Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) vs Echo Pop

Amazon’s smart speaker lineup continues to expand with options at various price points. The Echo Dot (5th Gen) and newer Echo Pop represent Amazon’s entry-level smart speakers, but they take different approaches to bringing Alexa into your home. Let’s break down how these two compact smart speakers compare.

Editor’s note: this article was published on November 28, 2024, and is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What’s it like to use the Echo Dot compared to the Echo Pop?

Both speakers serve as entry points into Amazon’s Alexa ecosystem, but they differ in design and placement flexibility. The Echo Dot (5th Gen) features a spherical design with a flat base, while the Echo Pop looks like a sphere cut in half, giving it a more modern, space-saving aesthetic. The Echo Pop comes in more color options, including Lavender Bloom, Charcoal, Glacier White, and Midnight Teal, offering more personality than the Echo Dot.

The Echo Pop’s front-firing speaker is angled slightly upward, which helps direct sound toward your ears in most setups. The Echo Dot has a more traditional omnidirectional design, making it more flexible in terms of placement but potentially less optimal for desk use.

How do you control the Echo Dot and Echo Pop

Both devices feature similar control schemes:

• Physical buttons on top for volume control and microphone muting
• Voice control through Alexa
• App control through the Amazon Alexa app

The Echo Dot includes an additional button for prompting Alexa compared to the Pop’s simpler three-button layout.

Should you use the apps of either Echo Dot or Echo Pop?

Both devices use the Amazon Alexa app, which has some notable drawbacks and privacy concerns. The app’s layout is unintuitive, making it difficult to find basic features like EQ settings or Skills. While the app is responsive and maintains a stable connection with both devices, its poor organization can make setup and customization more challenging than necessary.

How do the Echo Dot and Echo Pop connect?

The Echo Pop is more limited in connectivity, offering only Wi-Fi connection options. The Echo Dot (5th Gen) provides both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, though it lacks the 3.5mm output port found in its predecessor. Both speakers support 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands.

Is battery life better on the Echo Dot or Echo Pop?

Neither device has a battery – both must remain plugged in to function. Both use proprietary power cables rather than USB-C, and we criticized both for having relatively short power cords.

Does the Echo Dot sound better than the Echo Pop?

The Echo Dot (5th Gen) generally offers better sound quality, particularly at low to medium volumes. However, both speakers have limitations.

The Echo Dot (5th Gen) sounds best at low to medium volumes, with notable bass emphasis, and exhibits significant distortion at high volumes. On the other hand, the Echo Pop has a more neutral-leaning sound signature with limited volume capacity and minimal bass response. However, it does have better sound projection due to the angled speaker design.

Should you get the Echo Dot or Echo Pop?

The choice between these speakers depends on your specific needs:

While both the Echo Dot (5th Gen) and Echo Pop are solid entry-level smart speakers, they might not be the perfect fit for everyone. If you’re specifically looking for the best Alexa speaker, there are other options worth considering. And if you’re still on the fence about which smart ecosystem to invest in, check out our comprehensive guide to the best smart speakers before making your final decision.

What should you get instead of the Echo Dot or Echo Pop?

If neither speaker meets your needs, consider these alternatives:

• Apple HomePod Mini ($99.99 at Best Buy) – Better sound quality and Siri integration
• Google Nest Audio ($49.99 at Best Buy) – Better sound and Google Assistant integration
• Amazon Echo Spot (2024) ($44.99 at Amazon) – Includes a display screen

Frequently asked questions