FEBRUARY 2022 T3 71Echo Show 15
calendar. You can set new events
from your Echo devices, as well as
sync it with your Google, Microsoft
and Apple calendars – so no more
confusion as to what everyone has
planned and when.
Second-rate sound
The Amazon Echo Show 15 does, of
course, have an in-built speaker. You
can play music through Amazon
Prime or Spotify, and you’ll get the
added bonus of being able to play
tracks from YouTube as well.
This is one area where it is lacking,
somewhat. The sound quality is
mediocre: while it is fit for purpose,
and will be loud and accurate enough
for most kitchens or living rooms,
you’ll definitely want to invest in a
better sound system if you listen to a
lot of music.
Tucked away in the frame, the 5MP
camera can be used to make video
calls and doubles up as a home
security camera as well, so you can
check on the room while you’re away
through the Alexa smartphone app.
While it’s not the sharpest or
brightest, the quality of the camera is
good enough for this purpose. One
thing it doesn’t include, however, is
camera tracking, which is a shame as
this is a handy feature and is included
on other Amazon Echo Show devices.
Facial recognition is another way
you can use the camera. Each member
of the household can create a profile
on the Echo Show 15, so the display
will recognise each family member
when looking at it. The display returns
a personalised view of the home
screen, with everything you might
like to see, including recently played
music, appointments and reminders.
When it comes to smart displays,
you’ll be hard pushed to find better
than the Amazon Echo Show 15. It
has a stunning 15.6-inch screen, but
you’ll not want the device to replace
a more powerful home speaker
because the audio just isn’t up to it.
Whether you mount it on your wall
or prop it up on a stand, it’s a
good-looking piece of kit (although
it is thicker than you might expect).
When it’s not being used as an
Amazon device, the switch to a
digital photo frame will add flair and
personality to your home.
The Alexa widgets on the Echo
Show 15 are a genius move – their
addition made this smart display
more usable than other Echo Show
devices we’ve tested. It means you
can manage your whole household inone place, whether that’s controlling
your smart lights, organising school
pickups or telling your housemate
to do the washing up.
Okay, so there are a few little
niggles here and there, like the fact
that the audio quality isn’t quite up
to scratch, and the camera doesn’t
have digital tracking. But neither
are deal-breakers. If you want a
big-screened smart display to sit at
the centre of your home, then the
Echo Show 15 is, in our opinion, the
best option available now.WE’RE IMPRESSED Big, beautiful screen;
Alexa widgets; doubles as digital photo frame.
WE’D IMPROVE Mediocre sound quality; no
camera tracking; missing popular video apps.
THE LAST WORD Amazon has struck gold –
this is the new shining star of smart displays.VERDICT
Find the best deals on the Echo Show 15 at:
bit.ly/t3ecsho15The Echo Show
has a stunning
15.6-inch screenPRIVATE EYE
Nobody wants their
every move picked up
by an all-seeing (and
potentially hackable)
eye. Fortunately,
this physical privacy
shutter can be flicked
closed when you’re
done chatting.NOTHING TO SPEAK(ER) OF
If you dream this device will take
the place of your Echo Studio
or HomePod Mini, you’re in for
a rude awakening. The sound is
loud and precise but hardly best
in class: pair it with a separate
speaker if tunes are a must-have.