Let's compare Amazon Echo, Echo plus and Echo dot
Amazon echo has made lots of waves in the technology world since it was first released in 2014. This smart speaker from Amazon has revolutionise voice-based interaction between IoT devices. The device works using Amazons voice based intelligent personal assistant service called Alexa. It can play music for you, sets up the alarm, play news, answer questions about many different topics. All you need to do is activate the device by calling it by its name aka wake word. The wake word can be set to Alexa, echo or computer. If you have smart home devices, then Amazon echo can allow you to control your smart home devices using your voice. Want to turn off your lights? Just Ask Alexa.
Amazon Echo VS Amazon Echo Dot Vs Amazon Echo Plus
After the success of Amazon echo 1st generation, the company started producing different variations of the smart speaker. Among them, Amazon echo dot is one of the most notable variation. The idea behind this speaker was to make echo smaller and cheaper. Just like Amazon echo, echo dot also has built in omnidirectional microphones which is designed for picking up voice from anywhere in the room. Echo plus however is an upgraded version of the amazon echo with its built-in smart home hub. Basic usage and functionalities of these devices are almost same, each of them responds to voice command, each of them can play music or read you the latest news. However, there are some differences between these three speakers. Let’s talk about their differences.
Image | Product | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Amazon Echo 2nd Gen | Overview: Fill the room with sound with Amazon Echo (2nd gen) smart speaker. It comes with 6 colours. | Check on Amazon |
 | Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Gen | Overview: Small, blends nicely with the interior, Echo Dot (3rd Gen) adds Alexa to any room. | Check on Amazon |
 | Amazon Echo Plus | Overview: Echo Plus (2nd Gen), premium sound and built-in smart home hub with Alexa. Control any IoT device which can work with Zigbee protocol. | Check on Amazon |
We have tried and tested each of these Echo devices and prepared our observations bellow.
Size
The second-generation echo and the echo dot are pretty much same in diameter. However, echo is much taller than echo dot. Amazon echo is basically a cylindrical shaped device. At little over half pound, Echo dot is much lighter than Echo and Echo plus which weigh around 1.8 pounds.
Sound Quality
Even though each of these devices have built in speakers, the sound quality in echo is better than echo dot thanks to its larger and higher quality 360-degree speaker perfect for whole room audio. Echo Plus has the best sound quality among all other variations of echo speakers thanks to its 0.7-inch tweeter for supporting higher music notes. Additionally, each of these speakers now come with Dolby processing which provides clear vocal and bass. It is worth mentioning that, the third-generation echo dot has better audio quality than its predecessors. Each of these devices have 3.5mm output jack for connecting to external speakers.
Voice Control
As mentioned before, each of these speakers can be controlled with Alexa. So, when music is playing at maximum volume, you can still command Alexa and it will respond accordingly. One major concern is whether it can hear you over the loud music. Good news is, echo and echo plus have noise cancellation technology – which makes it possible for it to hear you even when the music is being played.
Smart home hub
Amazon echo can control other echo speakers such as echo dot or other echo devices. So, if you have multiple echo speakers in your home placed in different locations, you can ask Echo to play music everywhere. To control smart home features such as smart lights, blinds etc, you need echo plus. Echo plus has built in smart home hub. So, you do not need additional Amazon smart home hub to control your smart home if you just get this speaker. If you decide to get amazon echo dot or echo, and still want smart home system then you will need to buy a smart home hub.
Look
The echo dot 3rd generation comes in 3 different colours, charcoal, heather grey and sandstone. On the other hand, the echo is available in 6 different colours and looks. One of them is covered in metallic silver. This is our personal favourite. Two variations have wooden look and remaining three have fabric-based designs (heather grey, charcoal and sandstone). So, you can pick them based on your decoration.
to summarise, if you are looking for a small smart speaker for your table, or to keep beside your bed which has all basic smart speaker functionality then go for Echo dot. It is cheap, portable and looks great. If you are looking for a speaker which covers your entire room then get Echo. And lastly, if you want to control your smart devices using Alexa then get an Echo Plus which has a Zigbee based smart home hub.