A hands-on look at the new Amazon Echo Show

Amazon's second generation of its smart display, the Echo Show, costs $230 (£220, AU$349) and includes a much-needed redesign.

The second-gen Echo Show comes with a 10.1-inch 720p touchscreen, up from the 7-inch display we saw in the original. Without the speaker in the front and with the edges softened, this new look is a marked improvement for the device.

Though a lot changed on the new Echo Show, some things didn't. There's still a front-facing 5-megapixel camera and eight-microphone array. Four microphones have dropped down to the front bezel though, so Alexa can hear you even better from across the room.

Amazon's new partnership with SideChef delivers step-by-step recipe guidance with illustrations and videos. Use the Echo Show with any recipe, and Alexa can read steps, list ingredients and set timers.

This time around, Amazon focused on sound. Moving the speaker to the back of the smart display, the new Echo Show features dual 2-inch neodymium side-firing drivers and a bass radiator for room-filling, deep sound.

Mute the mic and turn off the camera with one button on the top of the device. Volume up and down buttons also remain on the device's top edge, just like the original Echo Show.