Smart Displays / Amazon
Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)
The biggest screen in the category, at a pixel density a 2015 TV would be embarrassed by.
Overall score 6.3/10
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
Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) review: what the specs say
The biggest screen in the category, at a pixel density a 2015 TV would be embarrassed by. At $399.99, Amazon's 2024 model sits at the premium end of the category — the smart Displays we compare run from $79.99 to $399.99. It scores 6.3/10 overall, calculated from published specifications across 8 categories rather than from a subjective impression.
Its strongest showing is Smart Home Hub at 9.0/10 — zigbee, Matter and Thread border-router support — often the real reason to buy the bigger model. The weakest is Ad Freedom at 3.5/10, which is the trade-off to weigh before buying: if that is the specification you care about most, one of the alternatives below will serve you better.
Worth knowing before you buy: 1920 x 1080 stretched across 21 inches is about 105 ppi — pixels are visible up close; and same two woofers and two tweeters as the 15.6-inch model, in a much larger cabinet. Every specification on this page comes from Amazon's own documentation or a verified retail listing — where a figure is not published, the table says so rather than estimating it.
Specifications and price last verified . Report an error
Full Specifications
| 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 |
| Screen Size | 21 in |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Camera | 13 MP centred camera with auto-framing and 3.3x zoom |
| Physical Camera Shutter | Yes — physical shutter, plus a mic/camera off button |
| Speakers | 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 (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; 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 |
| Video Calling | Alexa calling and Drop In only |
| Wall Mountable | Yes |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E (tri-band), Bluetooth, Zigbee, Thread border router, Matter, Amazon Sidewalk |
| Material | Glass front in a slim black frame, 1.5 inches deep, 10.7 lb |
| Warranty | 12 months |
Compare Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) With
Cheaper Alternative
Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) — $299.99