​​Amazon Echo Dot vs Echo Pop: Which should you buy?

The Amazon Echo Dot vs Echo Pop smart speaker debate might not be as straightforward as you think. We’ve compared both devices so you know which one is right for you.

Amazon’s Echo Dot and Echo Pro are cheap smart speakers that punch way above their weight. These tiny speakers have all the chops you need from any smart home device and work flawlessly with Alexa. They play your favorite songs, control the smart devices, tell you jokes, and much more via simple voice commands.

The Echo Dot is in its fifth generation, while the Echo Pop was recently introduced, and is slightly more affordable than its more mature sibling.

But, if you were to pick between the Amazon Echo Dot vs. Echo Pop, which one should you buy? We try to answer all these questions.

Echo Dot vs Echo Pop: Price

Amazon Echo Dot (fifth generation) costs $49.99 for the base variant, and the one with an LED clock is priced at $69.99.

The Echo Pop is much cheaper and costs just $39.99. Both speakers are available directly via Amazon and are often bundled with smart home devices like smart bulbs. Both devices retain a lot of the same functionality, so if you’re on a budget, the Echo Pop could be the right one for you.

Amazon Echo Dot: Pros & cons

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The Amazon Echo Dot, as mentioned above, is already in its fifth generation which means it has improved with time. The Echo Dot comes in a dome-shaped design to offer multi-directional audio. It comes in two different flavors: one with an LCD clock and one without. 

The Echoo Dot also has a ring light status at the bottom, and physical buttons up top to control music, volume, and more. Powered by the latest AZ2 Neural Edge processor, the Echo Dot also comes with a thermometer for smart home accessories.

Since the Echo Dot comes with an Eero network extender built-in, the speaker can improve Wi-Fi coverage around the house. It also supports wireless music streaming via Bluetooth. However, the Echo Dot’s 5th gen model doesn’t have a Thread border router which means it cannot be used with Matter as a smart home hub. However, if you were to get a 4th generation device, you would be able to use the device with a Thread former router.

The Echo Dot offers bassy room-filling sound, sporting compatibility with Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and other popular music streaming services.

Amazon Echo Pop: Pros & cons

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The Echo Pop helps you control smart devices like smart bulbs, plus, lights, and more. You can also stream music from your preferred service. The Pop is also powered by the latest AZ2 Neural Edge processor, and it offers a rapid response to your queries.

While it looks smaller than the Echo Dot, the Pop is loud enough to offer room-filling sound as it has a speaker built-in that can offer decent-quality audio in a pinch.

Unlike the Echo Dot, the Echo Pop misses on various inbuilt extras like Eero wifi extension and thermometer sensors. But, it does have Bluetooth for wireless audio streaming. The Echo Pop doesn’t sport a usable Thread border router like some models of the Echo Dot.

Echo Dot Vs Echo Pop: Which one is right for you?

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While both devices might be similar when it comes to pricing, they are fairly different when it comes to features. In terms of raw value, the Echo Dot is a much better buy.

It not only has multi-directional speakers, but also has features like a Wi-Fi extender, temperature sensor, tap controls, and an all-round better design, which makes it our favorite budget Alexa speaker.

That said, while you can’t go wrong with the Echo Pop, choose it only if you’re on a shoestring budget and just need a smart speaker to perform basic tasks.

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