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Smart Displays

Don't Buy the Echo Show 11 Until You Read This

August 2026 · From the Tech with Asher channel · Watch below or read on

Here is the tension nobody puts on the box: the Echo Show 11 packs the same camera, the same chip, and the same speakers as the cheaper Echo Show 8. What you are really paying extra for is glass. So before you order one, walk through what that extra money actually buys, and the three things this device still cannot do in 2026.

Credit where it is due

The screen jumps from 10 to 11 inches and goes full HD. There is a dedicated AI chip on board, the Wi-Fi is better, and the camera is 13 megapixels. Taken together it is a genuinely upgraded all-in-one device, and Alexa Plus comes built in. If you want the most current Echo Show you can buy, this is it, and as a first smart display it makes a strong impression.

The three most-searched questions, answered honestly

• Does it follow you around like the Echo Show 10 did? No. It has a digital autofocus feature that uses software to track where you are in frame, but the device cannot physically move or rotate. The motorized following is exclusive to the Show 10.
• Can you watch YouTube or Disney Plus on it? Not through apps, because they are not built in. You have to go through the web browser, which works but feels like a workaround every single time. Even in 2026, that is a real gap. If streaming on the device matters, look at the Echo Show 15 or 21, which have Fire TV built in.
• Does it have a physical camera shutter? No. The Show 10 had a slide-over shutter you could see. The Show 11 blocks its camera in software only.

The thing nobody warns you about: the ads

Echo devices have always been great at letting you order anything you want. The flip side is that the screen continuously cycles promotions, and even with everything I could find turned off, the ads keep coming. You are buying a dedicated AI device for your counter, and it will still advertise to you at any given moment. Go in with eyes open.

So who should buy it?

If you are new to the Echo lineup and buying your first smart display, I would go ahead and get the Echo Show 11. It is sleek, quick, and current, and the bigger full HD screen genuinely improves video calls and recipes. If you already own an Echo Show 10, I would not rush to replace it just because Alexa Plus is built in here. Your Show 10 still does two things this device cannot: physically turn toward you, and physically cover its camera.

Quick answers

• Echo Show 11 or Echo Show 8? Same internals. Pay the difference only if the bigger, sharper screen matters where it will sit.
• Echo Show 11 or Echo Show 15? The 15 adds Fire TV apps and wall mounting; the 11 is the better counter device.
• Biggest everyday annoyance? The cycling ads, followed by streaming only through the browser.