixed to the base with no tilt, the loss of the sliding lens shutter, and a home screen that keeps pushing recipe and shopping prompts. Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) owners still praise sound they rate near a HomePod and the physical camera shutter, while many report that the forced Alexa+ app has degraded multi-room speaker groups, camera display and music preferences.
Upgrading from the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?
Moving up from the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) to the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) buys a slightly larger, sharper screen, Wi-Fi 6E, an ambient temperature sensor and a reworked speaker with more bass. What does not change is the hub: both are a Zigbee coordinator, a Thread border router and a Matter bridge, and both run Alexa with the same partial Home Assistant support. The 2025 model does drop the 3rd Gen's sliding camera shutter for an enable and disable button. If your 3rd Gen is doing its job, there is no rush; upgrade if you want the extra sensor, the newer Wi-Fi band or the better sound.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) or Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) wins on newer connectivity, a larger screen and a fuller sensor set including temperature. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) answers with the lower price, a narrowly higher owner rating and a physical sliding camera shutter.
What is the biggest difference between the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?
Connectivity and sensors. The 2025 model adds Wi-Fi 6E on the 6 GHz band and an ambient temperature sensor, while the 3rd Gen is limited to dual-band Wi-Fi and has no temperature sensor. The 2025 also sizes up the screen to 8.7 inches.
Does the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) have a camera shutter?
Yes, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) has a physical sliding lens shutter for privacy. The newer Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) drops it in favor of a microphone and camera enable and disable button plus software controls.
Do both work as a Zigbee, Thread and Matter hub?
Yes, identically. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) are both a Zigbee coordinator, a Thread border router and a Matter bridge, and both run Alexa with the same partial Home Assistant support.
Which one is cheaper, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) or the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is typically the less expensive of the two, since it is the older, more established model. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025) commands more for the newer screen, sensor and Wi-Fi hardware.
Who should buy the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?
Buyers who want a proven Alexa display at a lower price, value the physical sliding camera shutter, and do not need the 6 GHz band or the added temperature sensor.
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