Which Amazon Echo smart speaker should I buy? A handy guide to your four options
Date:
Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:26:35 +0000
Description:
Now's an especially good time to buy a new Amazon Echo smart speaker and if you're not sure which one, head this way.
FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Amazon 's next Prime Big Deal Days event is fast approaching, and if you were thinking of buying a new Echo smart speaker, now is the time to do it. Amazon uses its Prime Day events to offer the biggest discounts of the year, and the autumn Prime Day deals have landed early. There are big price drops across the full Echo speaker range in the US and the UK, and I'm not expecting these deals to get any better when the official event arrives on October 6-7.
If you've decided you'd like an Amazon Echo speaker, but aren't sure which
one to go for, you're in the right place. At the moment there are four to choose from: the Echo Spot, Echo Dot, Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio. Most of them look pretty much the same (and especially online, where you can't see
the size differences), but inside they have different features and capabilities that mean one might suit you better than another. Below, I'll
run through the key differences you need to know, to help you choose the
right Echo speaker for your needs.
Wondering if a full home hub might be a better choice? Head to my Amazon
Echo Show guide instead. US: Amazon Echo smart speaker deals 50% OFF Amazon Echo Dot (newest gen) Amazon US $39.99 $79.99 Shop Now 50% OFF Amazon Echo Spot (newest gen) Amazon US $54.99 $109.99 Shop Now 33% OFF Amazon Echo Dot Max (newest gen) Amazon US $79.99 $119.99 Shop Now 18% OFF Amazon Echo Studio (newest gen) Amazon US $179.99 $219.99 Shop Now UK: Amazon Echo smart speaker deals 63% OFF Amazon Echo Dot (newest gen) Amazon UK 29.99 79.99 Shop Now 59% OFF Amazon Echo Spot (newest gen) Amazon UK 44.99 109.99 Shop Now 50% OFF Amazon Echo Dot Max (newest gen) Amazon UK 59.99 119.99 Shop Now 20% OFF Amazon Echo Studio (newest gen) Amazon UK 174.99 219.99 Shop Now Which Amazon Echo smart speaker should I buy? There are currently four Amazon Echo speaker options to choose from: the Echo Dot, Echo Spot, Echo Dot Max, and Echo Studio. That's aside from the Echo Show range , all of which also have Alexa capabilities and a speaker, but operate more like full smart-home hubs thanks to their large screens.
Lets start with the cheapest Echo speaker: the Amazon Echo Dot (2022, 5th
gen) . It's the smallest option, and offers all the basics: built-in Alexa
and a 3-mic array. Because there's just one, small, front-firing speaker,
it's best for use in small spaces. There's no audio enhancement tech to speak of, either, so it's probably not ideal if your priority is playing music. It would make a great, screen-less smart device for a bedroom something to play your morning alarm and tell you what the weather's going to be like today.
The Amazon Echo Spot (2024, 2nd gen) is slighty pricier. It's identical to
the Dot in all its key specs; the big difference is that it has a screen that displays the time, as well as things like reminders, timers, weather and song titles. Again, it's a strong choice for bedrooms, and ideal for those who prefer to have some kind of visual cues rather than relying on voice control alone. Image 1 of 4 Amazon Echo Dot (Image credit: Amazon) Amazon Echo Spot (Image credit: Amazon) Amazon Echo Dot Max (Image credit: Amazon) Amazon Echo Studio (Image credit: Amazon) Image 1 of 4 View Original Image 2 of 4 View Original Image 3 of 4 View Original Image 4 of 4 View Original The next level up is the Amazon Echo Dot Max (1st gen, 2025) . This one's more built for sound, with a 0.8-inch tweeter and 2.5-inch woofer, plus support for lossless high definition sound and automatic room adaptation. That, plus an extra mic, make it much more suitable for use in large spaces. It also has something called Omnisense, for "ambient AI" see below for more about that.
At the top of the range is the Amazon Echo Studio (2nd Gen, 2025). This looks like a slightly larger Dot Max, and comes with further audio enhancements. It packs a 3.75-inch high-excursion woofer and three full-range drivers, and offers distortion reduction, Amazon Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos as well as lossless high definition sound and automatic room adaptation. Amazon recommends it for large, communal spaces. What is Omnisense in Amazon Echo devices? The Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio both have 'Omnisense' capabilities. Amazon says Omnisense "leverages a range of sensors and signals" to enable Alexa to "intelligently act on various events happening in and around your home, enabling more personalized, proactive, and helpful experiences". For example, it might launch a particular morning routine when it spots a
specific person is in the room. Echo Spot and Dot: specs compared Swipe to scroll horizontally
Device:
Dot
Spot
Dot Max
Studio
Newest model:
5th gen, 2022
2nd gen, 2024
1st gen, 2025
2nd gen, 2025
Alexa built-in:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Speakers:
1.73-inch front-firing
1.73-inch front-firing
0.8-inch tweeter, 2.5-inch woofer
3.75-inch high excursion woofer, 3 full-range drivers
Audio tech:
None
None
Lossless high definition, automatic room adaptation
Distortion reduction, lossless high definition, automatic room adaptation, Amazon Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos
Microphones:
3 mic array
3 mic array
4 mic array
4 mic array
Processor:
MediaTek
MediaTek
AZ3
AZ3 Pro
Smart home hub built-in:
No
No
Yes
Yes
Omnisense:
No
No
Yes
Yes
Dimensions:
10 x 10 x 8.9cm
11.3 x 10.3 x 11.1 cm
10.9 x 10.9 x 9.9cm
15.5 x 14.2 x 14.7cm
List price:
$79.99 / 79.99
$109.99 / 109.99
$119.99 / 119.99
$219.99 / 219.99
Best for:
Bedrooms, small spaces
Bedrooms
Living rooms, communal spaces
Large communal spaces Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.
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