Treat yourself to this Echo Show 8 deal, it’s 42% off at Amazon

That’s what the number 8 in the product name stands for – the display size. Color options are Charcoal and Glacier White, so you have to decide if you want something to blend in or stand out at your home. Both are great in our modest opinion.

The 8-inch display offers HD resolution (that’s 1280x800), but you won’t be pixel-peeping Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer frame by frame, would you? What’s more important is that this display offers touchscreen capabilities and adaptive color. Pair that with the stereo speakers and you’ll be ready to have some smart home fun.

This iteration of the Echo Show 8, the Gen 2, has one key advantage from the first Echo Show 8 Gen in terms of camera performance. The video calls are greatly aided by the updated 13 MP camera. For reference, the first version of the Echo Show 8 had… 1 MP camera (yes, one). There’s the option for auto-framing, which keeps you centered in the framing during video calls.

Smart home displays are not just another toy, they can be very useful assistants in our everyday tasks. For example, there are calendars and reminders present in the Echo Show 8, which are at your disposal at a glance. Or – home chefs will love this – one can get things done in the kitchen easier by effortlessly getting recipe ideas and cooking along with step-by-step instructions. The 8-inch display is more than enough for following a recipe from Jamie Oliver’s channel.

All of that can be achieved via voice commands: set timers, update lists, or see news or traffic updates. While you’re away, users can check on their home via the built-in camera, or control compatible smart home devices like cameras, lights, and more. One of the most common appliances of a smart home display like the Echo Show 8, is that of a digital photo frame – just load your favorite photos and let them change over time!