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Voice Assistants · Head to head

Amazon Echo Show 21 vs Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

Full Voice Assistants comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon.
2026 verdict
How big should an Echo Show be? The Amazon Echo Show 21 beats the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) with a 21-inch Full HD screen, Wi-Fi 6E and wall mounting.
Amazon Echo Show 21
Winner
Amazon Echo Show 21
$349.99$499.9930% OFF
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is the far more affordable countertop model, and its owners rate its spatial audio highly, where owners of the bigger screen find its speakers weak for the size. Both have a camera with an off switch, a motion sensor, a one year warranty and the same Zigbee, Thread and Matter hub. Choose the Amazon Echo Show 21 as a wall-mounted family TV and calendar, and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) for a kitchen counter or nightstand.
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FeatureAmazon Echo Show 21Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)Winner
Price$349.99$149.99Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Connectivity2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, 6 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, BluetoothAmazon Echo Show 21
Screen Size21"8"Amazon Echo Show 21
Rating4.44.4Tie
Warranty1 year1 yearTie
IntegrationsAlexa, Home AssistantAlexa, Home AssistantTie
HubZigbee Coordinator, Thread Border Router, Matter BridgeZigbee Coordinator, Thread Border Router, Matter BridgeTie
ScreenYESYESTie
SensorsMotion, Ambient LightMotion, Ambient LightTie
AlertsGlass breaking, Smoke/CO alarmGlass breaking, Smoke/CO alarmTie
Voice MatchYESYESTie

What the differences mean

Screen

21 inches at 1920 x 1080 against 8 inches at 1280 x 800. The Amazon Echo Show 21 is a TV for the room; the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is read from arm's length.

Mounting

The Amazon Echo Show 21 is built for the wall and weighs about 4.8 kg; the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) weighs 1 kg, sits on a counter and has no wall mount.

Wi-Fi

Only the Amazon Echo Show 21 supports 6 GHz Wi-Fi, which helps on a busy network with a compatible router and changes nothing otherwise.

Sound

No speaker spec separates them, but owners do: those of the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) praise its spatial audio, while owners of the Amazon Echo Show 21 find its speakers weak for the screen size.

Which one to buy if

  • you want a TV and family calendar on the kitchen wall
    Amazon Echo Show 21

    A 21-inch Full HD screen with Fire TV, designed to hang.

  • it goes on a counter or nightstand
    Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

    An 8-inch display that fits where a 540 mm wide panel does not.

  • music from the display matters
    Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

    Its owners praise the spatial audio; Show 21 owners find its speakers weak.

  • you want the same hub for less
    Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

    Both are Zigbee, Thread and Matter hubs, and the Show 8 is far more affordable.

What owners say

Owners of both praise a sharp screen and an easy setup, and both groups mention software friction. Amazon Echo Show 21 owners use built-in Fire TV to turn it into a kitchen TV and read it from across the room; they complain the speakers feel underwhelming for its size, non-Alexa calendars sync poorly and the Alexa+ rollout is rough. Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) owners single out spatial audio that is a big step up from earlier Echos and viewing Ring or Blink feeds; they dislike a home screen that keeps cycling suggestions and ads and quirks like audio going to the wrong speaker.

Upgrading from the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?

Moving from the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) to the Amazon Echo Show 21 buys a much larger screen, 21 inches at Full HD instead of 8 inches at 1280 x 800, plus Wi-Fi 6E and wall mounting. The camera and its off switch, the motion sensor, the Zigbee, Thread and Matter hub and the one year warranty stay the same, and owners suggest the sound does not scale with the screen. If your Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) works where it sits, the upgrade only makes sense to put a TV on the wall.

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 Show 21
  • Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

Loading price history...

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Amazon Echo Show 21 or Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?

The Amazon Echo Show 21 on features, with a 21-inch Full HD screen, Wi-Fi 6E and wall mounting. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) does the same smart home and video call jobs in a smaller, far more affordable countertop display.

What is the difference between the Amazon Echo Show 21 and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?

Size and placement. The Amazon Echo Show 21 is a 21-inch wall-mounted Full HD panel; the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is an 8-inch countertop display. Both have a camera, a motion sensor and a Zigbee, Thread and Matter hub.

Do the Amazon Echo Show 21 and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) have the same smart home hub?

Yes. The Amazon Echo Show 21 and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) are both Zigbee coordinators, Thread border routers and Matter bridges.

Can the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) be mounted on a wall?

Not according to its spec sheet. The Amazon Echo Show 21 supports wall mounting; the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) does not.

Who should buy the Amazon Echo Show 21?

Alexa households that want one large wall screen for streaming TV and a shared family calendar.

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

Alexa users who want a kitchen or bedside display with good sound, video calls and camera feeds.

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