Smart Displays / Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) vs Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)
Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) vs Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)
Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024)
A wall-mounted Fire TV that still has a camera shutter — but the stand costs $99.99 extra.
Wins overall by 0.1 points
Quick Verdict
This is close. The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) edges ahead by 0.1 points, but that margin is inside the noise — the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) is a defensible pick on its own terms. The biggest screen in the category, at a pixel density a 2015 TV would be embarrassed by.
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) and Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) are both current-generation smart Display models, and the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) is $100 cheaper than the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) ($299.99 vs $399.99). On Value, the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) leads (6.5 vs 5.5/10) — hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box. On Display Quality, the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) leads (7.5 vs 7.0/10) — size, resolution and pixel density for the money. On Sound, the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) leads (6.5 vs 6.5/10) — whether it is honestly a music speaker or just a voice speaker with a screen. Overall, the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) scores 6.4/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 6.3/10 for the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024), though the gap is close enough that your specific use case should decide it. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) | Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.99 | $399.99 |
| Release Year | 2024 | 2024 |
| Voice Assistant | Alexa+ — Amazon's own FAQ states there is no free Alexa+ tier on Echo hardware: it needs Prime or a $19.99/mo Standard plan | Alexa+ — Amazon's own FAQ states there is no free Alexa+ tier on Echo hardware: it needs Prime or a $19.99/mo Standard plan |
| Screen Size (in) | 15.6 | 21✓ |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | 13 MP centred camera with auto-framing and 3.3x zoom | 13 MP centred camera with auto-framing and 3.3x zoom |
| Physical Camera Shutter | Yes — physical shutter retained on this model, plus a mic/camera off button | Yes — physical shutter, plus a mic/camera off button |
| Speakers | Two 2-inch woofers plus two 0.6-inch tweeters | Two 2-inch woofers plus two 0.6-inch tweeters — identical to the 15.6-inch model |
| Smart Home Hub Radios | Zigbee hub + Matter controller + Thread border router | Zigbee hub + Matter controller + Thread border router (Amazon's own tech specs; one third-party FAQ claims Matter over Wi-Fi only, which contradicts Amazon and the launch press release) |
| Subscriptions Required | Alexa+ requires Prime or $19.99/mo; Fire TV streaming apps each need their own subscription; Prime Photos full-resolution storage requires Prime | Alexa+ requires Prime or $19.99/mo; every Fire TV streaming service is billed separately |
| Home-Screen Ads | Sponsored cards appear on the home screen; Amazon's own help page says these ads cannot be turned off, only swiped away | Sponsored cards appear on the home screen; Amazon's own help page says these ads cannot be turned off, only swiped away |
| Video Calling | Alexa calling and Drop In only | Alexa calling and Drop In only |
| Wall Mountable | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black | Black |
Category Scores
Display Quality
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 7.0 — a 0.5-point margin on size, resolution and pixel density for the money. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Sound
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) and Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) are level here, at 6.5/10 each. whether it is honestly a music speaker or just a voice speaker with a screen is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Assistant
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) and Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) are level here, at 7.5/10 each. how capable and responsive the built-in assistant actually is on this hardware is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Smart Home Hub
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) and Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) are level here, at 9.0/10 each. zigbee, Matter and Thread border-router support — often the real reason to buy the bigger model is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Ecosystem Freedom
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) and Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) are level here, at 4.5/10 each. how much of a rival ecosystem's gear, apps and calling networks it will still talk to is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Privacy Hardware
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) and Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) are level here, at 6.5/10 each. physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Ad Freedom
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) and Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) are level here, at 3.5/10 each. how much of the screen you paid for the vendor sells back to you, and whether you can turn it off is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Value
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) leads clearly here, 6.5 against 5.5 — a 1.0-point margin on hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) if…
- • Value matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) scores 6.5/10 here (hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box).
- • Display Quality matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) scores 7.5/10 here (size, resolution and pixel density for the money).
- • You want to spend less — it's $100 cheaper.
Choose the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) if…
- • Your main use case is smart-home-control.
Pros & Cons
Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024)
Pros
- +Keeps the physical camera shutter that the newer Show 8 and 11 lost
- +Full Fire TV plus a remote makes it a real kitchen television, not a widget board
- +Zigbee, Thread border router and Matter — a complete hub, mounted on the wall
- +Wi-Fi 6E and the 2024 processor make it far snappier than the 1st-gen Show 15
Cons
- −The counter stand is a $99.99 accessory — out of the box this is a wall-mount-only device that needs a drill
- −Decorative frames are another $34.99 if you do not want the bare black bezel
- −Still 1080p across 15.6 inches, which owners and reviewers both flag
- −Sponsored home-screen content cannot be disabled
- −Runs the older AZ2-class silicon, not the AZ3 Pro in the 2025 Show 8 and 11
Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)
Pros
- +Nothing else in the category comes close to 21 inches on a kitchen wall
- +Keeps the physical camera shutter, unlike the newer Show 8 and 11
- +Complete hub: Zigbee, Thread border router and Matter
- +Wall mount and Fire TV remote are both in the box
Cons
- −1920 x 1080 stretched across 21 inches is about 105 ppi — pixels are visible up close
- −Same two woofers and two tweeters as the 15.6-inch model, in a much larger cabinet
- −$399.99 buys a 1080p panel; a same-sized 1080p TV plus a Fire TV Stick costs far less
- −Counter stand $99.99 and frame kit $39.99 are both extra
- −Sponsored home-screen content cannot be disabled, on the biggest screen Amazon sells
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) or Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Value, the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) or the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) scores higher on Value (6.5/10 vs 5.5/10) — hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box.
Which is better for Display Quality, the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) or the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) scores higher on Display Quality (7.5/10 vs 7.0/10) — size, resolution and pixel density for the money.
Which is better for Sound, the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) or the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) scores higher on Sound (6.5/10 vs 6.5/10) — whether it is honestly a music speaker or just a voice speaker with a screen.
Which is better for Assistant, the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) or the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) scores higher on Assistant (7.5/10 vs 7.5/10) — how capable and responsive the built-in assistant actually is on this hardware.
Is the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) worth the price difference over the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) is the cheaper option at $299.99 versus $399.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Value.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) is the better fit if you mainly care about kitchen or family-organizer. The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) is the better fit for smart-home-control.
What's the warranty on the Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) vs the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) ships with a 12-month warranty; the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) — $299.99
Premium Option
Google Pixel Tablet (128 GB, dock sold separately) — $399.00
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.