Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Amazon slashes the prices of Echo Show 5 and Facebook Portal smart displays

Any Alexa and Google Assistant smart display on sale deserves a close look. Smart displays bring three “E’s” to smart home user experience: enrichment, engagement, and entertainment. On-screen visuals multiply the value of voice response, giving users more information and encouraging further interaction. Games, graphics, video, and still images all boost enjoyment. Amazon slashed the prices on the Echo Show 5, Facebook Portal, and other Alexa-compatible smart displays and Walmart cut the price of Lenovo’s 8-inch Smart Display with Google Assistant.

We’ve found the best discounts on smart displays from Amazon and Walmart and put them all in one place. Whether you’re just beginning to set up a smart home or adding to an existing configuration, these six deals can help you save up to $61.

Echo Show 5

— $25 off

The Echo Show 5 is Amazon’s entry-level smart display. Relatively small with a 5.5-inch 960 x 480 resolution touchscreen, the Echo Show 5 also has a 1 MP camera for two way video calls. You can slide a physical shutter to block the camera lens for privacy, and there’s also a button that turns off the camera and two microphones. The Show 5’s full-range speaker is only sufficient for background music, but there’s a 3.5mm audio out jack on the back of the case so you can port the audio to better-sounding speakers or headphones. In addition to voice calls and announcements with Alexa apps, you can also use the Show 5 for Skype voice or video calls.

Usually $90, the Echo Show 5 is just $65 during this sale. If you’re looking for a smart display for an Alexa smart home setup but you don’t want to spend a lot, this is a chance to buy the already low-priced Show 5 at an attractive discount.

Buy Now

Fire HD 8 Tablet

— $30 off

The Fire HD 8 Tablet has a 1,280 x 800 resolution 8-inch diagonal touchscreen display and runs up to 10 hours with mixed-use including reading, web browsing, watching video content, and listening to music. There are two cameras on the Fire HD 8, one on the front and one on the rear. Each camera takes 2MP images and records 720p video.

You can talk to Alexa hands-free with the Fire HD 8, and in that respect, the tablet can replace an Echo Dot smart speaker. Free Show Mode software converts the tablet to an Alexa-compatible smart display with a larger, higher-resolution display than the Show 5. If you place the Fire HD 8 in an optional

Show Mode Charging Dock,

the Fire HD 8 automatically converts to Show Mode.

Regularly $80, the Fire HD 8 Tablet is just $50 for this sale. If you’re shopping for an Alexa smart display, the Fire HD 8 is a great buy that’s also a tablet, e-reader, and web browser.

Buy Now

Portal from Facebook

— $61 off

The Portal from Facebook is the smaller of Facebook’s two smart displays. The Portal’s 10.1-inch diagonal, 1200 x 800 resolution, 720p HD screen pairs with a 12MP video camera for Facebook video calls. Two internal speakers provide a combined total of 10 watts of audio.

You can use the Portal as a display for Facebook calls and content, but because the Portal has Alexa built-in, you can also use the device as an Alexa-compatible smart speaker. The Portal doesn’t support Echo Show mode; all video apps and content are from Facebook.

Regularly priced $199, the Portal from Facebook is cut to $138 during this sale. If you’re shopping for a smart display for Facebook graphic, image, and video content and would also like Alexa voice access, this could be a good time to snap up a Portal at this discounted price.

Buy Now

Portal Plus from Facebook

— $27 off

The Portal Plus from Facebook differs from the regular Portal in display size and resolution, and audio components. The Portal Plus has a 15.6-inch diagonal Full HD video display with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. Twenty watts of audio plays through the Portal Plus’s two tweeters and single 4-inch bass. Excellent for Facebook content and calls, the Portal Plus doubles as an Alexa-compatible smart speaker.

Ordinarily $350, the Portal Plus from Facebook is $322 for this sale. This is an excellent opportunity to acquire this device at a compelling price.

Buy Now

Lenovo Smart Tab M 10

— $36 off

The Lenovo Smart Tab M10 is a versatile 2-in-1 Android tablet. When you place the M10 on the included charging dock, it can double as a fully featured Show Mode Alexa smart display. The Lenovo’s 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, full HD display and two front speakers with Dolby Atmos support combine to provide quality entertainment. The Smart Tab M10 has a rear-facing 5MP camera and front-facing 2MP camera. Lenovo rates battery life up to 8.5 hours per charge.

Instead of the usual $200 price, Amazon cut the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 to just $164 for this sale. If you like Android tablets with quality video and audio, and also want an Alexa smart display at a great price, now could be the time to click the buy button.

Buy Now

Lenovo Smart Display 8-inch with Google Assistant

— $31 off

The 8-inch Lenovo Smart Display is the smaller of two Google Assistant displays from Lenovo. The 8-inch model’s 1,200 x 800 resolution HD screen is crisp and clear with vivid colors. After you set up the Lenovo Smart Display with the Google Home mobile app, you can start asking “Hey Google” or “OK Google” just as you would with a Google Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max.

Normally priced at $200, the Lenovo Smart Display is just $169 during this sale. If you need or want a smart display for a Google Assistant-based smart home network, this is a good opportunity to save on the impressive Lenovo Smart Display.

Buy Now

Editors' Recommendations

Bruce Brown
Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…
Facebook Portal vs. Amazon Echo Show
Zoom on Portal

Choosing between the Facebook Portal and the Amazon Echo Show can be a tough call. With both tablets utilizing Alexa and boasting 10-inch displays, the similarities don't stop there. Looking closer, though, there are a few key features that set both devices apart. In this side-by-side of the Portal and Show, we weigh in on key criteria like design, sound, displays, and price. Read on to see which of the two smart displays we prefer.
Design

These two smart displays couldn't look more different. The Portal looks like a picture frame, which is great if you'll be using it to display photos. Available in white and black frame options, the Portal measures in at 10.25 inches wide and 7.06 inches tall. The Echo Show looks more like a tablet with a big speaker stuck on the back. Available in sandstone and charcoal backings (black frame on both), the Amazon speaker is 9.7 inches wide and 6.9 inches tall. In terms of overall aesthetic, neither display is particularly attractive, so this one's a toss-up.

Read more
Amazon slashes prices of Echo and Fire TV devices for Prime Day
Prime Day Amazon Echo Deals

Prime Day is here. Okay, not quite. We still have a few hours to go until the event itself kicks off, but that hasn't stopped Amazon from discounting everything from Echo Dots and Fire TVs to Fire tablets to their lowest-ever prices. I guess when you run the show you can do as you please. Anyhow, the retailer has confirmed that Amazon device sales are in fact Prime Day deals -- as indicated by the small badge on the product pages -- and has reassured us that the pricing will remain the same through the end of the shopping bonanza on October 14.

The best single best deal? The retailer has the Amazon Echo Dot for just $19. This is the cheapest it has ever offered the puck-sized smart speaker, down $3 from the $22 we saw on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Of course, that's not the only offer to write home about. It's also offering the souped-up Amazon Echo Studio for $150, down $50 from the usual $200, and has the top-rated Fire HD 10 tablet for just $80. That's $70 under sticker. Oh, and did we mention the Fire TV Recast (500GB) is on sale for just $130. Wait for it... That's a savings of $100. Wowzers.

Read more
Zoom is coming to Facebook Portal, Amazon Echo Show, and Google Nest Hub Max

Facebook is integrating the Zoom app into its Portal video-calling products starting next month.

The Portal Mini, Portal, and Portal+ will integrate Zoom and other videoconferencing apps like BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, and Webex. The Portal TV will add these capabilities in the future, according to Wednesday’s announcement.

Read more