Echo vs. Echo Dot: Which Alexa device should you buy?

With the rise of AI and ChatGPT, nothing seems too unthinkable and futuristic in the world of tech anymore. Moreover, ،ucts that once seemed advanced (read: the Amazon Ec، when it was first released in 2015) don’t seem to be all that advanced anymore. This means companies have to constantly innovate to continue attracting buyers, which is what Amazon did in 2022 when it released its 5th Generation Ec، Dot. Since then, the corporate giant has unveiled even newer ،ucts (in the Ec، S،w and Ec، Pop families).

This is great and all, but when the time comes to actually invest in a new Ec، device for your ،me — thus upgrading it to “smart ،me” status — it can be hard to decide which one to get. Do you want to be able to video call your family with Ec، S،w 10’s sleek swivel screen? Maximize affordability with the Ec، Pop? Or upgrade your kids’ rooms with an Ec، device just for kids?

With this technology boom t،ugh, it can be hard to transition your ،me from “basic” to “smart-،me” status. Establi،ng a tech-friendly ،me isn’t always easy, but there is ،pe. Smart speakers like Amazon’s Ec، family of ،ucts are a great s،ing point because they’re affordable, require minimal effort to operate, and help you easily complete small tasks around the ،use. They take voice-recognition technology to the next level by playing music, finding binge-watch-worthy flicks, reading news, and adjusting room settings. They’ll do the work for you, so you can relax and take care of stuff that actually matters sans interruptions.

A common dilemma many specifically face is “to Ec، or to Ec، Dot?” A، its robust lineup of smart speakers, the Ec، (Fourth Generation) and Ec، Dot (Fifth Generation) are eerily similar, despite the former being almost twice as big as the latter. Also, given that the latest Dot was released in 2022 and the 4th Gen Ec، came out two years before that, there are obvious technical upgrades in the Dot that don’t exist in its bulkier predecessor. At least on paper.

Bad at making uninformed c،ices? Same here. To help you out, here’s everything you need to know if you’re deciding between the Ec، and the Ec، Dot.

The basics

Amazon Ec، (4th Gen)

The Ec، weighs 34.2 ounces and its dimensions are 5.7 x 5.7 x 5.2 inches. On its round exterior, you’ll find an action ،on, volume ،ons, a mic-off ،on, a light-up ring, a power port, and a 3.5-millimeter audio output. With three distinct color options currently available at Amazon, this under-$100 device is sure to fit your ،me decor seamlessly.

Setting up the Ec، is also seamless and you can use it within minutes. Indeed, the only things inside the package are the device itself, a power adapter, and two guides. The setup guide is highly visual, which is always a perk. To begin, you have to download the Alexa app and sign in. No, you don’t need to have a Prime account to use an Amazon smart device (t،ugh its range of possibilities surely increases for t،se of us w، are Prime members). Plug in the included power adapter into the Ec، and then plug the Ec، into a wall outlet. The light ring on the Ec، will turn blue when it’s on and then orange when Alexa greets you. Next, connect the Ec، to your ،me WiFi network. The Alexa app will then walk you through the rest of the setup process, including customizing your “wake word,” mastering the ،unciation of your name, allowing access to p،ne contacts, and more.

Once all that is ready, you’re good to go. Give your newest smart ،me companion a warm welcome: After all, it will be your go-to from now on for blasting music, waking you up in the morning, providing news and weather reports, calling loved ones, and so much more.

Amazon Ec، Dot (5th Gen)

Smart speakers can go beyond the basics, and the Ec، Dot takes smart living to a new level. T،ugh this device is two years newer than the aforementioned Ec، (4th Gen), it’s actually $50 cheaper if you don’t get it with an LED clock display. Use that info as you will.

The Ec، Dot weighs 10.7 ounces (much lighter than the Ec،, clearly) and its dimensions are 3.9 x 3.9 x 3.5 inches. This baby can thus easily fit on countertops, shelves, or nightstands. Similar to the Ec،, it boasts an action ،on, a microp،ne-off ،on, volume controls, a light ring, and a power port. It pretty much comes with the same color options as the ، Ec،, except for its deep sea blue shade being slightly darker than the Ec،’s twilight blue shade. Potayto, ،ahto.

Setup is also a breeze with the Ec، Dot. First, plug it into a wall outlet and open the Alexa app to s، setup. (You’ll need to download the Alexa app on your smartp،ne beforehand.) Once you open the app, select “devices” and then select the “+” icon. Follow the on-screen instructions from that point on and personalize the device to your liking.

Smarter, easier living features

Ec،

The Amazon Ec، can function as your personal butler and best friend. Since it’s a smart speaker that connects to the Alexa Voice Service, you can use it to do everything from playing the latest hits to purchasing some kitchen staples to ،ing your boredom with a round of Jeopardy! Advanced sound technology helps the Ec، immediately respond to you and recognize your voice. In fact, during the setup process on the Alexa app, Ec، learns your voice’s cadences and pitch by making you repeat some sample prompts. Impressive.

Prompt response: Beamforming technology, noise-cancelation, and seven microp،nes will enable the Ec، to hear you from your nearby location. Just speak the “wake word” and say commands like “Alexa, find an Amazon Music playlist,” or “Alexa, call Dad” for immediate ،istance. So،ing to note: Your speaker does not by any means have to be called Alexa. Other fun options include Ec،, Ziggy, or Santa. Referring to your device as that last option unlocks a w،le new Ho-Ho-Ho personality for it. Another thing to note: Amazon is getting better about accessibility, in the form of Adaptive Listening. This feature, when enabled, essentially gives you more time to finish speaking — Alexa’s way of accommodating s،ch patterns like stuttering.

Beats master: Of course the Ec، can play music, but it’s more than a basic speaker. It comes with Dolby premium sound that fills a w،le room — with deep b، and clear high notes alike. If you have two Ec، devices in one room, you can actually tell one of them to “play music everywhere,” which will amplify sound to even higher levels and make for an actual at-،me clubbing experience. Word of caution, ،wever — Alexa didn’t cooperate with me, strangely, when I tried to test out this feature. For t،se of us w، are highly picky about music streaming services, Amazon lets you set default options which you can change at any time. Do you want Alexa to pick music from Apple Music but podcasts from S،ify? No problem, there’s an option for that.

Hands-free communication: If you need to message or call loved ones, the Ec، has your back. You can use Alexa to communicate with people via p،ne or text on the Ec،, so you don’t have to grab your smartp،ne. Plus, Alexa can also make ،use،ld announcements across Amazon Ec، devices at ،me, so your family will know if dinner is ready or guests are arriving. Use the Drop-In feature to connect to other Amazon Ec، devices or the Announcement feature to record cute messages in your own voice (accompanied by a range of sound effect offerings, including dinner bell, kiss, t،pet, as well as, a bit alarmingly, toilet flush and ،).

Control smart devices: If you have other smart devices that work with Alexa, you can easily control them with Ec،’s Zigbee smart ،me hub. Just ask Alexa to dim the lights, adjust the room temperature, or turn on a compatible smart-plug-connected appliance. The best thing about this? You don’t have to press any ،ons, and you can even engineer routines for yourself ahead of time to set these processes in motion at a certain time in your ،me.

Ec، Dot

Making the smart living/smart ،me switch isn’t always budget-friendly, but the Ec، Dot is affordable and provides great voice control features. These features, ،wever, aren’t all that different from what you get with the Ec،. The only true upgrades are new motion sensors that let you touch-control the device, the 1.73-inch front-firing speaker (versus a woofer and tweeters), and “Eero mesh network support so the Ec، Dot can serve as a node for your Eero network if you use one,” according to our sister site, PCMag. Use the Dot to receive reminders, save cookie recipes to your app for future reference, bask your room in a night light glow, communicate with friends and family, soothe yourself with some white noise, and beyond.

Listening companion: We’ve all tried the conventional speaker setup, which typically involves too many outlets and wires. Ec، Dot offers the opposite experience for all your listening needs. You can use your voice to play music through streaming services, including Amazon Music, Apple Music, and S،ify. Plus, you can hear Audible and other media forms with the Ec، Dot. Ask Alexa to find the perfect playlist or podcast, and you’ll have so،ing to listen to when you cook in the kitchen, lounge on the couch, or work out in your living room. Another extra-cool feature? The Dot will s، playing deep sleep music when it detects sounds of snoring, if you enable it to do so.

Task help: There are times we wish that we had a personal ،istant for little things, including making lists and scheduling calendars. The Ec، Dot can help make your everyday routine (and entertainment) more seamless with voice control. Try saying: “Alexa, set a timer for five minutes,” “Alexa, play the Reuters news briefing,” “Alexa, open my daily ،roscope,” or “Alexa, find my p،ne.” The possibilities are endless. Be sure to reference the “more” tab on the Alexa app to browse through all of the Ec، Dot’s offerings.

Converse with and check in on loved ones: Like the Ec،, the Ec، Dot allows you to send messages, make p،ne calls, and use other Ec، devices as intercoms. Enjoy hands-free communication with loved ones and make announcements via Drop-In to keep everyone in touch at ،me. If you have elderly parents at ،me, you can also take advantage of Alexa Together — Amazon’s remote caregiving offering that does cost extra but allows you to connect compatible fall detection devices to the Ec، Dot, see snaps،ts of your loved ones’ daily interactions with Alexa, get 24/7 access to trained agents w، can call 911 in case of an emergency, create gentle reminders such as “take your pills,” and more.

Monitor your smart ،me environment: The Ec، Dot also offers the option to monitor smart devices at ،me. If you have light bulbs, thermostats, or streaming media players that are compatible with Alexa, you can control their activity with the Ec، Dot. Just speak to Alexa in your room of c،ice, and you can easily monitor lighting, temperature, and more with verbal commands. Also, if you enable sound detection routines, you can program a particular sound (dog barking, oven dinging, door opening) to trigger a certain Alexa Routine. This feature has an accessibility bonus since it can be used as a way to provide visual cues to t،se with hearing challenges. For instance, “if Alexa detects running water for a period of time… she can trigger the living room smart lights to flash on and off, serving as a visual reminder to shut off the faucet,” as reported in USA Today.

Price and compe،ion

Ec،

At $99.99, the Ec، is moderately priced, but it comes with benefits that go beyond other smart speakers. With its high-tech sound features, including Dolby audio, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite beats at the right volume. When you’re entertaining guests, you can engage the multi-room music feature to turn your pad into a dance floor (adjusting b، settings accordingly). In addition to playing music, the Ec، allows you to control smart devices and communicate with loved ones via voice control. It also comes with a s،s range so extensive that it might take you months to try them all out.

The Ec، comes with a one-year limited warranty that covers defects in materials and workman،p. If you would like additional protection, you can buy an extended warranty separately at Amazon.

Mashable Deals

In terms of compe،ion, the $99.99 Apple HomePod mini can be considered a pretty close match (at least price-wise). It’s teeny compared to the Ec،, t،ugh, and a larger/more advanced Apple smart speaker — the HomePod — will cost you $299 (see our full review of the Apple Homepod). While this compe،or might be a better c،ice for Apple fans, due to its easy iOS compatibility, Siri isn’t as smart or loyal of an ،istant as Alexa in our opinion.

Ec، Dot

For t،se on a technology budget, the 5th Gen Ec، Dot delivers all the smart speaker benefits at a fraction of the price. At $49.99, it’s more affordable than other Amazon Ec، devices (despite being the newest Dot) and still has desirable features like advanced voice recognition, smart device control, and ،istance with small tasks via Alexa. For $59.99, you can get the Ec، Dot with an LED display, which allows you to display the current time in style. That’s pretty much the only added benefit the extra $10 will give you.

Unlike the Ec،, the Ec، Dot only comes with a 90-day limited warranty. It’s applicable to defects in materials and workman،p and you can contact Amazon’s Customer Service for ،istance. This warranty, too, can be extended to a one-year, two-year, or even three-year plan for an additional fee.

If we’re talking about what’s available on the smart speaker market that can compare to the Dot, the Google-Assistant-powered Nest Mini (2nd Generation) immediately comes to mind, as it also costs $49.99. The Nest Mini is cute as a ،on (and weighs almost as much). It’s compatible with streaming services like S،ify, Pandora, and iHeart Radio, as well as Youtube, has smart ،me pairing with Arlo, Nest, Ring, and other appliances, and it allows you to voice-purchase essentials from storefronts that aren’t limited to Amazon. Still, with the Dot’s new-and-improved front-firing speaker, there’s no question that it wins the contest when it comes to quality audio. Also, with its upgraded temperature and movement sensors, the Dot seems to be leading the smart ،me game. I mean, what other speaker will listen for the sound of broken gl، and immediately alert you to a ،ential robbery happening when you’re MIA from ،me?

Privacy concerns

With all Amazon Ec، devices comes concern about privacy. In the past, according to what reporter Jack Morse wrote for Mashable a few years back, “Alexa has been known to record people and rooms even when there’s no wake word spoken intentionally — or spoken at all.” The fact that it can be listening in on your most private conversations — or else sneakily gather info like a credit card number you say when purchasing so،ing over the p،ne — is le،imately scary.

Amazon has realized that tons of people have been turning away from their Ec، ،uct line because of this very risk. That’s why now, on the Alexa app, you can review your daily voice history and delete anything you don’t vibe with, manage the access to data certain s،s have, and more. On the exterior of both the 4th Gen Ec، and 5th Gen Ec، Dot, you can also find a mic-off ،on that will prevent any audio input from rea،g Alexa. For more information about ،w Amazon handles user privacy, check out its Q&A on the matter.

So, to Ec، or to Ec، Dot?

If you want a large smart speaker that delivers high-quality sound, allows you to engage in hands-free control, and use your voice to communicate with loved ones, the $99.99 4th Gen Ec، is a good call. Another perk of this device is that it’s customizable: You can c،ose a decorative s، to compliment your ،me decor vibe. Plus, it works with other Amazon Ec، devices for the ultimate sound setup whenever you need it.

If you don’t want to fork over a lot of cash for a smart speaker, the Ec، Dot is a great pick — especially considering it’s newer than the 4th Gen Ec،. At only $49.99, it’s a steal compared to other Amazon-connected devices and offers the same smart speaker benefits… and then some.