Amazon Unveils Echo Show 21: Giant Screen Meets Smart Home Tech

Amazon has unveiled the Echo Show 21, its first wall-mounted smart display to feature a significant upgrade over its predecessor, the Echo Show 15, which debuted in 2022. The Echo Show 21 boasts a massive 21-inch screen with a Full HD 1080p resolution, priced at $399.99. It nearly doubles the viewing area of the original model, offers improved audio quality, and introduces a built-in smart home hub. 

Alongside this, Amazon also announced a refreshed Echo Show 15 for $299.99, featuring similar enhancements in audio, camera, and smart home functionality.

According to Amazon, the Echo Show 21 is designed to deliver “immersive sound with double the bass” and utilizes room adaptation technology for a superior audio experience. The camera has also received a major upgrade, featuring an auto-framing function with over twice the field of view and 65% more zoom compared to the first-generation Echo Show 15. Noise reduction has been incorporated to ensure clearer audio during video calls, making it an ideal device for remote communication.

New Features in the Echo show 21

• The significantly larger screen of the Echo Show 21 makes it particularly appealing for video streaming. With Fire TV built-in, users can access their favorite streaming services, while compatibility with the Amazon Alexa Voice Remote enhances convenience.
• The revamped Echo Show 15 shares these upgrades, ensuring both devices deliver modernized smart home functionality.
• Both devices are equipped with Wi-Fi 6E for faster streaming and connectivity, as well as support for Matter Controller technology. This enables them to act as smart home hubs, capable of connecting with and controlling devices using Wi-Fi, Thread, and Zigbee protocols.

Additionally, local control capabilities have been added, allowing users to manage lights, switches, and plugs directly from the device without relying on cloud-based systems—a feature introduced earlier with the Echo Hub.

Customization is also a key highlight, with both models offering the widget system first seen in the Show 15. These widgets allow users to display calendars, to-do lists, shopping reminders, and smart home controls. A new audio widget has been introduced to centralize music and audio content, enabling users to play audio across multiple speakers with a single tap.

For those already accustomed to using the Echo Show 15 as a kitchen TV, the larger Echo Show 21 could pose spatial challenges, but its size makes it better suited for larger spaces where its immersive screen can shine. Both models offer a robust suite of features that make them versatile tools for entertainment, smart home management, and communication.