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(Pocket-lint) - Amazon has a blistering array of Echo speakers, suiting a afloat scope of prices and uses. From the compact up to larger speakers for a fuller euphony experience, there's thing for everybody. Plus, there's besides a enactment of devices with displays.
There's besides a burgeoning ecosystem of different Amazon astute devices that enactment successful immoderate mode with Alexa - specified arsenic the Amazon Echo Wall Clock. We're detailing what they each do, what the differences are and highlighting the champion prices to support way of each the deals and sales.
Which is the champion Amazon Echo for you?
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Amazon Echo (4th Gen, 2020)
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- Dimensions: 144 x 144 x 133mm, 970g
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), Bluetooth (A2DP), 3.5mm audio in/out, Zigbee, Sidewalk
- Audio: 3.0-inch woofer and 2x 0.8-inch tweeter
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
Amazon's latest flagship Echo changes the signifier to a sphere and drops the cylinder plan of erstwhile models. The caller look gives the Echo the accidental to boost its audio credentials, taking the 3.0-inch woofer from the erstwhile Echo and doubling the 0.8-inch tweeters. That means the talker tin connection stereo without pairing, powered by Dolby and automatically adapting the dependable to suit the country you enactment it in.
On apical of that, it's smarter, with a Zigbee controller and Amazon Sidewalk, meaning it volition beryllium a amended hub than erstwhile Echos astatine this level, rivalling and surpassing the skills of the aged Echo Plus. Like different Echos, it tin beryllium paired and grouped, and besides works with the Echo Sub.
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Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen, 2020)
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- Dimensions: 100 x 100 x 89mm, 328g
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio out
- Audio: 1.6-inch speaker
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
The 2020 Echo Dot follows the caller Echo successful moving to a spherical shape, moving connected from the puck of the erstwhile fewer generations. It sticks to the aforesaid speaker, however, truthful expect the audio show to beryllium similar. It besides offers each the aforesaid functions, with the lone existent changes being the summation of greater Wi-Fi bands.
There are neat quality designs for kids, and a newly-refreshed mentation of the Echo Dot with Clock.
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Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen, 2018)
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- Dimensions: 148 x 99 x 99mm, 780g
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5GHz), Bluetooth (A2DP), 3.5mm audio in/out, Zigbee
- Audio: 3.0-inch woofer and 0.8-inch tweeter
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
The second-generation mentation of the Echo Plus appeared successful 2018 and takes a shorter, wider stance, with a cloth-covered exterior. The plan is fundamentally precisely the aforesaid arsenic the third-gen Echo - arsenic are the speakers inside.
The Echo Plus 2 offers each the Alexa functions that each different Echo devices volition connection you, but has a built-in Zigbee controller (like the largest Echo Show and the fourth-gen Echo), meaning you tin straight link to and power compatible astute location devices. It's a large all-rounder, but fixed the show is present matched by the caller Echo, you person to truly request that Zigbee controller to warrant the other price.
Also, since this 1 is present a small agelong successful the tooth, you whitethorn person occupation uncovering it successful definite locations.
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Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen, 2018)
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- Dimensions: 43 x 99 x 99mm, 300g
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5GHz), Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio out
- Audio: 1.6-inch speaker
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
The Echo Dot has been amazingly fashionable and the 3rd procreation was redesigned successful 2018, ditching the hard integrative to lucifer the Echo. It's a larger diameter than the archetypal exemplary it replaces and that gives abstraction for a 1.6-inch speaker.
The Echo Dot is simply a large standalone Alexa device, good equipped to converse with you and portion it's not truly designed arsenic a euphony device, it volition springiness you large wide sound. It tin besides beryllium connected to different talker via 3.5mm cablegram if you wish.
There's besides a mentation with a LED timepiece down the cloth.
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Amazon Echo Studio (2019)
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- Dimensions: 206 x 175 x 175mm, 3.5kg
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), Bluetooth (A2DP), 3.5mm audio in/out, Zigbee
- Audio: 3x 2.0-inch midrange, 1.0-inch tweeter, 5.25-inch woofer, Dolby Atmos, MPEG-H
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
The Echo Studio is the apical canine for audio successful the Echo range, expanding into a bigger portion designed to springiness overmuch richer sound.
It supports the Amazon Music HD service, arsenic good arsenic offering enactment for Dolby Atmos and 3D formats from MPEG-H, similar Sony 360 Reality Audio. Not lone is this a euphony master, but it tin besides grip your TV audio and is compatible with wireless connections to Fire TV devices. It tin beryllium stereo paired, too.
At its heart, though, this is inactive an Alexa device, susceptible of each the features that Alexa brings, arsenic good arsenic offering a Zigbee controller truthful it tin natively link to astute location devices and power them. It's large worth for wealth for specified a high-performing speaker.
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Amazon Echo Flex
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- Dimensions: 72 x 67 x 66mm, 166g
- Connectivity: Bluetooth and dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), USB-A (7.5W), 3.5mm audio output,
- Audio: Built-in talker for dependable feedback
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
Amazon Echo Flex is the smallest mode to get Alexa successful your home, plugging close into the wall. It has a talker and microphone to present the Alexa experience, but there's besides a 3.5mm socket successful lawsuit you did privation to hook it up to existing speakers.
It besides has a USB transportation connected it which tin beryllium utilized to complaint a telephone but tin besides judge accessories, including a question sensor oregon a nighttime light. It's a versatile small instrumentality and casual summation to immoderate room. Naturally, it's not truly designed for playing euphony owed to the tiny speaker, but if you privation dependable power oregon Alexa features without the wires, past the Flex is an absorbing choice.
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Amazon Echo Sub
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- Dimensions: 210 x 210 x 202mm, 4.2kg
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5GHz)
- Audio: 6-inch down-firing woofer, 100W Class D amplifier
- Alexa: No
The Amazon Echo Sub is technically an Echo companion, successful that it doesn't connection Alexa successful its ain right; instead, the Echo Sub acts to boost your Echo set-up by adding a dedicated subwoofer.
The Echo Sub tin beryllium paired with 1 Echo oregon Echo Plus, but it's ideally suited to a stereo-paired acceptable of Echos, to make a 2.1 system. The lone drawback present is that you'll person to usage Echos of the aforesaid type, truthful a brace of Echo Plus, for example.
Essentially, if you're an Echo instrumentality and already person 1 oregon 2 Echos, past the Echo Sub is simply a large upgrade, meaning you'll person a decent euphony strategy - and each with Alexa's large dependable control.
Amazon astute displays and video devices
Amazon has plentifulness of screened devices to explore, too. These marque the Alexa acquisition much ocular and makes apps, services and interactions overmuch much interactive.
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Amazon Echo Show 10 (2020)
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- Dimensions: 251 x 230 x 172mm, 2560g
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), Bluetooth A2DP, Zigbee, Sidewalk
- Display: 10.1-inch touchscreen
- Audio: 3.0-inch woofer, 2x 1.0-inch tweeters
- Camera: 13-megapixel sensor
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
The 2021 Echo Show 10 is the 3rd procreation of the ample Echo Show. The large alteration successful this mentation is the design, with a much important talker basal and the surface that's present connected a swivel. That means the show tin move, to travel you astir the room. That's perfect for those who enactment it successful a larger kitchen, for example, and those who don't privation to person to physically determination it each the time.
The show is the aforesaid size, but the talker statement has besides expanded implicit the erstwhile edition. It's present a 2.1 setup, with a dedicated woofer and a brace of tweeters, making for a much robust sound. The downside is the accrued cost.
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Amazon Echo Show 8 (2021)
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- Dimensions: 200.4 x 135.9 x 99.1mm, 1037g
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), Bluetooth
- Display: 8.0-inch touchscreen
- Audio: 2.0-inch speaker
- Camera: 13-megapixel sensor
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
The Echo Show 8 updated successful 2021 is the aforesaid size arsenic the 2019 model, but makes a alteration successful the camera department.
The 13-megapixel camera brings with it a diagnostic that volition support you centred successful the shot, truthful has the imaginable to boost the video calling experience.
Otherwise the 8-inch show and scope of functions is mostly the aforesaid arsenic connected the 2019 model, offering a large size betwixt the Show 10 and Show 5 - this this exemplary is much almighty for a smoother experience.
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Echo Show 5 (2021)
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- Dimensions: 148 x 86 x 73mm, 410g
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), Bluetooth
- Display: 5.5-inch touchscreen
- Audio: 1.65-inch speaker
- Camera: 2-megapixel sensor
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
The large alteration for the 2021 Echo Show 5 implicit the 2019 exemplary is that the camera has been updated to 2-megapixels, meaning that it should beryllium amended prime connected video calls.
There's a caller colour too, but this is fundamentally the aforesaid wide instrumentality arsenic the 2019 mentation - but that it nary longer offers the 3.5mm output connected the back.
Otherwise, it's the smallest Echo Show and perfect for your bedside.
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Amazon Echo Show 8 (2019)
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- Dimensions: 200.4 x 135.9 x 99.1mm, 1037g
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), Bluetooth, 3.5mm output
- Display: 8.0-inch touchscreen
- Audio: 2.0-inch speaker
- Camera: 1-megapixel sensor
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
The Echo Show 8 slots into the spread betwixt the Echo Show 10 and the Echo Show 5 - but has present been replaced by the 2021 exemplary of the Echo Show 8.
There's a camera connected the beforehand - including a screen - truthful erstwhile you're not utilizing it for calling you tin support your privacy.
This exemplary is somewhat little almighty than the newer model, truthful you mightiness similar to bargain the caller mentation - though it does person a 3.5mm output, which the caller exemplary doesn't.
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Amazon Echo Show 5 (2019)
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- Dimensions: 148 x 86 x 73mm, 410g
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), Bluetooth, 3.5mm output
- Display: 5.5-inch touchscreen
- Audio: 1.65-inch speaker
- Camera: 1-megapixel sensor
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
The Echo Show 5 gets its sanction from the 5.5-inch show and is the smallest Echo Show model. It has present been updated by the 2021 model, which has an updated camera.
However, it's besides importantly cheaper and mode amended worth than the main Echo Show. There are immoderate compromises successful camera and dependable quality, though it provides dependable bully capable for astir tiny to medium-sized rooms.
It besides has a 3.5mm output, which the caller exemplary doesn't.
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Amazon Echo Spot
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- Dimensions: 32 x 84 x 84mm, 163g
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5GHz) and Bluetooth (A2DP), 3.5mm audio output
- Display: 2.5-inch circular touchscreen
- Audio: 1.4-inch speaker
- Alexa: Yes (Always-on/always-listening/voice-activated)
The Amazon Echo Spot is what you'd get if you transverse the Echo Show with the aged Echo Dot. It's a compact Echo to beryllium beside your furniture for alarms. It has a tiny 2.5-inch screen, which tin beryllium utilized for basal tasks and skills, similar music, but it does a batch more. Like the Echo Show, it tin beryllium utilized to marque video calls, with a beforehand camera.
It fundamentally offers the aforesaid functions arsenic the Echo Show but successful a overmuch smaller signifier factor. It tin besides link to your Bluetooth speakers, oregon via a 3.5mm cable.
Which Echo should you buy?
When it comes to the Echo speakers, the caller 2020 Echo (4th Gen) is the exemplary to get. The latest Echo is the smartest and champion sounding - and the older Echo models aren't wide disposable anymore.
If euphony is what's important to you, past adding the Echo Sub volition boost the experience, adding debased scope skills - truthful this is besides large arsenic an upgrade enactment successful the future. Stereo pairing past makes for a large 2.1 system.
The Echo Plus is present mostly redundant, arsenic the astute location controller is present disposable connected the fourth-gen Echo, too. However, it retains that cylindrical design, if that's what you prefer.
The Echo Studio is successful a full different league, by acold the astir ambitious talker from an audio constituent of presumption truly boosting the prime - but besides offering Dolby Atmos and immersive audio erstwhile partnered with your Fire TV. It tin besides beryllium stereo paired, which is simply a formidable setup, but mightiness beryllium a small ample for immoderate people.
Echo Dot is perfect to widen Alexa to different rooms of the location wherever you don't person an Echo, truthful if you've acceptable up a voice-controlled astute home, Echo Dot makes it casual to ever beryllium successful dependable range. It's besides a large bedside oregon tiny country device, arsenic the audio show is amazingly good. The Echo Flex volition subtly plug into the partition and connection dependable controls - so, if it's conscionable the location power via dependable that you want, the Flex is perfect.
The Echo Show scope takes things successful a antithetic direction. It's much expensive, but it gives you video calling and a show for much interactive returns. If you cognize idiosyncratic other with an Echo Show, it's a earthy prime to prevention you from needing to usage Skype connected your laptop. Echo Show 10 besides offers a Zigbee controller, truthful has each the astute location advantages, arsenic good arsenic offering Sidewalk.
Show 5 and Show 8 connection smaller show options, some offering plentifulness of interactive fun, but not rather arsenic susceptible arsenic the 10-inch model. We'd prime the Show 5 implicit the Echo Spot for its amended dependable and much accepted and utile display, although, if it's a bedside companion you want, the Echo Dot with Clock is simply a large option.
Writing by Maggie Tillman. Editing by Chris Hall. Originally published connected 3 March 2016.
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