I thought an Alexa screen was pointless until I bought Amazon’s Echo Show 11
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I was convinced I didn't need an Alexa with a screen until I upgraded to the Amazon Echo Show 11. Now I can't imagine going back.
For years I was perfectly happy with my old Amazon Alexa speaker. In fact, when the Echo Show range first launched, I remember thinking I didn't need a screen. My old device, which I have to admit I can't even remember the model of now, did everything I asked of it so I couldn't really see the point.
After finally deciding to upgrade to the Amazon Echo Show 11, I can admit I was completely wrong. If you're thinking about upgrading from an older Alexa device too, I'd wholeheartedly recommend it. You can buy it now via Amazon.
The biggest surprise for me has been just how much I love the display. One of the first things I did was upload my own photos, and it's completely transformed the way I enjoy family memories and instantly made it feel more personalised for me.
Instead of only seeing the handful of framed photos that fit around my home, I now have hundreds of pictures rotating throughout the day. I decided to put the Echo Show 11 in my home office as that’s where I spend most of my time, and every time I glance at it during my working hours there's a different memory to see which always makes me smile. In fact, it's become one of my favourite features.
Another unexpected highlight has been the meal inspiration. Throughout the day, the Echo Show 11 displays different recipe ideas, and they're constantly changing. I've already spotted several meals I wanted to make, and the best part is that all I had to do was tap the screen for the full recipe to appear. It's such a simple feature, but it's genuinely encouraged me to try new dishes.
I also didn't realise how useful it would be to have the weather displayed visually. Rather than simply asking Alexa what the forecast is, I can glance at the screen to see today's weather, the temperature and what's coming up over the next week. It's become part of my morning routine before I decide what to wear.
Perhaps the feature I've appreciated the most is seeing Alexa's answers on screen. With my previous speaker, if I missed part of what Alexa said, I'd have to ask her to repeat herself - and I found I had to do that quite a lot.
Especially if she was competing with other house noises like the kettle, or my phone rang or doorbell went at the same time. Now, every response appears on the display as well, so I can simply read it back at my own pace. It's a small change that makes a surprisingly big difference in everyday use.
The screen is bright, responsive and easy to navigate, and it genuinely feels like much more than just a smart speaker. It's become a digital photo frame, recipe hub, weather station, family organiser and information centre all in one.
The Amazon Echo Show 11 is available to buy now in Glacier White and Graphite, with an RRP of £219.99.
I honestly bought it expecting a fairly modest upgrade over my old Alexa. Instead, it's completely changed how I use Alexa every day, and I can't imagine going back to a speaker without a screen. In fact, I like it so much that I'd now like to have an Echo Show 11 in every room in the house.
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