Echo Dot vs Echo Pop Which One You Must Buy

When you are looking for the best Amazon smart speakers, you have two popular choices; Echo Dot vs Echo Pop. The Echo Pop is Amazon’s latest addition to its Echo smart speaker lineup. It is available to compete with the smaller Echo Dot. To help you decide which one suits your needs better, we’ve compared the two in terms of price, design, features, and sound quality.

Difference Between Echo Dot and Echo Pop

Here are all things you should know to differentiate between Echo Dot vs Echo Pop:

Price

Starting with pricing and availability, the Echo Pop entered the market as the newest entry-level smart speaker in May 2023, priced at £44.99. On the other hand, the Echo Dot is currently in its 5th generation. This iteration of the speaker was released in October 2022 with a retail price of £54.99.

Design

In terms of design, both the Echo Pop and the Echo Dot share similar sizes and a sleek, rounded shape intended to seamlessly blend into your home decor.

However, there are notable differences between them. While the Echo Dot is spherical with a flat base, the Echo Pop features a semi-circular shape with a flat edge where the sound emits. Additionally, the Echo Dot offers touch controls on the top of the speaker, allowing you to perform actions like pausing a song or ending a call with a simple tap.

When it comes to color options, the Echo Pop offers a more vibrant selection, including Charcoal, Glacier White, Lavender Bloom, and Midnight Teal. In contrast, the Echo Dot comes in Charcoal, Deep Sea Blue, and Glacier White, opting for more muted finishes.

Furthermore, if you prefer a built-in clock display, you have the option to choose the Echo Dot with Clock variant, which features an LCD clock display. However, this feature is not available on the basic Echo Dot or the Echo Pop.

Features

The main attraction of both the Echo Pop and the Echo Dot is Amazon’s virtual assistant, Alexa. With Alexa, you can do a variety of tasks such as playing music, answering questions, providing news updates, checking the weather, and controlling compatible smart home devices like lights and plugs. Additionally, there’s a vast library of Alexa skills available, allowing you to personalize your experience even further.

In terms of voice responses, we found that the Echo Pop excels, thanks to its larger speaker delivering Alexa’s voice loud and clear. Both the Pop and the Dot are powered by the latest AZ2 Neural Edge processor, enabling faster responses and some on-device processing.

However, one unique feature exclusive to the Echo Dot is its temperature sensor. This sensor enables you to set routines with your smart devices based on indoor temperature, such as activating a smart fan when the temperature surpasses a certain level.

Sound Quality

When it comes to sound quality, both the Echo Dot and the Echo Pop offer the ability to play your favorite tracks from various music streaming services like Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and more. Additionally, both speakers support Bluetooth playback.

Despite the Echo Pop featuring a larger speaker, we found that the Echo Dot delivers superior sound quality. The Echo Dot provides a richer audio experience with better range, including warmer tones and more pronounced bass compared to the Echo Pop.

While the Echo Pop is capable of filling a regular-sized room with sound, it lacks the depth and clarity found in the Echo Dot. High-end frequencies can sound harsh and muddled on the Echo Pop, further cementing the Echo Dot as the preferred choice for music enthusiasts.

Echo Dot vs Echo Pop – Which One is Better?

In summary, while the Echo Pop offers a stylish and affordable option for those seeking an Alexa speaker to enhance their home, we ultimately recommend the Echo Dot (5th generation) over the Echo Pop. The Echo Dot’s superior sound quality, tap controls, and built-in temperature sensor make it the preferred choice between the two.