If you’re familiar with the Alexa assistant experience, it will be largely the same across their different devices with the main difference being their audio experience and smart display if they offer one.
Where Should You Start?
If you’re just getting started with Alexa, the Echo Dot (4th Gen) is a great speaker to start with, especially if you’re on a tighter budget or don’t want to fully commit to the ecosystem yet. The sound quality isn’t the best and when compared to similarly priced and sized speakers, it’s quite underwhelming. As an assistant-first device, where music quality isn’t the priority, it offers great value because of its smart features and connectivity.
The Echo Show 10 has a bright and vibrant screen that’s sharp and easy to see or read even on the sunniest days. It features a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 touchscreen, just like its previous model. This might not sound impressive, but in person, it looks great.
See our full Echo Show 10 review to learn more.
For more casual listening sessions, you may need to be within a couple of feet of the Echo studio to really appreciate its improved sound quality over the Echo (4th Gen). Some users may not get the full benefits of the Echo Studio especially if they don’t really need that extra audio quality. If it’s just about getting loud, the Echo gets the job done and will sound good, but the Studio takes it to the next level.
The Echo Studio has three 2-inch midrange speakers, one 1-inch tweeter, and one 5.25-inch downward-firing woofer. Higher bit-rates are supported and it has Dolby Atmos built-in, although it is best reserved for movies and shows only. The 3D audio effect tends to do more harm to music rather than enhance it.
Read our full Echo Studio Review to learn more.
The fourth-generation Echo departs from the more traditional cylinder design and introduces a new sphere that is heavier, wider, and slightly shorter than the outgoing model. With its frequent deep discounts and promo offers, especially during Prime Day, this is a strong buy for those looking to start or expand their Alexa setup.
The Echo handily beats the Echo Dot in every category except for size and perhaps cuteness. If budget allows, or you can snag one for a great deal like Prime Day, the Echo is the much better choice and offers greater value.
Unless you’re only planning on using the speaker in a smaller space like on the desk of a small office, getting it for a spare room, or as a cheap stocking stuffer, then the bigger Echo is the way to go. The Echo Studio is a pretty nice upgrade over the Echo, however, from many tests and various speaker configurations, two Echos over one Echo Studio is a more preferable setup.
For its size and price, it’s not the best sounding or best value speaker, especially if audio quality is your priority. If you’re willing to sacrifice performance for those Alexa features, then this is worth checking out, but it’s highly recommended that you wait for it to go on one of its regular sales or promos like Prime Day.
Just as with the previous Echo Dot, the sound quality is decent, but far from exciting. These smaller Dots lack the power and range to nicely fill a room. You won’t be hosting a great party with this, but as a small personal speaker that sits closer to you, it’s good. This is intended to give you that Alexa experience in a compact form that can easily be added almost anywhere.
At its full price, the Echo Dot (4th Gen) audio performance is a little underwhelming, especially in the bass department. Alexa proves to be a reliable voice assistant that many users want to add to their homes. The Echo Dot is one of the cheapest ways to do so while also offering you the benefits of a compact wireless speaker that you can play audio to.
With its dark gray fabric cylinder design, the Echo Sub looks nearly identical to the Echo Studio both in terms of size and design. In a household of other Echo speakers, it fits right in. Unlike other Echo speakers, the Sub is currently only available in Charcoal. Sorry, no matching your white or blue devices here.
This is a 6-inch down-firing 100W woofer. It’s rather small and lightweight compared to other 100W wireless subs including a few Alexa-compatible ones which typically weigh more. As such, you may want to cap your expectations. This sub is intended for smaller to mid-size spaces and likely can’t compete with larger offerings. This is intended to be paired with another Echo speaker to work, or otherwise is a giant paperweight. It’s not the largest or most powerful, but for its price and features, it’s actually a pretty good deal.
Beyond being a “starter” speaker, these Dots are also great for adding to smaller rooms in order to add Alexa throughout your home without costing too much. It’s worth noting that these speakers frequently go on deep sale, especially during Prime Day. These are the best times to score a deal on an Echo Dot.
A Worthy Upgrade
As mentioned, the Echo Dot is a great speaker to start with or add to less important rooms, but it will leave you craving more if you want to really enjoy your music.
The Echo shares the same design but brings with it much better audio performance as well as more smart features and connectivity. The Echo delivers better bass thanks to its two 0.8-inch tweeters and a 3-inch neodymium woofer, as well as Dolby Audio. In addition to better audio, the Echo also supports audio in via its 3.5mm input, while the Echo Dot is stuck with audio out only. Likewise, in terms of connectivity, the Echo can be used to set up Zigbee devices.
Do You Need a Display?
Echo speakers are already very useful with their Alexa integration, but there are times when having a smart display can be really beneficial.
The Echo Show 10 offers similar audio performance to the Echo but with a 10.1-inch floating display attached. In situations where you need to see or follow along with the information shared by Alexa, a display makes this possible.
Cooking along with recipes is extremely enjoyable here. Beyond the bright and vibrant display being easy to see, it also can follow you around as you move within its view. This helps you always see what’s on-screen.
This is also the perfect entertainment hub as the Show 10 is essentially a simplified smart tablet with a powerful speaker that acts as its rotating base. It has a great selection of built-in streaming apps including Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu which let you watch your favorite shows and movies right on the Echo Show.
Want the Best Audio?
While the Echo is very capable, the Echo Studio takes things a step further and can better fill a room on its own. The improvements aren’t as dramatic compared to jumping from the Echo Dot to the Echo, but for those who appreciate the highest sound quality, it’s offered here.
Creating an Amazing Setup
Taking things even further, if budget and space allow, it’s recommended to add two or more of these Echo speakers to your setup. For example, you could have the Echo Show in the living room or kitchen, and the Echo Studio in the dining area. To add some extra oomph that you can feel, throw in the Echo Sub, and you’ll hit those low notes.
The Sub’s performance really begins to shine at higher volumes as it lacks individual controls and relies on pairing with another Echo device. It has a few shortcomings that prevent it from being a strong recommendation, but with the right setup and patience, it can be a worthy addition.
Adding the Echo Show 10, Echo, Echo Studio, and Echo Sub to a speaker group where all the devices can sync and play audio together creates an incredible listening experience that spoils you.
Q: Is Alexa a Good Voice Assistant?
Alexa is one of the most feature-rich voice assistants to date. It surpasses Siri in most categories and matches Google Assistant in most tests. Alexa currently has more integrations and more customization for additional features with its “Skills”. Whether you’re choosing your first smart home assistant or are deciding if you should switch to an Alexa, it has wide compatibility and is easy to use.
There are certain smart devices, services, and apps that have limited compatibility with Alexa, so if those are important to you, be sure to research and make sure Alexa is a good fit.
Q: Can all Echo Speakers/Displays Sync Audio Together?
All of your Echo speakers and displays can be added to a main group which can be used to play audio in sync together. This is great for filling up a room, floor, or entire home with music.
It’s important to note that this sync is limited to audio-only and can be buggy depending on how your wireless network is configured.
Q: Which Echo Speaker or Display Should I Get?
Depending on your budget, how you’ll be using the device, and the size of your room, you can find an Echo speaker or display that meets your needs. For the best experience, you can combine multiple Echo devices together for a more exciting experience.
