OUR BEST-SOUNDING ECHO DOT YET - Enjoy an improved audio experience compared to any previous Echo Dot with Alexa for clearer vocals, deeper bass and vibrant sound in any room. As well as hardware, there are still some omissions in the Echo multi-room functionality. Multi-room isn't possible when music is playing over Bluetooth, for example, and certain non-music content such as e-books aren't supported either. DO MORE WITH DEVICE PAIRING - Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms. Create a home cinema system with Fire TV. This feature can be toggled on and off in the Alexa app, under the Motion Sensing option in your individual device's settings menu.

It's also one of the few devices capable of using the Echo's new 'motion sensing' feature. That works similarly to motion sensing on the Echo Show, but utilizes ultrasound instead of a camera lens. Yes – for some people. This is because the question of which voice assistant to introduce to your home is largely a personal one. If your household comprises mostly iPhoneusers, for example, the HomePod Minioffers Apple-focused functionality and a step up in terms of sound quality over the Echo Dot,albeit at a substantial price hike. Similarly, if you like speaking to the Google Assistant, the answer may also be 'no'. But if you've yet to pledge allegiance to a virtual voice assistant and you're open to the idea, this is a top entry-level smart speaker.

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So, how does it perform? Well, the bizarre thing is that despite having the same internal speaker specs as the third-generation Echo Dot, the 2020 version somehow manages to sound markedly better.

As I said earlier, if you want the best-sounding smart speaker, the Sonos One is the way to go. But if you’re looking for a smart speaker that will not just play tunes, but act as a central smart home hub, the 4th-generation Echo is an excellent choice. Echo delivers clear highs, dynamic mids and deep bass for rich, detailed sound that automatically adapts to any room. KEEP YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE - Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically start a smart fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone. The speaker projects sound forward through the mesh, rather than 360-degrees like its predecessor, while a silicone rubber foot keeps the ball from vibrating or rolling around. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian The Echo Show 10's dual, front-firing tweeters and woofer cannot move along with the screen (the screen is on an arm at the top of the speaker), but the barrel-shaped design still offers a decent shot at omnidirectional sound. Said screen can also rotate while you're watching the news, flash briefings, or TV shows from Hulu + Live TV and Prime Video. So just because you're cooking, you won't miss a second of your favourite show.

Why is Amazon Echo (4th Gen) better than Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)?

Every Echo speaker (including the Echo Sub) supports the multi-room feature, as well as third-party speakers from the likes of Sonos. The Dot is larger and produces slightly fuller and wider audio because of it, despite having the same sized speaker as the third-generation model.

As well as showing the time, the screen shows you timers (those less than an hour are shown as a countdown; those over just put a ‘.’ on-screen at the top to show you that a timer is active). Set an alarm, and you get another ‘.’ on the screen (the lower one). A new low-power mode will reduce the Echo’s power consumption while it’s idle, with some caveats. The Echo won’t enter low-power mode if you linked a Spotify account to your Alexa account, if Alexa Guard is in Away mode, if there’s an active notification, if you have an external speaker plugged into the Echo, or if a smart home device is connected directly to the Echo via Bluetooth. If Alexa is the one for you, there's a compelling case for it. If, however, you prefer the Google Assistant and like the idea of using your smart speaker as a sleep guru, the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) might be one to look into.Inside the Echo is a 3-inch woofer that faces upward and two 0.8-inch tweeters that face forward. Like the Echo Studio, the Echo uses its array of six microphones to determine the acoustic properties of the room it’s in, and adjust the sound output accordingly. It’s a feature that’s also found on the Sonos One and the Apple HomePod, but not the HomePod mini.