Image credit: Saga Magazine
The smart display that’s also a smart TV – but is it a step too far for the Echo Show 15?
We've put the Echo Show 15 through its paces, firstly in our test centre, then we took it home and integrated it into our daily life for at least a week. During that time it was used for everything, from streaming our favourite shows to controlling our smart home devices.
We also test the built-in virtual assistants to see how well they respond to our requests and what additional features they might have to improve our daily lives.
After a week of testing, we have a good understanding of each smart display's strengths and weaknesses.
As with all the other Echo Show displays, you just plug it in and go. However, this smart display is made to be wall mounted. While it does come with the necessary fixtures and instructions for this, you do need the tools and skill to be able to do it.
For the purpose of this testing period, though, we stood it up; while it was OK that way, if your DIY skills are lacking, you may want to buy the additional stand to help keep it upright in a more secure fashion.
This stand also allows you to change easily between portrait and landscape mode, which is a nice touch.
From opening the box to getting it working took us one to two minutes maximum. We must confess here, though, to the fact that we are firmly ensconced in the Amazon way of life. We have various Echo Dot speakers and a small Echo Show smart display. We use Amazon music, Amazon Prime for viewing, and also shop way too much on Amazon.co.uk.
This made the setup process very simple. We went into our Alexa app, and because all our information – such as our Amazon account details - was already there, the app did everything for us.
Even if you are setting this up for the first time, the Alexa app is fairly intuitive and does all the hard work for you. You will need a smartphone or tablet, the Alexa app and an Amazon account to get your smart display working, so make sure you’ve got all that sorted before you get it out of the box.
This Echo Show uses a power cable. We liked that it was white as it blended in with our walls and surface, but at just 1.5m (just under 4ft) it could have been longer, especially as it’s designed to be mounted on a wall. We’re not sure it would have reached our plug if we had chosen to hang it at eye level.
You can buy a cable extension, though, which does double the length so that could be a good option if you do struggle with placement.
As it’s designed to be wall mounted, it’s probably no surprise that this smart display is flat and looks like a mixture between a giant tablet and a large photo frame. While it’s basic, the black and white design is simple and minimalistic, and when the screensaver was activated – we chose the art setting – it looked like a painting. We can imagine it would look great on the wall.
If you want to add the personal touch you can also upload your photos and use it as a giant photo frame.
It's not made to be hidden and would make a great addition to a kitchen, owing to its organisational abilities and the fact it’s the perfect size to either watch TV while you’re cooking or to follow recipes from. This is a smart display that’s made primarily to be used with your voice and the touchscreen.
However, if you want to make the most of the integrated Fire TV option, a remote is also a good idea. At first, we opted for the virtual remote, but it didn’t really work with some streaming services, such as Disney+.
Then we remembered the Fire Stick app, which turns your phone into a remote so ended up pairing that with the Echo Show 15, which was straightforward. The app finds the device, a number comes up on the screen and you’re ready to go.
If you really don’t like the thought of using your phone for this, you can also purchase an additional Fire TV remote if you don’t already have one.
All Echo devices come with Alexa as their voice assistant. We put it to the test, throwing a variety of generic questions its way, from finding local movie listings to fetching Audible books and sourcing recipes with chicken.
The device showcased its intuitive nature, but some tasks demanded follow-ups with touch screen interactions, making the screen placement crucial for easy access – a notable difference from its smaller counterparts, like the Echo Show 5.
The device shines when it comes to finding content, which is really easy. Whether it's radio stations, favourite albums, or streaming TV shows, the Echo Show 15 allows seamless interaction. Visual displays accompany most queries, offering additional information or stats that can be explored further.
The follow-up mode, which allows you to ask another question without the Alexa wake word is a nice touch, although occasional volume control issues were encountered, requiring a raised voice to be heard. Voice recognition, for the most part, was accurate. However, hiccups occurred, especially when enquiring about specific topics, such as a band's new album, leading to unexpected results.
The touchscreen, while generally responsive, had its moments of freezing, notably during attempts to log into apps like Disney+.
The Echo Show 15's most compelling feature lies in its home page, offering a well-organised hub for the entire family. Over 60 widgets, ranging from to-do lists to sticky notes, can be personalised.
However, the screen's layout limits widget space – as it's partially occupied by content like recipes or recent activities – which left us wanting more room for widgets. You’re only able to see six at a time, so if you have more widgets that you regularly use, it’s a bit annoying.
Connectivity with phones and tablets is seamless, with easy Bluetooth pairing enabling streaming from various platforms. One thing we noticed, though, is that multitasking between the Echo Show and your phone might result in the device abruptly switching to your phone's content, which definitely disrupted our experience.
When it comes to accessibility, the device boasts features like a magnifying touchscreen and voice assistant, offering users more time to interact. However, we were disappointed to find we couldn’t use gestures, a convenient feature found in other models, which allows users the ability to control alarms and timers with simple hand waves.
Diving into the Alexa Echo Show 15's streaming capabilities, it's clear that Amazon's device offers a wide array of options. From music to podcasts, books, and TV shows, the Echo Show 15 can handle various content types seamlessly.
You can stream from platforms like Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, and more, making it a versatile choice for entertainment enthusiasts.
However, our testing did reveal some hiccups. If you’ve got more than one Echo device and want to stream Amazon Music, you’ll need to get the family plan, otherwise only one Echo device can play music at one time.
We got round this by linking our Apple Music device; however, you have to specify you want to stream it from Apple in your voice command or it will go to the default music service, which in our case was Amazon.
Additionally, occasional audio glitches surfaced during our tests, necessitating a quick reboot to rectify the issue. Although these interruptions were manageable, they did disrupt the overall experience.
Moving on to audio performance, the Echo Show 15 features 2 x 1.6in full-range backfiring speakers. Positioned at the back and directed towards the wall means that sound quality is compromised.
Technical tester Philip Sowels, says: “The speakers lack any real base or treble, and offer a tinny sound instead of providing any warmth.”
While spoken word content like podcasts and books sounded decent, music enthusiasts seeking rich audio experiences might find the sound lacking. To improve music playback, investing in the separate stand and positioning the device away from the wall is recommended.
The larger screen size makes it ideal for watching various content types. The large lyrics displayed during music playback enhance karaoke nights, adding a fun dimension to entertainment. However, the 16:9 screen ratio means you do get black bars when viewing widescreen movies, and the white picture frame design doesn't contribute to an immersive viewing experience.
One of the things we loved about the Echo Show 15 was its ability to function as a digital photo frame. Displaying photos on its large screen was a visual treat, although there were minor drawbacks, especially with portrait-oriented images from mobile phones, which didn't always fill the entire screen. Despite this, it offered a nice way to showcase family photos that often remain confined to our phones.
Beyond its role as a photo frame, the Echo Show 15 proved its worth in transforming homes into smart havens. We seamlessly created routines, such as commanding "Alexa, good night", which promptly switched off our smart lights.
Morning routines were equally convenient, with the device playing our favourite radio station to kickstart our working day.
Thanks to the expansive screen, the device's camera provided excellent coverage, capturing our entire office space. When wall-mounted, its potential is even more significant, promising pretty good surveillance and security features.
As with all Echo devices, you can drop into any other Amazon display or speaker. But what we loved about the Echo Show 15 is that the camera follows your movements, ensuring you remain centred in the frame. This feature allows for dynamic conversations, and we were able to cook dinner while catching up with friends.
Additionally, the Echo Show 15 offers the ability to make regular phone calls, even without pre-stored contact details. Alexa simply prompts you to input the number using the touchscreen, streamlining the calling process.
Considering its size, the Echo Show 15 offers decent value, especially when you can frequently find it at discounted prices during events like Prime Days and other promotions on Amazon. However, a notable drawback is its heavy reliance on a remote, a feature that one might expect to be included at this price point.
Both the Prime Video app and Fire TV interface can be controlled by tapping the screen, but not all Fire TV apps support touch controls.
Overall, we enjoyed the Echo Show 15's larger screen, but we're not sure whether we would replace it if it broke. The Echo Show 10 is only a little cheaper, and it would probably suffice for all our needs.
Other smart displays with larger screens
While the screen on the Echo Show 10 is 5in smaller than the Echo Show 15, the thing that sets this smart display apart is its ability to move with you. The screen automatically moves to wherever you are, meaning you can take video calls or cook recipes while you’re moving around the room. The speakers also deliver directional sound to ensure you have the best audio quality.
If you’re prioritising TV viewing, then you can’t go wrong with one of Amazon’s Fire TVs. Not only can you get all your favourite streaming services through the TV, but it also comes with some Alexa capabilities including various Alexa skills, voice functionality and the ability to connect to smart home devices.
The Echo Show 15 is a gadget with an identity crisis – it doesn’t know if it’s a smart display or a smart TV. It is large enough to enjoy casual viewing, but it doesn't come with a remote, making it difficult to watch some streaming services. Additionally, the potential of the large screen for a digital pin-board remains underutilised, with only half of it dedicated to widgets, missing an opportunity for enhanced functionality. This identity crisis is evident in other ways as well.
The Echo Show 15 is designed to be wall-mounted, but it's so big that it's only really suitable for large spaces, especially if you want to use it on a stand. And the touchscreen, while responsive, isn't used to its full potential, particularly in interactions with Alexa. Instead of offering immersive touchscreen experiences, it primarily displays Alexa's responses in text format, missing a chance for more engaging interactions.
For those seeking a device solely for displaying YouTube videos, playing radio stations, and occasional TV shows, investing in a smart TV might be a wiser choice. Not only would a smart TV likely offer superior sound quality, but it would also provide a more seamless viewing experience.
Despite its flaws, the Echo Show 15 is not the worst smart display available, and it does showcase the capabilities of Alexa, a voice assistant we genuinely like using.
However, considering Amazon's track record, we know they are capable of delivering better products than this, so it wouldn’t make it to the top of our smart display list.
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