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Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen)
Best choice
Amazon’s newer speaker has a radically totally different design and much-improved sound, and it is the latter that makes it the brand new default choose for most individuals. It is a good good speaker that retains issues impressively easy.
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Amazon Echo Dot (Third Gen)
Nonetheless spectacular
The older Echo Dot remains to be a brililant little little bit of package, and due to its flatter construct there are many events and preparations that it’d match extra simply into than the newer, larger choice – and it nonetheless sounds nice for its dimension!
Amazon’s line of Echo Dot audio system was one of many extra settled and constant in tech over the previous couple of years – its puck-shaped design was clearly doing one thing proper because the Alexa speaker bought in its multitudes.
Nonetheless, few issues in tech final eternally and Amazon switched to a wholly new look for the Echo Dot back in 2020, very a lot a shrunken-down model of the 4-gen mainline Echo. It was a radical departure, however with the 3-gen Echo Dot nonetheless on sale, you may be questioning which of the 2 you need to choose up. We have in contrast them intimately throughout just a few classes, that will help you resolve.
Costs and availability
The excellent news is that each of those audio system may be picked up at a very good value. The unhealthy information is that as older merchandise, they’re getting tougher to search out, particularly the puck-shaped Echo Dot Third-gen. You may pickup the Echo Dot 4th-gen for about $25 on Amazon, whereas the Echo Dot 3rd-gen can be yours for $19. There are sometimes refurbished choices too – so control what you are shopping for.
Design and specs
There isn’t any getting round it – Amazon modified the Echo Dot’s design fairly radically, going from that particular puck form to a globe of a sensible speaker within the 2020 model. That has additionally had an inescapable influence on the Dot’s dimension – it is bought loads taller, successfully. The precise footprint of the speaker is similar to the previous version, however with much more top. It is value noting that there is now a 5th-gen Echo Dot too – which is even higher than the 2 fashions on examination right here.
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Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) Amazon Echo Dot (Third Gen) Dimensions 100 x 100 x 89mm 43 x 99 x 99mm Audio 1.6-inch speaker 1.6-inch speaker Voice Assistant Alexa Alexa
Whereas that is given Amazon a bunch of area to slot in extra tech, as we’ll present later, it does imply that the newer Echo Dot will not essentially slot in as many nooks and crannies as its predecessor. The brand new model can also be just a little heavier, too, because of its elevated dimension but in addition due to the aluminium utilized in its building, in comparison with the extra plastic really feel of the older speaker.
In any other case, each audio system share the Alexa light-strip to let you realize when the voice assistant is listening, or turned off, in addition to 4 buttons on the highest to allow you to alter the quantity, mute the speaker or verify a variety actions.
You may get each generations in black, gray and light-weight blue colors, however a pink choice is reserved for the older speaker at current. Each generations are additionally accessible with an embedded clock show for at-a-glance timing info, for a small bump within the value.
Lastly, the newer Echo Dot additionally has two variant designs aimed toward kids, that are good for those who’re searching for a sensible speaker to place in just a little one’s bed room or playroom.
Sound high quality
Apparently, Amazon did not reinvent the sound design behind the material shroud of the newer Echo Dot – it is nonetheless bought that 1.6-inch speaker to supply the quantity. Now that is no concern – for a small speaker, the Dot line has been producing actually spectacular sound high quality for a while, so no change is not unhealthy information.
That mentioned, the elevated dimension of the newer Dot does provide you with some enchancment within the sound high quality. There’s much less vibration by way of the physique of the speaker and meaning it performs higher at greater volumes, higher positioned to fill the room with sound. It isn’t vastly totally different, however it’s higher.
On each fashions, there may be additionally a 3.5mm port in case you wish to pipe audio out through cable.
Alexa and good house connectivity
In relation to Alexa, you will get fairly related experiences on each generations of Echo Dot audio system – as loads of the assistant’s processing is finished within the cloud regardless. Nonetheless, the AZ1 Neural Edge chip that is within the newer Echo Dot does imply that Alexa is barely sooner and extra responsive on the newer speaker, as you would possibly count on.
The good house integration potential, in the meantime, is equivalent – something you are able to do on an older Echo Dot will nonetheless work on the newer spherical mannequin, and the reverse is true too.
Conclusions
As Amazon typically does with its product refreshes, the brand new Echo Dot debuted on the identical value because the outdated one, so there is no change there. However since we have seen the launch of a newer 5-gen Echo Dot each these older audio system are typically less expensive. Nonetheless, the variations aren’t very huge – and we predict it is actually the design that ought to sway most individuals.
For those who’re a fan of the brand new spherical look, then the newer speaker goes to be proper up your road, however for those who have a look at it and may’t get on board, the older Echo Dot may be extra palatable. Finally, as with so many issues, it comes right down to style!
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