Voice Assistants · Head to head

Amazon Echo (4th Gen) vs Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

Full Voice Assistants comparison in 2026

Data from Amazon.
2026 verdict
On a shelf where music and voice control matter more than a screen, the Amazon Echo (4th Gen) is the better Alexa speaker of these two, for less money and with a built-in temperature sensor.
Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
Winner
Amazon Echo (4th Gen)

Last recorded priceSep 23, 2026$99.99

Currently unavailable on Amazon USA
See on Amazon USA
It is the better rated of the pair, adds a 3.5 mm line in or out and physical play and pause buttons, and comes in three colours. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is a different kind of device: an 8 inch, 1280 x 800 touchscreen with a camera and a camera off switch, for video calls, recipes and Ring or Blink feeds, with a 1 year warranty against 90 days. Both are Zigbee coordinators, Thread border routers and Matter bridges, both have a motion sensor, Voice Match and a mic off switch, and neither works with Google Home, Apple Home or SmartThings. Pick the Amazon Echo (4th Gen) as a speaker and hub, and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) when you want to see things.
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FeatureAmazon Echo (4th Gen)Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)Winner
Rating4.74.4Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
Warranty90 days1 yearAmazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
ScreenNOYESAmazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Connectivity2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, BluetoothTie
IntegrationsAlexa, Home AssistantAlexa, Home AssistantTie
HubZigbee Coordinator, Thread Border Router, Matter BridgeZigbee Coordinator, Thread Border Router, Matter BridgeTie
SensorsMotion, TemperatureMotion, Ambient LightTie
AlertsGlass breaking, Smoke/CO alarmGlass breaking, Smoke/CO alarmTie
Voice MatchYESYESTie

What the differences mean

Screen and camera

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) has an 8 inch 1280 x 800 touchscreen and a camera with a camera off switch, so it handles video calls, recipes and camera feeds. The Amazon Echo (4th Gen) has neither: everything is voice or the Alexa app.

Temperature sensor

The Amazon Echo (4th Gen) has a built-in temperature sensor, so an Alexa routine can turn on a fan when the room warms up without any extra device. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) has no temperature sensor. Both have a motion sensor.

Audio connections and buttons

The Amazon Echo (4th Gen) has a 3.5 mm line in or out for an external speaker or source, and physical play and pause buttons next to volume. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) has volume buttons only and no 3.5 mm jack.

Warranty

Amazon covers the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) for 1 year and the Amazon Echo (4th Gen) for 90 days. For a device with a screen that you expect to use daily, the longer cover is a real point in its favour.

Which one to buy if

What owners say

Owners of both Echo devices praise a fuller sound than the Echo Dots and older models they came from, a setup that takes moments in the Alexa app and a built-in smart home hub that saves buying separate hardware. Amazon Echo (4th Gen) owners single out the spherical design, adjustable bass and treble and pairing two units in stereo, and their most common complaint is a wake word that is missed while music plays. Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) owners like the sharp 8 inch screen and checking Ring or Blink cameras at a glance, and they dislike a home screen that cycles through suggestions and ads, plus occasional bugs such as audio routed to the wrong speaker.

Price history compared

Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.

  • Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
  • Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: Amazon Echo (4th Gen) or Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?

The Amazon Echo (4th Gen) as a speaker and smart home hub: it costs less, is better rated and adds a temperature sensor and a 3.5 mm jack. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is the better device if you want a screen and a camera.

Echo Show 8 vs Echo: what is the difference?

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is a smart display with an 8 inch touchscreen and a camera, while the Amazon Echo (4th Gen) is a speaker with no screen. The Echo adds a temperature sensor, a 3.5 mm line in or out and play and pause buttons.

Can both work as a smart home hub?

Yes. The Amazon Echo (4th Gen) and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) are both Zigbee coordinators, Thread border routers and Matter bridges, so either can run Zigbee and Matter devices without a separate hub.

Do the Amazon Echo (4th Gen) and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) work with Google Home or Apple Home?

No. Both work within Alexa only, with no Google Home, Apple Home or SmartThings support, and their Home Assistant integration is partial. Glass break and smoke or CO alarm detection need a subscription on both.

Who should buy the Amazon Echo (4th Gen)?

Anyone who wants an Alexa speaker for music and routines, a Zigbee and Thread hub for the smart home and a built-in temperature sensor, and does not need a screen.

Who should buy the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?

Kitchens and bedrooms where a screen helps: video calls, recipes, a clock and photos, and checking Ring or Blink cameras, with a camera off switch for privacy.

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