A Comparison Guide to Amazon Echo Devices: Which One Is Best for You?
Starting with the original Amazon Echo in 2014, the lineup of smart speakers with Alexa continues to expand.
But with so many choices, it might be hard to decide which Amazon Echo is for you. But we’re to help with a rundown of the current Echo lineup to help figure out the best option for your situation.
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The Amazon Echo started it all, and the flagship smart speaker is a perfect option for anyone looking to start their journey with Alexa.
Retailing for $99.99, the fourth-generation model features a rounded design that fits anywhere in the home. One of the most popular ways to use Alexa is to play music from a wide variety of streaming services, and the Echo sports some great credentials.
Along with a 3-inch woofer, the speaker sports dual front-firing 0.8-inch tweeters. The sound will also automatically adapt to any room. And for the best possible quality, you can also use the Echo to listen to lossless HD audio on services like Amazon Music HD.
Along with harnessing the power of Alexa and access to hundreds of thousands of available skills, the Echo can act as a smart home hub to control compatible devices like lights, locks, and more. It even controls Zigbee devices without needing additional hub hardware.
For privacy, the Echo has a hardware button where you can disconnect the microphones. Another great privacy feature, available for the Echo and all other models, is the ability to delete previous voice recordings through the Alexa app.
To best fit in your home, you can select from one of three different colors—blue, white, or black.
If you’re a music fan looking for a great speaker in a central part of your home that can harness the power of Alexa, an Echo is a perfect choice.
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The Amazon Echo Dot takes everything you like from the Echo and puts it in a more compact and inexpensive package.
Amazon’s most popular Alexa-powered speaker features a 1.6-inch front-firing speaker. While it won’t provide as strong of music quality as the larger Echo, it’s still great to listen in smaller rooms while accessing everything Alexa can do. Just like every other Echo, the Echo Dot can connect to other devices via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm line in/out port.
The speaker is $49.99 and is available in the same three color options as its larger sibling.
For $10 more dollars, you can snag an Echo Dot with Clock. As you probably guessed by the name, the speaker features a small digital clock on its face. Beyond that, the version is identical to the Echo Dot. It’s available in just white or blue.
Another variant available is the Echo Dot Kids. The $59.99 speaker is available with a fun tiger or panda print. It also includes a free, one-year subscription to the Amazon Kids+ service. And with a two-year worry-free warranty, you can return a broken speaker and receive a replacement for free.
No matter what Echo Dot model you choose, the smaller speaker is a great way to put Alexa in every room of your home without spending a bundle.
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Music connoisseurs should take a long look at the Amazon Echo Studio. The most expensive Echo without a screen is $199.99. But it packs some great technology for a top-notch listening experience. It packs a 1-inch tweeter, three 2-inch mid-range speakers, and a 5.3-inch woofer. The speaker features support for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio.
You can listen to spatial audio on the Echo Studio as an Amazon Music Unlimited subscriber at no extra charge.
Along with full Alexa support, the speaker is also a Zigbee hub to connect to compatible smart home devices.
If you’re interested in learning more about the speaker, take a look at our comprehensive Echo Studio review.
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And the Echo lineup isn’t confined to smart speakers. The top model with a display is the Echo Show 15.
The showcase Echo Show feature is a 15.6-inch full HD display and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera for photos and video calls. The big display is also perfect for watching a wide variety of streaming video options available like Prime Video, Netflix, and many others.
A Photo Frame feature also showcases your images from Facebook or Amazon Photos. As a nice touch, the display will work in both portrait and landscape orientation.
Only available on the $249.99 Echo Show 15 is a number of Alexa-powered widgets including shared calendars, personal sticky notes, to-do lists, and shopping lists.
To make the Echo Show 15 customizable for each member of the family, members can create personal profiles and use visual and voice ID to see specific appointments, reminders, recently played music, and more.
Just like all the other Echo Show models, the Echo Show 15 offers a dedicated button to disable the microphone and a built-in camera shutter.
If you have the money to spend, and are looking for an all-in-one Alexa-powered command center for your busy home, the Echo Show 15 provides a great option.
For more information about what the large option can do, read our review of the Echo Show 15.
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A perfect Alexa device for the kitchen is the Amazon Echo Show 10. The headlining feature of this Echo Show is a 10.1-inch screen that is designed to follow you wherever you go. So if you’re on a video call with family or friends or just watching a video while moving around making dinner, the screen will always be in view.
A 13-megapixel front-facing camera will always help provide the clearest image when video calling. When you’re away, you can securely access the Echo Show 10 and other Echo Show models to see what’s going on at home. But the Echo Show 10’s camera can rotate for a wider view.
Paired with the screen is a strong speaker lineup offering two, 1-inch tweeters and a 3-inch woofer. It’s also the only Echo Show with a built-in Zigbee smart home hub.
Find out everything you need to know about the Echo Show 10.
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Video calling fans looking for an Alexa-powered touchscreen and speaker should try the Amazon Echo Show 8. The standout feature is a 13-megapixel camera that will automatically pan, zoom, and frame on video calls. That means you’ll always be in the frame while talking.
The 8-inch touchscreen offers adaptive color that will provide the best picture no matter where it’s located in your home. For great audio, it sports stereo speakers.
Retailing for $129.99, the Echo Show 8 is available in either black or white.
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Perfect for a nightstand or other out-of-the-way location, the Echo Show 5 uses a 2-megapixel camera for video calling. The 5.5-inch screen can show video from any sources that its larger siblings can.
You can select from a black, blue, or white version.
For $5 more, you can snag the child-friendly Echo Show 5 Kids. Featuring a fun chameleon print, the smart speaker comes with a free, one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ and a two-year worry-free guarantee where you can replace a broken version for free. It also sports a wide variety of parental controls so you can set bedtime or video time limits, filter content, and review activity.
Choosing the Best Amazon Echo for You
As you can see, the Amazon Echo hardware lineup is extensive and offers the power of Alexa and much more at a number of price points with different features.
While each one offers the same basic functionality, Amazon has made sure to craft an Echo device for users with different needs.
