Amazon's Echo Show 5 drops to a new low of $35

Days after hosting a major hardware launch, Amazon is apparently having a sale on its older Echo devices. Among the deals, we noticed that both the Echo Show 5 and the larger Echo Show 8 have hit new record lows. The Echo Show 5, which went on sale last year for $85, is now down to $35, a 59 percent discount. The 8-inch model, meanwhile, is down to $70 after having debuted at $100.

Both devices, but especially the Echo Show 8, were designed to be used as a possible alarm clock, with a sunrise alarm feature that gently wakes you up by slowly brightening the display. And, as you might expect, both devices offer the same suite of Alexa voice commands and integration with Ring smart home devices. Where the two devices differ most, obviously, is in size — and what rooms of the house where they were meant to live. 

The Echo Show 5 is primarily pitched as a bedside device, and in our review last year we praised its surprisingly decent audio quality (beyond just the ability to scare you awake). With the Echo Show 8, you get a modest 2-megapixel camera and 960 x 480 display, which we praised in our review for its overall quality and in particular the video calling experience. You might use it in the bedroom, sure, but we can also see it working in the kitchen or living room.

In the case of both devices, we said in our review that competing devices from the likes of Google offered an easier-to-navigate user interface. That might still be true, but it might be even less of a dealbreaker at such bargain-basement prices.

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