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Latest launch, full of options
Amazon Echo Dot (Fifth Gen)
The sound high quality is healthier than it ever has been, with the identical capabilities as its greater, costlier siblings. It is the one to decide on.
Execs- Improved sound
- Temperature sensor
- All of the enjoyable of Alexa
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Not as feature-rich, however nonetheless high quality
Amazon Echo Dot (4th gen)
The older speaker provides a lot the identical expertise and Alexa is simply as succesful — however there are fewer options, and it does not sound pretty much as good.
Execs- All the talents of Alexa
- 3.5mm connection
- May need extra reductions
From Echo Pop to the wall-mountable Echo Show 15, the Echos are available all sizes and shapes. Nonetheless, one of the popular smart home hub units is the Echo Dot. It hits the right candy spot between worth and efficiency, so you’ll be able to put Alexa in virtually each room if you want. The Echo Dot has seen fairly just a few modifications because it was first launched in 2016 — what began life as a brief puck, as if the highest had been sliced off the unique Echo, has skilled fairly just a few glow ups.
By the third-generation, it gained a material exterior that made it look a lot smarter than the earlier two variations. The largest change got here in 2020, with the introduction of the 4th-gen Echo Dot. This modified the form from a cylindrical puck to an virtually spherical design with a flat base. After which in 2022, the Fifth-gen Echo Dot was launched, the newest model of the gadget.
How does the newer Fifth-gen Echo Dot examine to the 4th-gen model? For those who already personal a 4th-gen Echo Dot, is it definitely worth the improve? We went head-to-head with the 4th-gen Echo Dot vs Fifth-gen Echo Dot to see what the variations are.
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Worth, availability, and specs
The Echo Dot (4th-gen) launched in 2020 at a worth of $50, earlier than being up to date by the Echo Dot (5th-gen) at the same price of $50.
Amazon units fluctuate in worth rather a lot, nonetheless, via varied gross sales like Prime Day and Black Friday, so the Echo Dot Fifth-gen is commonly obtainable for much less. It is also one among Amazon’s hottest units and is extensively obtainable via retailers.
You would possibly discover that the Echo Dot 4th-gen is now more durable to seek out and much more costly via Amazon, as a result of it is the older gadget. Though on some third-party websites, like eBay, you’ll be able to nonetheless discover a whole lot. The 4th-gen is probably going not going to be a brand new buy for many readers, but when you have already got this speaker, we purpose to reply whether or not you need to improve to the Fifth-gen, or when you can stick along with your present speaker for just a few extra years.
Check out the specs to see what the important thing variations are.
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Amazon Echo Dot (Fifth Gen) Amazon Echo Dot (4th gen) Dimensions 100 x 100 x 89 mm 100 x 100 x 89mm, 328g Woofer Measurement 1.73in 1.6in Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Matter Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm, Matter SMART ASSISTANTS Alexa OTHERS Temperature sensor, Accelerometer None
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You possibly can pop one among these in each room.
Design and construct
Aesthetics after which some
The design of those audio system is just about the identical, with an identical dimensions, however you may discover that the Echo Dot 5th-gen is heavier, probably as a result of it is acquired extra tech inside. That weight does not make any actual distinction, because the gadget will simply be sitting on a shelf in your house.
Whereas each are fabric-covered spheres with the Alexa gentle ring across the base of the gadget and 4 buttons for management on the highest, there is a distinction across the again of the gadget. Sure, regardless of the spherical form, there’s a front and back to those audio system, with the plastic of the bottom elevating up the again half. Right here you may discover that the brand new mannequin solely has an influence connection, whereas the 4th-gen has a 3.5mm audio output as properly, permitting you to connect it to audio system or headphones with a wired connection.
Each audio system can be found in Charcoal and Glacier White colours, however the Echo Dot Fifth-gen provides a brand new Deep Sea Blue choice. Each are additionally available as the Echo Dot with Clock too, with the newer gadget providing a extra detailed show. Visually, there’s not a whole lot of distinction.
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Sound high quality
Notable enchancment
The massive change is within the audio high quality that every Echo Dot can produce. The speaker inside has been upgraded, with the Fifth-gen Echo Dot having a barely bigger driver. This can be a single-speaker system, and the 1.6-inch driver within the 4th-gen Echo Dot has all the time sounded good for its measurement. Nonetheless, the Fifth-gen Echo Dot has a 1.73-inch driver and, as we present in our assessment of the newest Echo Dot, the brand new speaker ends in richer audio, for a greater expertise total.
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Options and {hardware}
Sensors and app-support
Each of those units are constructed round Alexa, Amazon’s sensible assistant. That service is common, so you’ll entry the identical options and knowledge or work together along with your sensible dwelling in the identical methods. In each instances, your settings are managed by the Alexa app in your cellphone.
One huge distinction is that the Fifth-gen Echo Dot has extra sensors. This features a temperature sensor, which is able to have the ability to offer you a temperature studying for the room the Echo Dot is in, which mirrors the characteristic on a number of the bigger Echo units. That temperature sensor can be leveraged by Alexa Routines. For instance, you’ll be able to create a routine to activate the fan if the room will get to a sure temperature, or a routine to activate the heating if it will get too chilly.
The opposite addition is the accelerometer. This enables faucet interactions along with the buttons on the highest of the gadget. You possibly can faucet to snooze an alarm or faucet to pause music, for instance. These faucet gestures will not be price with the 4th-gen Echo Dot.
Each units can be utilized as a part of a stereo pair, could be added to teams, and might make the most of lots of the different widespread options of Alexa, corresponding to Alexa Calling. Each the 4th-gen and Fifth-gen Echo Dot may also turn out to be a part of an Eero network, extending the mesh community for higher connectivity if in case you have different Eero units. Each the 4th-gen and Fifth-gen Echo Dot are Matter appropriate, too, though they do not supply Zigbee help, which could be discovered within the 4th-gen Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Present 10, Echo Studio, and Echo Hub.
4th-gen Echo Dot vs Fifth-gen Echo Dot: Well worth the improve?
Catch it when you can
The variations between these two audio system are minor, however the Fifth-gen Echo Dot opens up a spread of prospects via the addition of recent sensors that the 4th-gen Echo Dot cannot match. The newer Echo Dot additionally sounds higher and has extra tech inside. For those who’re shopping for new, you may discover that the older Echo Dot is more durable to trace down, so it is a simple advice for the Echo Dot Fifth-gen.
Editor’s Alternative
Amazon Echo Dot (Fifth-gen)
For those who already personal a 4th-gen Echo Dot, nonetheless, there is not any big cause to improve. The temperature sensor and accelerometer are good to have, however most individuals purchase the Echo Dot to make use of as a wise speaker, and except for a slight carry in sound, the expertise right here goes to be very related. You might be higher off holding hearth till the Sixth-gen is launched. The longest hole between generations has been three years to this point, so with the Fifth-Gen Echo Dot being launched in 2022, the subsequent technology is probably not that distant.
Keep it up when you’re blissful
Amazon Echo Dot (4th-gen)
3:16
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