Smart Displays / Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) vs Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025)
Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) vs Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025)
Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)
The biggest screen in the category, at a pixel density a 2015 TV would be embarrassed by.
Wins overall by 0.0 points
Quick Verdict
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) wins by 0.0 points, which is not enough to settle it. An Echo Show 8 with a bigger screen, a bigger price and the same missing shutter. Pick on the specs that matter to you, not the overall score.
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) and Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) are both closely matched smart Display models, and the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) is $180 cheaper than the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) ($219.99 vs $399.99). On Privacy Hardware, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) leads (6.5 vs 4.5/10) — physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default. On Display Quality, the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) leads (8.0 vs 7.0/10) — size, resolution and pixel density for the money. On Sound, the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) leads (7.5 vs 6.5/10) — whether it is honestly a music speaker or just a voice speaker with a screen. Overall, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) scores 6.3/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 6.3/10 for the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025), 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 21 (2024) | Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.99 | $219.99 |
| Release Year | 2024 | 2025 |
| 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) | 21✓ | 11.95 |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | Sources conflict: Amazon markets it as 'Full HD' and owners report 1920 x 1200, while TechRadar's review spec box lists 1280 x 800 |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | 13 MP centred camera with auto-framing and 3.3x zoom | 13 MP with auto-framing, 3.3x zoom and ambient noise reduction |
| Physical Camera Shutter | Yes — physical shutter, plus a mic/camera off button | NO physical shutter — TechRadar's review headline calls it out; only a software camera/mic disable button |
| Speakers | Two 2-inch woofers plus two 0.6-inch tweeters — identical to the 15.6-inch model | One 2.8-inch woofer plus two full-range drivers, front-firing, with spatial audio processing |
| 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) | Zigbee hub + Matter controller + Thread — same radio set as the Echo Show 8 (2025) |
| Subscriptions Required | Alexa+ requires Prime or $19.99/mo; every Fire TV streaming service is billed separately | Alexa+ requires Prime or $19.99/mo; Ring camera summaries need a Ring plan |
| 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 — nothing outside Amazon's own ecosystem |
| Wall Mountable | Yes | No |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black | Graphite, Glacier White |
Category Scores
Display Quality
The Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.0 — a 1.0-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 11 (2025) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 6.5 — a 1.0-point margin on whether it is honestly a music speaker or just a voice speaker with a screen. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Assistant
The Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.5 — a 0.5-point margin on how capable and responsive the built-in assistant actually is on this hardware. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Smart Home Hub
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.5 — a 0.5-point margin on zigbee, Matter and Thread border-router support — often the real reason to buy the bigger model. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ecosystem Freedom
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) and Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) 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 21 (2024) leads clearly here, 6.5 against 4.5 — a 2.0-point margin on physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ad Freedom
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) leads clearly here, 3.5 against 3.0 — a 0.5-point margin on how much of the screen you paid for the vendor sells back to you, and whether you can turn it off. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) 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 21 (2024) if…
- • Privacy Hardware matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) scores 6.5/10 here (physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default).
Choose the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) if…
- • Display Quality matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) scores 8.0/10 here (size, resolution and pixel density for the money).
- • Sound matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) scores 7.5/10 here (whether it is honestly a music speaker or just a voice speaker with a screen).
- • Value matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) scores 6.5/10 here (hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box).
- • Assistant matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) scores 8.0/10 here (how capable and responsive the built-in assistant actually is on this hardware).
- • You want to spend less — it's $180 cheaper.
Pros & Cons
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
Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025)
Pros
- +Biggest, brightest tabletop screen Amazon sells — genuinely readable across a kitchen
- +Same Zigbee + Thread + Matter hub as the Show 8, so nothing is held back
- +Fixed screen is more reliable than the motorised Echo Show 10 it replaces
- +13 MP camera panning and zoom make it a credible indoor camera when you are out
Cons
- −$40 more than the Echo Show 8 for a bigger panel and effectively identical internals
- −No physical camera shutter, on a device with a camera that actively tracks people
- −Buyer reviews repeatedly single out full-screen sponsored content that cannot be disabled
- −Amazon does not publish a resolution figure and third-party sources disagree
- −Alexa+ still requires Prime or $19.99/mo despite the $219.99 hardware price
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) or Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (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 Privacy Hardware, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) or the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) scores higher on Privacy Hardware (6.5/10 vs 4.5/10) — physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default.
Which is better for Display Quality, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) or the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) scores higher on Display Quality (8.0/10 vs 7.0/10) — size, resolution and pixel density for the money.
Which is better for Sound, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) or the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) scores higher on Sound (7.5/10 vs 6.5/10) — whether it is honestly a music speaker or just a voice speaker with a screen.
Which is better for Value, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) or the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) 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.
Is the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) worth the price difference over the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) is the cheaper option at $219.99 versus $399.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Privacy Hardware.
What's the warranty on the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) vs the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) ships with a 12-month warranty; the Amazon Echo Show 11 (2025) 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 8 (4th Gen, 2025) — $179.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.