What is the Difference Between the Echo Show 10 2nd Generation and 3rd Generation?
When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The Echo Show 10 is Amazon’s latest smart display technology, with various features that take advantage of the device’s screen, camera, and speakers. However, with the later release of the Echo Show 10 3rd generation, you may be wondering what the true difference is between this iteration and the previous one.
The first and most immediate difference between the Echo Show 10 (2nd gen) and the Echo Show 10 (3rd gen) is completely aesthetic. Amazon’s 3rd Gen Echo Show 10 went with a 360°, swiveling screen, whereas the 2nd Gen remains the large and boxy predecessor.
You have to dig a little deeper for the other differences but not by much. The Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) is an upgrade in almost every conceivable way. From the processor to the nifty, follow-you-around screen, there’s no disguising the fact that it is the superior design. Read on to learn more.
Echo Show 10 2nd Generation vs. Echo Show 10 3rd Generation
Looking at the two devices, standing side-by-side, there’s little beyond the obvious, physical differences to tell them apart. In operation, however, Amazon’s 3rd generation offering sheds the nascent curtain and puts on a show (pun intended).
| Echo Show 10 (2nd Gen) | Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) | |
| Pricing | No longer sold | $249.99 |
| Camera | 5MP | 13MP |
| Processor | Intel Atom x5-Z8350 | MediaTek 8183 + AZ1 Neural Edge Chip |
| Speakers | Two 2” drivers with passive bass radiator | Two 1” tweeters with one 3” subwoofer |
| Aesthetic | Boxy, tapered back | Cylinder body speaker with attached, rotating screen |
| Security | Guard mode | Guard mode + Look Around |
| Colors | Charcoal and Sandstone | Charcoal and Glacier White |
Nearly every aspect of the 3rd generation Echo Show 10 is a leap forward in design innovation and technology. Amazon was clearly going for something far more attractive than what amounts to a boxy streaming set on your kitchen counter.
While the improved processor in the Echo Show 10 (3rd gen) sounds like it has created a great gulf between itself and the last generation, there’s really not much of a separation. The difference is the proprietary chip, AZ1 Neural Edge.
This chip is what gives the 3rd generation the ability to spot your approach and keep its screen facing you at all times. Not only does this trip run the motion tracking automations, but it also provides the spatial audio component of the gen 3.
The forward-facing camera is a massive upgrade as well, on par with industry leaders in smartphone cameras. It’s arguably the greatest leap in technological improvements between the two generations.
Echo Show 10 Speakers
One thing that can always be said about Amazon Echo devices is that they strive to provide a great sound experience. They may not top some of the leading brands in the audio market, and they may not impress all of the audiophiles out there, but the sound quality is usually solid. So while the Echo Show 10 (2nd gen) provides great audio, it takes another step backward in the face of its successor.
The two larger drivers in the 2nd gen would make you think that they are superior to the two one-inch tweeters in the 3rd gen. However, the difference is in how each was designed.
Both drivers in the 2nd gen Echo Show 10 are backward firing, while the two one-inch tweeters on the 3rd gen are forward-firing. However, the primary difference is the 3rd gen’s spatial and dynamic audio capabilities.
Not only is the sound directed at you, but it also uses the environment to propel sound around you, creating the spatial component. Some have argued that the 3rd generation Echo Show 10 is on par with the Echo Studio, and that’s quite the claim.
Echo Show 10 Security Features
This probably wasn’t a section you expected to cover when talking about Echo devices rather than smart cameras. However, the Echo Show 10 (3rd gen) has a unique feature that’s worth mentioning:
- Swipe down on the Echo Show 10 (3rd gen) screen.
- Select Settings.
- Select Camera.
- Select Turn on Home Monitoring.
You have now turned your Echo Show 10 into a home security system, with a 13MP camera for viewing 360° inside your home, a feature that 2nd gen simply can’t do. With the feature on, you can check on your home anytime with the Alexa app (Android and iOS).
You can also add another layer of security with the Alexa Guard Plus Plan (free one-month trial). With the plan, added features such as listening for dog barks, shattering glass, and smoke alarms are added, along with smart notification alerts.
You can utilize Guard Mode on the previous generation, and it will listen for things such as glass breaking before it alerts your phone that something is wrong.
All Things Considered
The Echo Show 10 (2nd gen) was a solid device, and it brought many new things to the Echo Show lineup. However, its successor is the likely future for Amazon, at least where its premium devices are concerned, and judging by the third-gen, that future looks exciting.
