The Amazon Echo Dot is one of the most popular smart speakers, because it is cheap. Amazon typically sells the Echo Dot for less than $50, and often combines it with some other smart home device, like a smart light bulb or video doorbell, which makes getting one of those devices very affordable. Best Alexa Speakers.
Right now, Amazon sells two versions of the Echo Dot: The Amazon Echo Dot (3rd generation)and the Amazon Echo Dot (4th generation). Both are two of The best smart speakersBut it has different capabilities and different prices. In this guide, we’ll compare the Amazon Echo Dot 3 vs 4 to help you decide which one you prefer.
Amazon Echo Dot 3 vs 4: Specifications
Echo Dot (Generation 3) | Echo Dot (Gen 4) | Echo Dot with Clock (Gen 4) | |
price | US$34.99 | US$49.99 | $59.99 |
public chest | 2018 | 2020 | 2020 |
size | 3.9 (Dia) x 1.7 inches | 3.9 (Dia) x 3.5 inches | 3.9 (Dia) x 3.5 inches |
Color options | coal | Charcoal, white, blue | White blue |
Loudspeaker | 1.6 inch | 1.6 inch | 1.6 inch |
ports | 3.5 mm audio | 3.5 mm audio | 3.5 mm audio |
Show | number | number | yes |
Amazon Echo Dot 3 vs 4: Price
Whichever Echo Dot you choose, you won’t be paying much heckuva. The third generation Echo Dot usually sells for around $35. The fourth generation Echo Dot lists at $50, but it’s usually $10 more than the third-generation model.
The 4th generation Echo Dot with Clock – which has a small LCD display that shows the time – about $10 more than the version without a watch.
However, some Amazon’s best deals They often bring big discounts to the Echo Dot lineup, so you can usually find them at a much lower price than the list price.
For Amazon Prime Day (July 12 and 13, 2022), both models of the Echo Dot are cut further:
Amazon Echo Dot 3 vs 4: Design
The third generation of the Echo Dot has almost the same shape of a hockey puck as the first two generations; However, it has fabric wrapped around its sides, has a slightly curved surface where you can find its control buttons and a circular LED ring.
The fourth generation Echo Dot has a completely different look; like the eldest Amazon Echo (4th Gen .),) The latest Echo Dot is spherical in shape, and looks like the Magic 8-Ball on its flat side. The majority of the Echo Dot is wrapped in the same fabric as the third generation Echo Dot, but the back of the device, where the power is delivered, is hard plastic. It’s not as elegant as the Apple HomePod Mini, but it’s a nice looking one.
The four buttons on the top let you control the Echo Dot, but on this model, the LED status ring has been moved to the bottom. Check out our guide to Decoding Alexa flashing lights If you are not sure what the current LED color means.
The Echo Dot with Clock looks, as you might imagine, like the fourth generation Echo Dot, but in the middle of the face is a small LCD screen that shines through the fabric, showing the time. Amazon once made the Echo Dot with Clock shaped like a third-generation model, but now the ball version is the only Echo “clock” speaker available.
Amazon Echo Dot 3 vs 4: Sound Quality
Both versions of the Echo Dot have a single 1.6-inch speaker. In our tests, we didn’t hear much of a difference between the two; The fourth-generation model was more bass, due to the larger size of the device. Both are better when you want a little background music, or to listen to the news or podcast. However, neither of them can hold a candle to larger smart speakers like Sonos OneAnd the HomePod MiniAnd the Google Nest Audioor even a full-size Amazon Echo.
If you know How to use AlexaWith your speaker, you’ll be able to stream all kinds of audio, from music and meditations to podcasts and audiobooks. We see How to play Spotify on Alexa And the How to use multi-room music with Echo Dot To get the most out of the speaker.
Amazon Echo Dot 3 vs 4: Which one to choose?
Unless you love the design or color options of the fourth generation Echo Dot, there’s no good reason not to opt for the third generation Echo Dot. It’s $10 less expensive, it’s almost as good when it comes to audio quality, and it gives you access to all your files. best alexa skills And the Alexa tricks Just like the newer model.
Plus, the third-generation Echo Dot’s more compact shape makes it easier to fit into tight spaces, and companies have made a number of accessories that let you mount it on a wall or next to an outlet.
However, we think the Amazon Echo Dot with Clock is worth the extra dough; Having a small clock that can show the time and temperature and use it as a timer is very useful. That’s why it is one of the The best smart home devices We recommend – period.
For more tips on raising your IQ in your home, be sure to check out our site smart home guide. This way, you can see everything your new Echo Dot, 3rd or 4th generation, can do.