Amazon Echo Show 10 or Echo Show 15: Which screen with Alexa is better?

The main function of Alexa is to handle the requests that you make with your voice, such as giving you the weather, streaming music or even telling a joke.

But it's Amazon's addition of larger, and even smarter, touchscreens on the Echo Show 10 and Echo Show 15 that take this technology to the next level.

Enjoying a smart screen improves on having only the voice of Alexa by letting you watch YouTube videos, check live weather forecasts, make video calls and even put on a home karaoke night, but these 10-inch and 15-inch smart screens are among the most expensive Alexa devices Amazon sells.

Thinking of upgrading your Echo?

Here's what you need to know about the Echo Show 10 with a motorized base and the wall-mountable Echo Show 15 before you decide on one.

You should buy an Amazon Echo Show 10 if...

You don't mind being followed

It takes a bit of getting used to, but the Echo Show 10's weirdest feature (

 MX$6,299 or 

 $264), and possibly the most useful, is its motion tracking.

That means the device can turn its screen to whoever is speaking to it and follow them around the room.

That could be useful if you're watching a video or on a video call, but a bit creepy if you're not even interacting with it.

Fortunately, you can adjust the settings to pay varying degrees of attention to people or even disable motion altogether.

We think the sweet spot is to allow Show 10 to sit idle until you speak to Alexa.

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The Echo Show 10's 360-degree rotation makes it perfect for the kitchen, especially at a counter, whether you're eating, cooking, or even cleaning.

It's also a great way to keep the kids entertained.

Some may say it even humanizes Alexa when she turns to you just to answer one of your questions.

You make a lot of video calls to other people with Alexa

The capacity of the Echo Show 10 (

 MX$6,299 or 

 $264) to follow you around the room is especially useful during video calls to other Echo Show devices or the Alexa mobile app.

Not only can you pan around the room, but the Echo Show 10's 13-megapixel camera can also zoom in on your face, framing it perfectly for the other person you're calling.

Together, the pan and zoom functions work especially well when the other caller is an elderly relative.

Also adding to the utility of the Echo Show 10 as a video calling device is the unit's triple speaker array.

It features two 1-inch speakers and a 3-inch woofer, so you'll hear properly.

Comparatively speaking, despite being wall-mountable, the Echo Show 15 has a surprisingly low-profile 5-megapixel webcam that doesn't pan or scan, and the device's two 1.6-inch speakers.

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The Amazon Calling app only connects to other Amazon Echo devices or the Alexa mobile app, however the Alexa apps available for Zoom and Skype allow you to call anyone on those services.

Setup is a bit more involved and making calls isn't as intuitive as with the default app, but face tracking still works.

You should buy the Echo Show 15 if...

You want to use it primarily as a photo frame

At 15 inches, the Echo Show 15's screen (

 MX$6,299 or 

 $250) is not the highest resolution LCD panel available.

However, considering that most small TVs are still 720p, including many twice this size, and given the distance you'll likely be viewing it from (ie not as close as a laptop screen) , the screen of the Echo Show 15 looks very good.

Designed to look like a high-quality photo frame with a crisp, clean design, the Echo Show 15 is perfect for displaying photos from your phone's camera roll.

Plus, you can mount it in portrait orientation to fully display all the portrait photos on your smartphone.

Throw in Amazon's unlimited photo storage for Prime members, and the Echo Show 15 is the dream device come true.

You want a smart touchscreen control center

Smart home enthusiasts who have been longing for a touchscreen hub to control their smart lights, plugs, door locks, and various other devices may find their wish granted with the Echo Show 15.

With its customizable home screen layout, you can turn the Echo Show 15 into a smart home control center to turn devices on and off, tweak your lights, and more.

While other Amazon Echo Show smart displays serve a somewhat similar purpose, none do it as elegantly or as usefully as this one.

You can also add a family calendar and easily change each member's schedules and commitments using the touch screen.

In conclusion

You won't find anything like the Echo Show 10 or Echo Show 15 in any other smart home ecosystem: Google's closest competitor is the 10-inch Nest Hub Max, and Apple only offers the HomePod Mini.

Show 10 and 15 may offer different experiences, but their different strengths and weaknesses make choosing just one a bit simpler.

If you're looking for an Alexa companion in the kitchen that lets you watch videos, search for recipes, and make video calls, the Echo Show 10 is the smart display for you (

 MX$6,299 or 

 USD$264).

If you prefer displaying photos, interacting with a touchscreen calendar, and controlling your smart devices, the Echo Show 15 (

 MX$6,299 or 

 USD$250) will serve you better.

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