The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd generation) arrived in the UK in 2023 as Amazon's mid-range smart display — bigger than the Echo Show 5, smaller than the Echo Show 10, and priced at around £139.99 at launch. It targets anyone who wants a capable smart home hub and video-calling screen without paying premium prices. After living with one on a kitchen counter, here is a thorough verdict for UK buyers.
Design and Build Quality
Clean lines, solid weight. The Echo Show 8 (3rd gen) has a matte plastic body available in Charcoal or Glacier White. The 8-inch, 1280×800 HD display is vivid enough for recipe cards, video calls, and streaming from Prime Video or BBC iPlayer. Viewing angles are good; you can glance at it from most positions in a kitchen without colour distortion. At roughly 200mm wide, it sits neatly on a worktop without dominating the space. There is a physical camera shutter and dedicated mute button on top — a reassuring touch for privacy-conscious UK households.
Camera: Auto-Framing and Video Calls
13MP with smart follow. The upgraded 13-megapixel wide-angle camera supports auto-framing, which means the view pans and zooms to keep you centred during Alexa video calls, even when you move around the kitchen. This works noticeably better than the older 2MP camera on the 2nd-generation model. Calls to other Echo devices, the Alexa app, or Skype contacts are clear, with decent noise suppression. Video-calling quality is not at the level of a dedicated tablet, but for quick family catch-ups it is well above average for a smart display.
Audio Quality
Spatial audio via two tweeters and a woofer. The Echo Show 8 (3rd gen) uses a three-driver system with stereo tweeters and a rear-firing woofer that Amazon calls spatial audio processing. The result is noticeably fuller bass and wider stereo separation compared with the 2nd-gen model. It is good enough for background music and podcast listening in a medium-sized kitchen. Audiophiles will still prefer a dedicated speaker like the Sonos One, but for an all-in-one device the sound is impressive at this price point. For a wider comparison, see our best multiroom speakers guide.
Smart Home Hub: Zigbee and Matter
Built-in Zigbee hub and Matter support. One of the Echo Show 8's most practical features for UK smart home users is the integrated Zigbee radio, which lets it directly pair with compatible bulbs, plugs, and sensors without a separate bridge. It also supports the Matter smart home standard, meaning it can act as a Thread border router and control an expanding ecosystem of interoperable devices from different brands. If you are building a Zigbee-based setup — Philips Hue, IKEA TRÅDFRI, SONOFF — the Echo Show 8 can act as the hub, reducing the number of devices plugged into your router. This also makes it a practical companion to platforms like Home Assistant, which can integrate with Alexa-connected devices.
For a deeper look at how the Echo Show compares to Google's alternative, read our Amazon Echo vs Google Nest UK comparison.
Alexa: Smart Routines and Daily Use
Capable voice assistant with UK-relevant skills. Alexa handles timers, reminders, shopping lists, BBC Radio live streams, and smart home control well. The visual interface adds value — you can see a camera feed from a Ring doorbell, check your calendar, or browse recipes with step-by-step overlays. UK-specific features like BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub (ITVX), and BT Sport app support are available. Alexa's proactive suggestions (showing weather, news, calendar events on the ambient display) are useful but can be configured or turned off in the Alexa app if you prefer a cleaner widget view.
Privacy and Parental Controls
The physical camera shutter completely blocks the lens — it cannot be overridden by software. The microphone mute button disconnects the mic array at a hardware level. Amazon provides a privacy dashboard in the Alexa app where you can review and delete voice recordings. For households with children, Amazon Kids subscriptions add a curated content layer with time limits.
Price and Value
Around £139.99, with frequent Amazon sale prices. The Echo Show 8 (3rd gen) regularly drops to £89.99–£99.99 during Prime Day and Black Friday, making it one of the best-value smart displays in the UK at those prices. Compared with the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) — which lacks a camera and Zigbee hub — the Echo Show 8 offers considerably more hardware for a similar price bracket. The standard Echo (5th gen) costs around £54.99 but has no screen, so the Show 8 is the step up if you want visual feedback and video calls. Prices vary by retailer and promotional period.
Verdict
The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd generation, 2023) is the smart display to beat in the UK under £150. The 13MP auto-framing camera, spatial audio upgrade, built-in Zigbee hub, and Matter support make it genuinely useful rather than a novelty. It earns its place on a kitchen worktop or bedside table for households already invested in Alexa, Zigbee devices, or Amazon's Prime ecosystem. The main caveats: Alexa's AI responses still lag behind Google Assistant and Siri in some areas, and the screen brightness is not quite enough for a sun-facing window. For most UK buyers, though, this is an excellent purchase — especially during a sale.
Related: Amazon Echo Show 10 review, Amazon Echo vs Google Nest, and Amazon Echo Dot 5 review.
