AMAZON ECHO DOT vs ECHO (4th GEN): Which is worth?

The brand-new Amazon Echo dots and the 4th-generation Amazon Echo are visible here. While they are all spherical, we’ll discuss many significant differences in this article to assist you in determining which one is actually the better purchase.

ECHO ECHO DOT
BUY NOWBUY NOW
PROSPROS
+ Built-in Alexa support.
+ Mic mute button.
+ Has mic mute button.
+ Excellent ambient noise performance.
CONSCONS
Doesn’t get very loud.Doesn’t get very loud.
Lacks low-bass.

AMAZON ECHO DOT vs ECHO (4th GEN): Specs

ModelsECHO ECHO DOT
AlexaYesYes
Speakers1 3 in. woofer1 1.6 in. speaker,
2 0.8 tweeters
DolbyYesNo
Weight34.2 oz (970 g)12 oz (341.3 g)
Wifi connectivityDual-band wifi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) networks.Dual-band wifi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) networks.
BluetoothYesYes
Audio3.0” (76.2 mm) neodymium woofer and two 0.8” (20 mm) tweeters.1.6” speaker. 3.5 mm line out for use with external speakers (audio cable not included).
LED clockNoYes
Line in/out3.5 mm3.5 mm
Size5.7” x 5.7” x 5.2” (144 x 144 x 133 mm)3.9” x 3.9” x 3.5” (100 x 100 x 89 mm)

AMAZON ECHO DOT vs ECHO (4th GEN): Differences

1. Design

There are many internal differences, but let’s start with the most obvious. The Amazon Echo Dots both have a 1.6-inch front-firing speaker, making them single speakers, as opposed to the Amazon Echo, which has a 3-inch woofer firing upwards and then 2.8-inch tweeters. This will significantly impact the sound quality, but we’ll talk about that in more detail below.

After using all of these for about a week, in addition to the sound quality and functional variations I’ll mention, the space you have available is one of the most crucial factors you should consider.

2. Dimension

The Amazon Echo Dots might be a better option for a windowsill, a small ledge, or any other space with limited space because they are smaller at 3.5 inches than the larger Amazon Echo, which is about 5.5 inches. This is because Amazon has switched to a spherical design rather than a cylinder one.

Another thing to think about is that because these are spheres, if someone breaks into your house and you need something extra to throw at them. The Amazon Echo Dots will undoubtedly be more baseball-sized, allowing you to throw them further. I hope you never need to use an Amazon Echo to defend yourself, but the ledge space is a significant difference to consider.

3. ZigBee Hub

On the larger Amazon Echo, there are some cool internal features, such as a ZigBee Hub, which allows for a lot of internal connectivity and eliminates the need for a hub if you’re using something like a Philips Hue or any other ZigBee-enabled smart home device. The functional differences are also quite significant. One of the biggest ones will be this: the larger Amazon Echo has much more internal connectivity than the smaller one.

4. Amazon Sidewalk

And Amazon Sidewalk is a more recent feature from the company that enables you to have sensors that are farther away, so a sensor outside, like a motion sensor in your driveway, can use this as a hub right here. It’s something that I like to see sneaking down into the more affordable models for just $100, and you get that in a large, good-quality speaker. Good job, Amazon.

There will likely be more third-party devices to mount that and be more creative in the future. I’m still determining what they will look like, but I’m excited to see what they do. Another benefit to the more significant Amazon Echo is that we have the quarter 20 threads right there on the bottom, which means you can mount this on a tripod or some stand.

AMAZON ECHO DOT vs ECHO (4th GEN): Advatages & Disadvantages

Now the smaller one, sadly, the Amazon Echo Dots. I like the spherical design but unlike the previous designs, you’re not going to be able to mount these anywhere on the wall or anywhere except just setting them on a table. They don’t have any threads on the bottom and I’m not entirely sure what would grip onto that.

I mean, maybe you could try to mount it on the wall but it’s going to be firing at a bizarre angle anyhow. However, an advantage of the Echo Dot is that, in addition to having a variety of colors, you can choose between the Amazon Echo Dot and the Amazon Echo Dot with an LED display, which, by default, only displays the time. I like having that on there because it will always show the current time.

It’s a pretty handy feature to have on these and I wish they put it on the larger Amazon Echo, but they don’t have room for that because they have some speakers. You can also display other things; it can show you the temperature and offer you timers and things like that. Other than that, there aren’t many differences between the Amazon Echo Dot and the Echo. The size will be a big advantage for the Echo Dot, and then the hub inside will be a significant advantage for the big Echo right here.

AMAZON ECHO DOT vs ECHO (4th GEN): Sound Quality

The sound quality and volume will be the most critical factors for most people to consider when choosing between the two, and it’s obvious given that the speaker setup on the Amazon Echo is much better. There are only three speakers—a woofer, a tweeter, and a speaker—and I discovered that the sound quality is superior to that of the Amazon Echo Dots, though it is still respectable.

If you have a larger room, consider the Echo even if you don’t listen at full volume because the bass will travel through your room well and sound warmer and more packed. They sound adequate, and if you have two of them in the room, you have like it does sound pretty good but you’re not going to get nearly as much bass as you’re getting on the Amazon echo.

AMAZON ECHO DOT vs ECHO (4th GEN): Similarities

1. Voice Assistant

While I’ve highlighted many differences, it’s important to note that they also share many similarities. For example, both of these have Amazon’s voice assistant, which I’ll refer to as Alexa, who will respond to your questions on either. Since both have access to the internet and perform the same tasks, it will only depend on the device specifically because neither one will be smarter or anything of the sort.

You can ask it to set timers, play music, and other things, but you can also ask it to do more advanced things like control a smart home even if you don’t have an Amazon Echo. If you have an Amazon Echo Dot, you will need additional hubs.

2. Routine & Performs

Additionally, you can create routines and perform similar actions so that when you enter your home and say, “Hey Alexa, I’m home,” the temperature will change, the lights will turn on, and music will start. Of course, the possibilities are endless, and you can customize much of that within the app.

3. Buttons & Light

The same four buttons are covered in fabric on both of these, and they both have the bottom light rings. With these, the design and the experience will be remarkably similar.

4. Feature

Suppose you get the smaller Amazon Echo dot and still want high-quality sound but want something other than the large device here. In that case, you can either run an aux cord out of this into another speaker or you can connect it by Bluetooth, which is a nice option because, as I said, you won’t get a lot of bass response on these small Echo Dots and it’s also wireless.

Price

The most obvious difference will be in the price. The smaller ones offered here are $50, while the larger Amazon Echo is provided for under $100.

Conclusion

The Amazon Echo Dot is a great buy if you have a smaller space, like a small ledge somewhere, or if you have a tighter budget. I also really like having the clock on the front of the device. So, between these two, which one would I recommend getting? Obviously, it depends on your budget.

The Amazon Echo is a great buy if you’re looking for something bigger if you want better sound quality if you want to have more devices in your home if you’re thinking about getting maybe some Philips hue light bulbs, or things like that. I like how they have that hub on board, and it’s a great idea for Amazon to add that.