Amazon Echo: models, differences and what you should know before buying your smart speaker

Update May 22, 2023: In this article we’ve made changes to add the new Amazon Echo Pop and removed models that are no longer available like the Echo Dot 3G. Plus, we’ve updated speaker prices and availability at various stores.

The era of smart speakers, home assistants or whatever you want to call them, has arrived. Google Home, Apple HomePod and Amazon Echo are already here and every day they have more utilities and acceptance. That is why we believe a small guide is necessary for you to know What possibilities do the Amazon Echo give us?and which is the best Echo for you.

Amazon has recently presented the news of its smart speakers, which may have caused you to be confused about which amazon echo is better and which one best suits your possibilities.

Do not worry, because we are going to explain what characteristics each of the Amazon Echo have that are on the market right now. They all start from a common point, Alexa as a voice assistant, and in this sense, they all do the same.

However, the difference is in the details, and there are elements, such as screens, the size and quality of the speakers, and integrated protocols that vary from one Echo to another.

EchoPop

Smart speaker with Bluetooth available in 4 colors and with Alexa as an integrated assistant.

EchoPop It is the latest model of the Amazon speaker family that has arrived in Spain. Based on a 4th generation Echo Dot but with a redesign that’s especially interesting when you’re looking for a piece of tech that will fit right into your decor. That’s why it now comes in 4 different colors.

In addition to having a Bluetooth function so that any compatible device can play audio, is a WiFi speaker that is compatible with virtually all streaming music platforms major ones like Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL and of course, Amazon Music Unlimited.

Its design is the most striking thing about this Echo Dot, in addition to the colors it is a very compact speaker which comes to replace the old 3rd generation Echo Dot.

You can pair several in one room to listen to music in stereo, also in several rooms to play at the same time in all or send messages between different Echo. Always with all the power of Alexa.

Echo Dot (5th generation)

We start with the latest Echo Dot, the Alexa device that has all the ballots to become a sales success. It is small, it can be placed anywhere in the house while maintaining its aesthetics and can be connected to various IOT items in the home.

With a spherical shape that changes the usual appearance of these speakers from Amazon, the Echo that will act as a Trojan horse for smart assistants (again, just like the Home Mini), allowing many curious about this technology, but who do not want to spend a lot of money, to start experimenting with this type of assistant .

This model and its design allow to significantly amplify the sound and distribute it throughout the room more easily. Besides, integrates four microphones and despite its price, one of the cheapest, you can perform all the functions you want with it.

EchoFlex

The Echo Flex is a new smart speaker from Amazon with an integrated plug and Alexa that stands out for being the most economical, compact and versatile alternative. It is especially aimed at users who want to enjoy the functions of a smart speaker at the best price, and with the possibility of placing it in any room in the house.

Amazon Echo Flex equips a 15mm mini speaker that allows you to control compatible devices in your Smart Home and take advantage of all Alexa functions. Besides integrates a USB port to charge your mobile or other devices, as well as a night light. It also works as an intercom to talk through other devices with Alexa.

EchoStudio

The most powerful speaker with Alexa and with the best fidelity sound thanks to its 5 internal speakers, while maintaining all the advantages of an Echo with a personal assistant.

The Amazon Echo Studio is the new smart speaker with Alexa especially aimed at audiophiles. It is the model with the highest audio quality, as it offers high-fidelity sound that automatically adapts to any room.

This device is equipped with three 50mm midranges, a 2mm tweeter and a 133mm woofer. Thanks to this since features Dolby Atmos and Dolby 5.1 technologyis capable of providing high-quality surround sound.

Like the Echo Plus, it has a built-in Zigbee digital home controller to control all the devices in your home with your voice, and it can be paired wirelessly with the Fire TV Stick 4K or the second-generation Fire TV Stick.

EchoShow 5

This Amazon smart speaker has a 5″ touch screen, dual HD camera, Alexa and several smart functions that it shares with other speakers in this company’s catalog.

The Amazon Echo Show 5 is a totally different product. Yes, it has Alexa, but it is more focused on other types of home assistants, such as the Lenovo Smart Display or the Google Hub. However, unlike Google’s, Show 5 can make video calls.

And it is that, Echo Show 5 is an intelligent assistant that has two differentiating factors. On the one hand, a very interesting size for those who do not want a black cylinder in the living room, but some functionality more than with the Dot.

On the other hand, a screen that shows us information about different elements, as well as the possibility of making video calls thanks to its four microphones and integrated camera on the front.

Not the best Amazon music player, since its speaker does not give much, although we can connect external speakers, but its function is another. We can make the aforementioned video calls, see the latest movie trailers, see the weather information and other skills, as they call them, on the screen.

It is, in the end, another type of device aimed at those who want a pure and hard assistant, but are looking for something more than what the Echo Dot offers. That’s where the screen comes into play.

oh! And it can play Prime Video, although we can’t see ourselves watching a movie on it…

EchoShow 8

This Amazon smart speaker has an 8″ touch screen, a camera with tracking, Alexa and several smart functions that it shares with other speakers in this company’s catalog.

The middle brother of the Echo Show 5 is this EchoShow 8. As its name indicates and you will have already noticed its difference is that it has an 8 inch screen.

Being bigger, it has more space for better speakers and that is quite noticeable when playing music or even series and movies since you can use it with platforms such as Prime Video or Netflix among others.

Whether it is to play video, to display information from Alexa or even to use it as a player for your family photos, it is an excellent option for places like a living room or a large room like the master bedroom.

EchoShow 10

We finish the review with a superior model with a larger screen and for those who want take full advantage of the quality of an Echo speaker and the best image, the Echo Show 10.

This speaker has a display 10.1 inches with HD resolution, 13 Mpx camera, microphone… and follows us as we move through the room thanks to its original design.

Its operation is the usual in these devices and with it you can follow recipes, request information from the internet, weather, make video calls, watch Prime Video and, of course, not miss a second thanks to its rotation that will follow you wherever you are. In addition, you can connect it to the mobile and see through your camera when you are not at home.

EchoShow 15

It is not a product for everyone, among its rarities is the one that this Echo Show 15 actually looks more like a painting than a smart display speaker. It is both good and bad.

The positive part of this Echo Show 15 is that you can put it on the wall and it is very useful as a virtual assistant, to show pending information or to show photos of your family. The bad thing is that it is big, the screen is 15 inches and although you can put it on top of a piece of furniture instead of the wall, you may not have enough space.

We highly recommend it if you’re already into the world of Echos and have your entire digital life tied up with Amazon and Alexa services, but as a first product with Alexa, it can be too much.