Why you possibly can belief TechRadar
We spend hours testing each services or products we assessment, so that you may be certain you’re shopping for the perfect. Find out more about how we test.
Amazon Echo Present 21: two-minute assessment
The concept of mixing a sensible speaker with a flat display screen is definitely not a brand new one for Amazon. Amazingly, it’s over seven years because the first-generation Echo Reveals launched, and three because the unique Echo Show 15 first arrived in properties. At the moment, its 15-inch show made it the most important Echo system inside Amazon’s secure. However not anymore. That accolade now goes to the newly-launched Echo Present 21.
Basically, the Echo Present 21 is a bigger model of the newest Echo Present 15, full with Alexa, built-in Hearth TV, and an Alexa voice distant. It even options the identical mounting bracket because the Echo Present 15, which is useful in case you have a number of gadgets you need to swap over. Able to being put in in portrait or panorama orientation, it’s finest to consider the Echo Present as a moderately massive internet pill (albeit one with significantly better audio system). So, in the identical method you would possibly use an iPad to show a recipe within the kitchen or management your private home’s heating, so that you would possibly use an Echo Present to do these items.
It’s far more than that, although. When you’ve gone via the setup course of, pairing the Echo Present with your private home’s Wi-Fi and the Alexa voice distant, there’s the choice of customizing all of it. Usefully, as a result of the Echo Present 21 has Hearth TV in-built, you should use it very similar to you’d a sensible TV. Buttons are offered on the Alexa voice distant for accessing Prime Video, in addition to Netflix. Alternatively, you possibly can press the app button to entry different apps you’ve gotten downloaded to your system corresponding to Apple TV, Disney+, and YouTube. You even have the choice to show photographs out of your Amazon photograph library when the system will not be use.
Nonetheless, the Echo Present actually comes into its personal with all the opposite widgets you possibly can add. Simply swipe down from the highest of the show and hit ‘widget gallery’. There you’ll find every little thing that you must assist you to arrange your life, from sticky notes to procuring lists and from calendars to every day reminders. It could actually additionally show native climate, so that you’re absolutely ready once you depart the home.
When you’ve made your selection, every of the widgets is then displayed on the house display screen. And if you’d like extra particulars, you solely have to the touch the display screen to carry up extra data. For instance, whereas the climate widget exhibits the temperature for the subsequent 4 hours, you’ll find out extra data (such because the chance of rain and whether or not you want an umbrella) by urgent the climate choice on the house display screen to carry information up throughout all the show.
Wish to management related gadgets inside your private home, corresponding to your good thermostat, lights, and residential safety cameras? There’s a ‘good house favorites’ widget for that. Not solely will this can help you management choices such because the temperature of your property, it can additionally do issues like show footage from a related video doorbell if somebody involves the door. Help is offered for Matter and Thread, which implies you should use the Echo Present 21 as a Zigbee Hub.
Lastly, additionally on board is the Echo Present 21 is a 13MP selfie digicam (full with privateness shutter) for video calls. This consists of Alexa Drop Ins, which helps you to get in contact through video or voice utilizing different related gadgets within the family. It’s notably useful if you wish to inform the children that dinner is prepared they usually’re not responding to yells from the kitchen as a result of they’re on their gadgets.
Amazon Echo Present 21: worth and availability
- $399/£399.99 with out stand, $100/£100 additional with stand
- Out there now
- Out there within the US and UK
Launched in November 2024, the Amazon Echo Present 21 prices £399 or $399 direct from Amazon for the usual wall-mount set up (on the time of writing it is not out there in Australia). Nonetheless, if you’d like a desktop/counter stand you’ll have to pay an extra $100/£100 on prime of that. That makes the Echo Present 21 the costliest system in Amazon’s line-up, at $100/£100 greater than the smaller Amazon Echo Present 15.
It’s not an extreme sum of money for what it’s, nevertheless it’s not an absolute discount both. A good 43-inch good TV will now set you again much less cash, so it does appear a little bit expensive.
That mentioned, the Amazon Echo Present 21 is far more than a sensible TV. It provides a lot higher performance and interactivity for starters, together with the flexibility to manage your good house, music and calendars, in addition to having the ability to stream content material from video providers.
Importantly, it additionally feels very stable and properly made, with a beautiful wood body across the exterior. It definitely makes a pleasant addition to the kitchen, front room or workplace, particularly in case you are on the lookout for the entire options of an Echo Present system, however with a much bigger display screen.
Amazon Echo Present 21: specs
|
Show |
21.5-inch touch-screen show, 1,920 x 1,080 decision |
|
Audio system |
Two side-mounted audio system every comprising 2inch woofer and 0.6inch tweeter |
|
Digital camera |
13MP digicam with privateness shutter |
|
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi (helps Wi-Fi 6e, 802.11ax), Bluetooth |
|
Voice assistant |
Alexa (consists of Alexa voice distant) |
|
Show |
Can use in panorama or portrait orientation |
|
Dimensions (W x H x D) |
21.4 x 13.2 x 1.5in / 54 cm x 34 cm x 3.8 cm |
|
Weight |
10.7lbs / 4.9kg |
Amazon Echo Present 21: design and set up
- Mounting bracket for portrait/panorama orientation
- Stable design with black wood body round 21.5-inch display screen
- Alexa voice distant
Designed to be mounted on the wall, the hefty Amazon Echo Present 21 comes with a steel bracket within the field (alternatively, you should purchase a desktop stand however our assessment pattern didn’t embody one). This implies you have to a drill, a spirit stage and hammer for set up. 4 screws and 4 wall plugs are offered within the pack, in addition to paper wall-mount template that helps you drill holes into the suitable locations.
As soon as the bracket is put in, you merely slide the Echo Present 21 into place in both panorama or portrait orientation. I used it extensively in each modes, however personally most popular it in portrait as a result of I discovered it higher for displaying the widgets. Across the precise display screen is a white background and round that could be a black wood encompass, giving the Echo Present the appear and feel of a big photograph body. Giant audio system are constructed into both facet of the show and on prime (in panorama mode) are buttons for quantity up/down in addition to two pinhole microphones.
For privateness, there’s additionally a button that switches the microphones on and off (this glows crimson when activated) and a privateness shutter that covers the 13MP digicam. The facility cable must be inserted right into a recess on the again of the show earlier than it’s mounted to the wall, however at 1.5m it’s not overly lengthy, which might restrict your choices relating to positioning it. Lastly, you have to to pair the show with the Alexa Voice Distant (it’s the identical because the one you get for Amazon Hearth Sticks).
This could solely be paired with one system at a time, and may’t management expertise and providers exterior the Hearth TV expertise. Additionally, whereas some video streaming providers corresponding to Amazon Prime may be absolutely managed utilizing the contact display screen show, different providers corresponding to Netflix present solely restricted performance with out the distant.
Along with the round navigation pad and standard ahead/rewind and residential buttons, the distant consists of an Alexa choice with a pinhole microphone to be used as an alternative of the good show’s far-field microphones. As with different Alexa gadgets, you possibly can change the wake phrase of the Echo Present 21 – useful in case you have a number of Amazon gadgets close to to at least one one other.
Amazon Echo Present 21: efficiency
- Crisp 1,920 x 1,080 show
- Possibly a little bit too shiny
- A lot improved sound system and onboard 13MP digicam
The biggest show in Amazon’s Echo sequence, with practically double the viewing space of the Echo Present 15, the Echo Present 21 definitely cuts an imposing determine as soon as mounted on the wall. In actual fact, it appears extra like a a lot bigger good TV than a glorified contact display screen show with built-in Alexa, particularly when mounted in panorama mode.
Boasting a extremely reflective 1,920 x 1,080 show, the Echo Present 21’s image high quality is great, delivering crisp, shiny photographs. Nonetheless, it’s arguably a little bit too shiny particularly when watching video content material. The very first thing I needed to do as soon as I switched the show on was to swipe down from the highest to show the brightness down. Nonetheless, switching adaptive brightness does assist a little bit, robotically adjusting brightness ranges based mostly on the ambient gentle ranges within the room. Flip down the room’s lights and the display screen will dim too, flip them up and the display screen will brighten.
Additionally on board is a proximity sensor, which adjusts what’s on the display screen once you aren’t actively utilizing it. When nobody is close by, it closes the management panel and rotates via quite a lot of screens. For instance, it might show varied content material strategies corresponding to jokes or soccer scores or act as a big photograph body, biking via photographs in your Amazon image library. It can additionally help a number of customers, switching between completely different profiles utilizing facial recognition when the digicam is lively or through voice recognition as an alternative.
One of many criticisms of earlier Echo Present gadgets was the poor high quality of the onboard digicam. Fortunately this has been addressed with the Echo Present 21. Supporting auto-framing, 3.3x zoom and noise discount expertise, the built-in 13MP digicam works extraordinarily properly – whether or not you are utilizing Alexa Drop In to inform the children that the dinner is prepared, or calling somebody for a enterprise assembly. Nonetheless, in case you are apprehensive about privateness you possibly can all the time cowl up the digicam utilizing the Digital camera Shutter button on prime of the show, in addition to swap the onboard microphones off.
Some reviewers thought sound from the primary Echo Present 15 was poor, Amazon has determined to enhance it significantly on the brand new era good shows (each 15- and 21-inch variations). In actual fact, sound on the newest 21-inch mannequin is surprisingly punchy, because of moderately massive facet mounted audio system full with two 2-inch woofers and two 0.6-inch tweeters (the earlier Echo Present 15 solely had two 1.6-inch tweeters).
Over a interval of three weeks, I listened to a variety of music from varied streaming providers, together with Spotify and Amazon, and located the expertise actually pleasing. Nonetheless, it’s truthful to say that the Echo Present 21 nonetheless solely provides sound high quality nearly as good as a modest good TV, so if it’s a high-quality house cinema system you need, you are finest wanting elsewhere.
In abstract, relating to efficiency, the Echo Present 21 comes extremely beneficial. And whereas I feel it’s moderately extra profitable in portrait mode as a touchscreen house hub, it additionally doubles as a fairly respectable good TV in panorama mode for sitting again and watching streaming video content material.
Must you purchase the Amazon Echo Present 21?
|
Attribute |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Value |
In comparison with a a lot bigger good TV, the Echo Present 21 does appear moderately expensive. That mentioned, it does provide far more than a TV, that includes a shiny contact display screen show and good house performance |
3.5 / 5 |
|
Design |
Designed to be mounted to the wall, the sturdy Echo Present is a beautiful-looking mannequin – like a big photograph body full with wood encompass. Nonetheless, if you wish to mount it on a counter or desk you’ll have to pay additional |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Efficiency |
The Echo Present 21 is a little bit of a jack of all trades – half good TV and half house hub. However efficiency in each areas is excellent largely because of improved sound and an upgraded built-in digicam, in addition to very good high-resolution show |
4 / 5 |
Purchase it if
Do not buy it if
Amazon Echo Present 21: additionally take into account
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Amazon Echo Present 21 |
Amazon Echo Present 15 (2nd gen) |
Amazon Echo Present 8 (third gen) |
|
Value |
$399.99/£399.99 (about AU$630) |
$299/£299.99 (about AU$718.99) |
$149.99 / £149.99 (about AU$230) |
|
Show |
21.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 |
15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 |
8-inch, 1280 x 800 |
|
Audio system |
2 x 2-inch woofers & 2 x 0.6-inch tweeters |
2 x 2-inch woofers & 2 x 0.6-inch tweeters |
2 x 2-inch audio system with passive bass radiator |
|
Digital camera |
13MP broad angle digicam with shutter |
13MP broad angle digicam with shutter |
13MP broad angle digicam with shutter |
|
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi 6E (802.1ax). Additionally helps 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. Bluetooth |
Wi-Fi 6E (802.1ax). Additionally helps 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. Bluetooth |
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
|
Voice assistant |
Alexa |
Alexa |
Alexa |
|
Hub performance |
Sure (Zigbee + Matter + Thread border router) |
Sure (Zigbee + Matter + Thread border router) |
Sure (Zigbee + Matter + Thread border router) |
|
Dimensions |
21.4 x 13.2 x 1.5 inches (540 x 340 x 38mm) |
16.1 x 10.1 x 1.4 inches (410 x 260 x 36mm) |
7.9 x 5.5 x 4.2 inches (200 x 139 x 106mm) |
|
Weight |
10.7lbs (4.9kg) |
4.96lbs (2.2kg) |
16.1oz (456g) |
If you happen to’re unsure the Amazon Echo Present 21 is the suitable good hub for you, listed here are a few different choices to think about:
How I examined the Amazon Echo Present 21
- I mounted on the wall in my house workplace for 3 weeks
- I used it in each panorama and portrait modes
- I examined it each as a house hub and good TV
To get grasp of what a product just like the Echo Present 21 can do, you really want to spend as a lot time with it as doable. That’s as a result of it provides a lot performance! Even after three weeks I’m nonetheless discovering apps I can obtain and new issues I can do with it.
As I put in it in my house workplace, I used the Echo Present 21 principally for listening to classical music whereas I used to be working and for options such because the checking the climate earlier than taking the canine out for a lunchtime stroll. However I additionally used it for different issues too, together with watching video content material, turning the heating up and down and viewing photographs from Amazon Pictures.
Personally, I most popular it in portrait mode, though utilizing it panorama mode would possibly work higher in case you have it put in in the lounge or a bed room. Nonetheless, you ideally want to make use of the Echo Present for its superior good house management options to get probably the most out of it. Read more about how we test.
First reviewed February 2025