Smart Displays / Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) vs Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)
Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) vs Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)
Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)
The cheapest real Echo Show — and the cheapest one that still has a camera shutter.
Wins overall by 0.2 points
Quick Verdict
Too close to call on score alone: 0.2 points separate them. The cheapest real Echo Show — and the cheapest one that still has a camera shutter. The Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) answers with a different set of strengths, so let the categories below decide it.
The Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are both closely matched smart Display models, and the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) is $10 cheaper than the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) ($79.99 vs $89.99). On Display Quality, the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) leads (4.5 vs 3.0/10) — size, resolution and pixel density for the money. On Privacy Hardware, the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) leads (8.5 vs 8.0/10) — physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default. On Value, the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) leads (7.5 vs 7.0/10) — hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box. Overall, the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores 5.4/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.2/10 for the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release), 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 Spot (2024 release) | Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $89.99 |
| Release Year | 2024 | 2023 |
| 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) | 2.83 | 5.5✓ |
| Resolution | 240 x 320 | 960 x 480 |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No camera | 2 MP fixed front camera |
| Physical Camera Shutter | No camera fitted, so no shutter; a physical microphone-off button is the only hardware privacy control | Yes — physical sliding shutter, plus a combined mic/camera off button |
| Speakers | One 1.73-inch full-range front-firing driver (mono) — the same driver size as the $49.99 Echo Dot | One 1.75-inch full-range driver (mono) |
| Smart Home Hub Radios | Matter over Wi-Fi only — no Zigbee radio and NOT a Thread border router | Matter over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE Mesh only — no Zigbee radio and NOT a Thread border router |
| Subscriptions Required | Alexa+ requires Prime or $19.99/mo; music beyond the ad-supported Amazon Music tier needs its own subscription | Alexa+ requires Prime or $19.99/mo; Amazon Music Unlimited / Spotify etc. 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 | None — audio-only Alexa calling, Drop In and announcements | Alexa-to-Alexa calling and Drop In only; Skype support died with Skype itself in May 2025 |
| Wall Mountable | No | No |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black, Glacier White, Ocean Blue | Charcoal, Glacier White, Cloud Blue |
Category Scores
Display Quality
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) leads clearly here, 4.5 against 3.0 — a 1.5-point margin on size, resolution and pixel density for the money. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Sound
The Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are level here, at 5.0/10 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 Spot (2024 release) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are level here, at 7.0/10 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 Spot (2024 release) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are level here, at 3.0/10 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 Spot (2024 release) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are level here, at 4.0/10 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 Spot (2024 release) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 8.0 — a 0.5-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 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ad Freedom
The Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are level here, at 4.0/10 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 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 7.0 — a 0.5-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 Spot (2024 release) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) if…
- • Privacy Hardware matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) scores 8.5/10 here (physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default).
- • You want to spend less — it's $10 cheaper.
Choose the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) if…
- • Display Quality matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores 4.5/10 here (size, resolution and pixel density for the money).
- • Value matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores 7.5/10 here (hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box).
- • Your main use case is kitchen.
Pros & Cons
Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release)
Pros
- +The only Alexa display with no camera in it at all — the honest answer for a bedroom
- +240 x 320 half-circle screen is dim enough at night not to light the room
- +Cheapest way into a screen-equipped Echo at $79.99
- +Physical mic-off button, and nothing to un-shutter
Cons
- −Matter over Wi-Fi only — no Zigbee and no Thread border router, so it hubs almost nothing
- −One 1.73-inch driver: this is a voice speaker with a clock on it, not a music speaker
- −240 x 320 is too coarse for recipes, video or camera feeds
- −Sponsored content on the clock face cannot be disabled, per Amazon's own help documentation
- −Alexa+ — the whole reason the 2026 Echo line exists — costs Prime or $19.99/mo on this hardware
Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)
Pros
- +Keeps the physical camera shutter that the 2025 Echo Show 8 and 11 dropped
- +$89.99 buys a real touchscreen, a camera and a clock radio
- +Small enough for a nightstand, unlike every Echo Show above it
- +Genuinely better bass than the 2nd-gen Show 5 it replaced
Cons
- −No Zigbee and no Thread border router — the cheap Shows are not smart-home hubs
- −960 x 480 across 5.5 inches looks soft next to the 2025 models
- −Three-year-old hardware still sold at near-launch price outside sale events
- −2 MP fixed camera has no auto-framing; video calls are Alexa-ecosystem-only
- −Sponsored home-screen content cannot be switched off
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) or Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) 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 Display Quality, the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores higher on Display Quality (4.5/10 vs 3.0/10) — size, resolution and pixel density for the money.
Which is better for Privacy Hardware, the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) scores higher on Privacy Hardware (8.5/10 vs 8.0/10) — physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default.
Which is better for Value, the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores higher on Value (7.5/10 vs 7.0/10) — hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box.
Which is better for Sound, the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) scores higher on Sound (5.0/10 vs 5.0/10) — whether it is honestly a music speaker or just a voice speaker with a screen.
Is the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) worth the price difference over the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) is the cheaper option at $79.99 versus $89.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Display Quality.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) is the better fit if you mainly care about bedside or smart-home-control. The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) is the better fit for kitchen.
What's the warranty on the Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) vs the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Spot (2024 release) ships with a 12-month warranty; the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) 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.
Premium Option
Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) — $99.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.