New Echo Show 21 supersizes Alexa
Alexa is bigger than ever before, thanks to Amazon taking the covers off of a refreshed Echo 15 and, more significantly a brand new model for the smart display range… the Echo Show 21.
Starting with the Echo Show 21, and it boasts a 21-inch, Full HD 1080p display, and is by far the most substantial Echo Show yet, boasting nearly double the viewing area of the previous Echo Show 15.
Priced at $399.99 Stateside, £399.99 in the UK, the Echo Show 21 doesn’t come cheap but promises improved sound quality with richer audio, double the bass of the original Show 15, and room-adapting technology.
Those improvements are also present and correct on the 2nd-gen Echo Show 15 ($299 / £299) and additionally, they both feature an upgraded auto-framing camera with 65% more zoom and a wider field of view, which enhances video calls, even when you’re moving around the room.
Noise reduction has also been improved, hopefully meaning clearer conversations, no matter how loud your kids are shouting in the background.
Both models come with built-in smart home hub capabilities, acting as Matter controllers, with Thread border routing skills, and Zigbee support too – putting them on a par with the Echo Hub and the latest Echo Show 8.
They’re also the first Echo devices equipped with Wi-Fi 6E, which should mean smoother, faster streaming for both video and music through the Fire TV integration – which is patchy as heck on the 1st-gen Echo Show 15.
The new Echo Show big boys both ship with an Alexa Voice Remote control for Fire TV, which you switch to from the regular widget-led homescreen.
That homescreen offers a pretty nifty touchscreen experience with customizable widgets that allow easy access to calendars, shopping lists, to-dos, smart home device favorites and more.
There’s a refreshed audio widget for managing music and podcasts, along with the ability to play content across multiple speakers at once.
The Echo Show 21 and Echo Show 15 are available now, both shipping with the Alexa Voice Remote.
A countertop stand can also be purchased to make the Show 21 look like a little TV.
We’ll be reviewing both as soon as we can, so stay tuned for those verdicts.
