Amazon Echo Show 11 review

Amazon Echo Show 11: Introduction

Rather than being a radically different product with more power and features than its smaller sibling, the Echo Show 11 is simply the Echo Show 8 (4).^th Generation) with a large display.

That makes it more expensive and not much else. If you really want the big screen there’s a lot to like, but the smaller version is a better value.

Design and components

The Echo Show 11 is the biggest smart desktop from Amazon since the Echo Show 10 came out in 2021. Jump forward to now, and the new big screen smart display is a very different product.

The Echo Show 10 had a fancy car stand that allowed the screen to swivel to face you. I was a fan, but all that extra technology added to the price and most people could live without them.

So, we have the Echo Show 11, which is a high-end product with a fixed base. In addition, the base is similar to the shape of the latest Echo Show 8. This makes sense for Amazon, as it only needs to produce one basis for the two products, with the same color choice and the same power input.

The only difference between the two devices is the screen, with the 11-inch model having a larger, higher resolution display. It’s a good-looking product, with a thin screen that hangs from the base, giving the impression that it’s floating.

This smart display is a more thoughtfully designed product, than the older Echo Show wedge-shaped displays.

I would prefer a tiltable screen, rather than a fixed display; if you want to fix the display, you have to buy an optional stand.

On the back of the device is the power input, which is the only port you get on this device.

The visual controls are on the side of the screen and give you a volume and mute button that also turns off the camera. Like the Echo Show 8, there’s no longer a camera slider blocking the webcam. I think that’s a shame. While the mute button might mute the camera and microphone, the slider was a little reassuring.

Features

The Amazon Echo Show 11 uses the same internals as the Echo Show 8, with an AZ3 processor with AI Accelerator built in for Alexa+. That’s great if you’re in a country with Alexa+, but in the UK there’s no option to use the GenAI assistant, so I couldn’t test the functionality.

What I can say is that the Echo Show 11 responds well to Alexa requests, picking up even soft whispers in a noisy room. Then again, Alexa does what it does on any other device, which means the results are a little mixed.

With regular chat and smart home control, Alexa works well and responds to many requests. Service errors are in the details if you need external information. For example, Alexa’s database of local restaurants isn’t as up-to-date as Google Maps.

With a Full HD screen, the Echo Show 11’s display is a little sharper than the one on the Echo Show 8. You don’t get more information, but the display and widgets are larger and easier to see.

By default, the screen displays a slideshow using your photos or Amazon’s selections. You can also display news articles and recipe ideas. Adjust the settings to hide any sections you don’t want.

Visual ID is integrated into the Amazon Echo Show 11, using the camera to recognize people standing in front of the device. This allows the smart display to display personal information, such as personalized calendar information, which is great for homes with multiple users.

In my opinion, the Echo Show 11 offers the best Alexa experience by combining voice interaction with visual output. For example, if you ask about today’s weather, the display shows the current conditions and allows me to swipe through the screens to get more information, including hourly forecasts.

When controlling smart devices like thermostats or lights, the interface offers simple on-screen controls. I can, for example, adjust the brightness of the light with a slider.

Voice commands are not always necessary; The smart home category allows direct control of connected devices, although controls can sometimes be more useful than you might think. For example, I can change the brightness of all the lights in my office at once, but adjusting the color or temperature must be done individually for each light.

Cameras can be streamed live on a smart display, and ring owners get the benefit of icons for all their cameras, making it easy to see what’s going on, and doorbells can be answered without a smart phone.

Widgets can be added to the home screen for quick access to information, such as upcoming calendar appointments or the latest songs playing on Spotify. The main problem is that there aren’t that many widgets to choose from and some aren’t as useful as they might first appear.

A good example is the smart home widget. This removes the devices from your favorites list, which is the entire world in your home. I would like to be able to choose which devices to display. For example, I’d like the Echo Show in my office to have my lights and smart plugs there; in the kitchen, I would like the widget to show the kitchen lights.

The device is a comprehensive smart home hub, with Zigbee, Thread, and full Matter support. Omnisense is also built in, using both a camera and aerial sensors to accurately locate the occupants within the room. This capability is very efficient, allowing routes to be triggered for presence or absence with more precision than using a simple motion sensor.

This display 11 also has flexible content with Omnisense: when viewed from a distance, the device shows a slideshow, while when approaching the screen is changed to show interactive widgets instead.

Video streaming is supported with dedicated apps for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Disney+ and YouTube are only accessible through the integrated web browser, which may give you a seamless experience. The Echo Show 15 is better as it has a full Fire TV platform.

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Audio and video quality

There’s a 2.8-inch woofer and two full-range drivers inside the base, so the sound performance here is exactly the same as the Echo Show 8. Sound performance is generally very good.

OK Go’s bass-heavy This Too Shall Pass is delivered with just enough punch to bring out the drums with enough power.

Stereo separation is limited due to the proximity of the drivers, but the speakers still handle stereo tracks well and give a sense of movement, such as on Foo Fighters’ Enough Space, with its swinging guitar intro.

The main screen has a higher resolution of 1080p, compared to the Echo Show 8, so the video is sharper, although there is no HDR yet. I found that the brightness and uniformity of the picture was good, although the blacks appeared a little gray. In movies and TV, sound is always clear and impactful, effectively conveying action scenes.

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Overall, I wouldn’t bother watching a lot of content on this screen, bar instruction or cooking videos.

The built-in 13MP web camera has automatic tracking and framing for good image quality, but is more useful for video calls between Echo Show devices. If you’re using this feature, great, but I suspect most people haven’t made video calls with the Echo Show; I don’t want to.

Final thoughts

With the Amazon Echo Show 11 you pay more for a bigger screen with higher resolution. The main features and audio performance are the same as those of the Echo Show 8, which is a better value. If you want a big screen, you’ll love this smart display, but the smaller version is better for most people.

How do we test

When we publish our reviews, you can be sure that they are the result of “life” and long-term testing.

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