The Amazon Echo (4th generation) is the latest iteration of the popular smart speaker, boasting a sleek, spherical design and a significant upgrade in sound quality. This review delves into the features, performance, and overall user experience of this smart home hub. We’ll explore its ability to control smart devices, play music, answer questions, and provide a hands-free voice assistant experience.
Beyond its aesthetics, the Echo (4th generation) offers a range of improvements over its predecessors. It features a powerful speaker system with deeper bass and clearer highs, making it ideal for both casual listening and party playlists. The device also boasts enhanced microphones for better voice recognition, even in noisy environments.
Learn more about 16 Best Smart Speakers for Sirius Radio
Furthermore, the Echo (4th generation) integrates seamlessly with the Amazon ecosystem, offering access to a vast library of music, audiobooks, podcasts, and other content. You can control your smart home devices, set alarms, make calls, and even get weather updates, all through voice commands.
Find more on 22 Best Smart Speaker for Elderly
This review will assess the Echo (4th generation)’s strengths and weaknesses, providing a comprehensive overview of its capabilities and its value proposition in the crowded smart speaker market. We’ll determine if this latest version lives up to its hype and whether it is the ideal smart home companion for your needs.
| Name: | Amazon Echo (4th generation) |
| Image: |  |
| Price: | |
| Rating: | 4.7 out of 5 stars |
| Link: |
Design and Features
The Amazon Echo (4th generation) boasts a spherical design that’s both visually appealing and functional. Its soft-touch fabric covering feels premium and comes in a variety of colors to match your decor. The top of the speaker features a touch-sensitive interface for volume control, muting the microphone, and initiating various actions.
This generation of Echo is significantly larger than its predecessor, allowing for a more robust sound system. The speaker houses a 3.5-inch woofer and a 1-inch tweeter, resulting in a surprisingly full and rich sound experience. You can also connect to the Echo via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm auxiliary input for even more listening options.
The Echo 4th generation comes equipped with a built-in Zigbee hub, allowing you to easily control compatible smart home devices like lights, thermostats, and locks directly from the Echo. Additionally, it supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connectivity, ensuring reliable and stable communication with other devices.
Beyond its impressive audio capabilities and smart home integration, the Echo 4th generation offers a host of features powered by Alexa. You can use voice commands to play music, set alarms, get weather updates, manage your calendar, make calls, and much more. The Alexa ecosystem is constantly evolving, with new skills and features being added regularly, making the Echo even more versatile over time.
One of the key advancements in the Echo 4th generation is its improved microphone array. This allows Alexa to accurately pick up your voice from across the room, even in noisy environments. The speaker also features a new “whisper mode” that allows you to interact with Alexa in a hushed tone without waking everyone else up.
Sound Quality
The Amazon Echo (4th generation) boasts impressive sound quality for its size, delivering a balanced and enjoyable audio experience. The 3.5-inch woofer and two 20mm tweeters create a full and robust sound that fills a medium-sized room with ease. The audio is crisp and clear across the frequency spectrum, with good separation between instruments and vocals. Whether you’re listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks, the Echo (4th generation) provides a satisfying listening experience.
One of the standout features is the support for Dolby Atmos technology. While the actual Atmos experience is limited due to the speaker configuration, the technology enhances the overall soundstage and creates a more immersive listening experience. You’ll notice a wider and more spacious sound with a greater sense of depth and detail.
The Echo (4th generation) also offers good bass response, though it’s not as deep or powerful as some dedicated speakers. However, for its size and price point, the bass is surprisingly impactful and adds a good punch to the overall sound.
You can control the audio output with the Alexa app, allowing you to customize the sound profile to your preferences. You can adjust the treble and bass levels to your liking and even enable “Dynamic Bass Enhancement” for a more impactful bass experience. The app also allows you to adjust the volume and use the built-in equalizer for further fine-tuning.
Overall, the sound quality of the Amazon Echo (4th generation) is excellent for a smart speaker. It delivers a balanced and enjoyable listening experience with good clarity, detail, and bass response. While it might not compete with dedicated high-end speakers, it surpasses many other smart speakers in the market and is a great option for those looking for a versatile speaker that can handle various audio content.
Smart Home Integration
The Amazon Echo (4th generation) shines when it comes to smart home integration. It’s compatible with a wide range of smart home devices and platforms, making it a central hub for controlling your connected home.
With Alexa, you can easily manage your lights, thermostats, security systems, and more, all with voice commands. The Echo’s compatibility with popular smart home ecosystems like Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth ensures seamless integration with a vast array of devices.
Here are some key features that make the Echo a standout choice for smart home control:
- Voice Control: Simply say “Alexa, turn on the living room lights” or “Alexa, set the thermostat to 72 degrees,” and the Echo will respond accordingly.
- Multi-Room Audio: If you have multiple Echo devices, you can easily group them together to play music or announcements throughout your home.
- Routines: Create custom routines that automate tasks like turning on the lights, setting the temperature, and playing music based on triggers like time of day or presence detection.
- Smart Home Dashboard: The Alexa app offers a comprehensive dashboard that lets you monitor and control your connected devices, even when you’re not at home.
- Third-Party Integrations: Beyond the built-in support for popular platforms, you can integrate the Echo with a wide range of third-party smart home services and apps, expanding its capabilities even further.
The Echo’s ability to work with different smart home protocols and devices gives you the flexibility to build a system that meets your unique needs and preferences. Whether you’re just starting out with smart home technology or looking to expand your existing setup, the Amazon Echo (4th generation) is an excellent choice for controlling and managing your connected home.
Alexa Experience
The Echo (4th generation) runs on Alexa, Amazon’s voice assistant, which is undoubtedly one of the most capable and feature-rich assistants available. It responds quickly to commands and questions, delivering accurate information and completing tasks smoothly. From playing music and setting alarms to controlling smart home devices and getting weather updates, Alexa handles everything effortlessly.
One of the key strengths of the Echo (4th generation) is its advanced natural language processing. Alexa understands context and nuances in your requests, making interactions feel more natural. You can ask follow-up questions or provide additional information without needing to rephrase your initial command. For instance, if you ask “What’s the weather like tomorrow?” and then follow up with “And how about the day after?”, Alexa will understand you’re referring to the weather forecast.
The Echo (4th generation) also boasts a range of features that enhance the user experience. You can use Alexa to create shopping lists, set reminders, and even make calls. The “Drop In” feature allows you to instantly connect with other Echo devices in your home, making it convenient for communication within the household.
Moreover, Alexa is constantly learning and evolving, with regular updates bringing new features and improvements. Amazon’s commitment to improving Alexa ensures that the Echo (4th generation) remains a cutting-edge device, always ready to meet your evolving needs.
While Alexa is generally reliable and responsive, it’s worth noting that occasional glitches can occur. These are usually minor and are quickly resolved with a simple restart. Overall, the Alexa experience on the Echo (4th generation) is smooth, intuitive, and consistently reliable, making it a top choice for anyone seeking a smart speaker with a powerful voice assistant.
Performance and Connectivity
The Echo (4th generation) is a powerhouse when it comes to performance and connectivity. It boasts a powerful 1.7 GHz processor that ensures smooth and responsive operation, even when handling complex tasks like multi-step commands or playing demanding audio content. You’ll rarely experience any lag or stuttering, making it a pleasure to use.
On the connectivity front, the Echo shines with its dual-band Wi-Fi support (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). This allows for faster and more reliable internet connections, crucial for streaming high-quality music, video, and even gaming content. The Bluetooth 5.0 support allows for seamless pairing with your favorite devices, whether it’s your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
Adding to its impressive capabilities is the built-in Zigbee hub, which acts as a central control point for your smart home devices. This means you can manage compatible smart lights, thermostats, and other appliances directly through the Echo, simplifying your smart home setup and offering increased control.
While the Echo lacks built-in support for Thread, a newer smart home protocol known for its low-power and reliable performance, it’s worth noting that Amazon is continually expanding its smart home ecosystem, so support for Thread might be incorporated in future updates.
The device also supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), which allows for communication with a wider range of smart devices. This feature ensures compatibility with even more devices, expanding its utility in a smart home environment.
Overall, the Echo (4th generation) offers a compelling combination of processing power, robust connectivity options, and smart home capabilities, making it a well-rounded and reliable smart speaker for your home.
Privacy and Security
Amazon takes privacy and security seriously with the Echo (4th generation). It utilizes a combination of hardware and software features to ensure your data is protected.
Here’s a breakdown of the key aspects:
- Mic Mute: The Echo has a physical mute button that completely disables the microphones when pressed. This means Alexa can’t listen to your conversations when the button is engaged, providing peace of mind for privacy-conscious users.
- Data Encryption: All communication between the Echo and Amazon’s servers is encrypted using TLS/SSL, ensuring that your voice commands and personal information remain secure during transmission.
- Data Storage and Deletion: You can review and delete your voice recordings directly within the Alexa app. This gives you control over the data that is collected by the device. You can also choose to automatically delete recordings after a certain period, such as 3 or 18 months.
- Alexa Privacy Settings: The Alexa app offers a robust set of privacy settings. You can customize data sharing preferences, manage the permissions granted to different Alexa skills, and even opt-out of personalized advertising.
- Amazon’s Privacy Policy: Amazon has a comprehensive privacy policy that outlines how they collect, use, and share your data. While it’s lengthy and detailed, it provides transparency regarding their data practices.
However, it’s important to remember that:
- Data Collection is Necessary for Functionality: To provide you with a personalized experience and respond to your requests, Alexa needs to collect some data, such as your voice commands and usage patterns.
- Potential Security Risks Exist: Like any smart device connected to the internet, the Echo is potentially vulnerable to hacking and unauthorized access.
- Smart Home Integration Concerns: As you integrate the Echo into your smart home ecosystem, you might be sharing data with multiple third-party devices and services, raising potential concerns about data security and privacy.
Overall, the Echo (4th generation) prioritizes privacy and security, but it’s crucial to be aware of the potential risks and take proactive steps to protect your data. Make sure to familiarize yourself with Amazon’s privacy policy, utilize the mic mute button when needed, and review your privacy settings regularly.
Pros and Cons
The Amazon Echo (4th generation) is a solid smart speaker that offers a good balance of features, sound quality, and affordability. Here’s a breakdown of its strengths and weaknesses:
Pros:
- Improved Sound Quality: The spherical design and upgraded speakers deliver a richer, more immersive audio experience compared to previous generations. You’ll enjoy clear vocals, deep bass, and crisp highs, making it great for listening to music, podcasts, and audiobooks.
- Sleek and Compact Design: The spherical form factor is aesthetically pleasing and takes up less space than previous models, making it easy to integrate into any room. The fabric covering adds a touch of elegance.
- Enhanced Alexa Experience: The 4th generation Echo benefits from the latest advancements in Alexa technology, offering improved voice recognition, faster response times, and a wider range of compatible smart home devices.
- Reliable Connectivity: The dual-band Wi-Fi ensures a stable connection for streaming music, controlling smart home devices, and using Alexa’s voice commands.
- Affordability: Despite its improvements, the Amazon Echo (4th generation) remains competitively priced, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers.
Cons:
- Limited Microphone Array: While the Echo (4th generation) has a decent microphone array, it may struggle to pick up your voice in noisy environments or from a distance.
- No Built-in Display: If you’re looking for a smart speaker with a screen for visual information, you’ll need to consider the Echo Show series.
- Limited Customization: Compared to other smart speakers on the market, the Echo (4th generation) offers fewer customization options for the user interface and features.
- No Multi-Room Audio Support: The Echo (4th generation) doesn’t have built-in support for multi-room audio, so you’ll need to purchase additional speakers or use third-party services to achieve this functionality.
- Privacy Concerns: Like other smart speakers, the Amazon Echo (4th generation) collects data about your usage and voice recordings. While Amazon offers tools for managing privacy settings, some users may be concerned about data security.
Conclusion
The Amazon Echo (4th generation) is a compelling smart speaker that delivers on its promises. Its sleek design, impressive sound quality, and seamless integration with Alexa make it a standout choice for anyone looking to enhance their home with smart technology. While there are some minor drawbacks, like its lack of a built-in camera, the Echo (4th generation) offers a robust and enjoyable user experience. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a casual listener, or someone seeking to control their smart home devices, the Echo (4th generation) provides a compelling blend of convenience, entertainment, and functionality. If you’re in the market for a smart speaker that strikes a balance between affordability and performance, the Amazon Echo (4th generation) is well worth considering.
Alternatives
If you’re looking for alternatives to the Amazon Echo (4th generation), there are a few great options depending on your needs and priorities.
For a more powerful sound:
- Sonos One: While more expensive, the Sonos One offers exceptional sound quality with deep bass and crisp highs. It also integrates seamlessly with other Sonos devices and offers excellent multi-room audio capabilities.
- Apple HomePod Mini: If you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem, the HomePod Mini is a great choice with its compact size, stellar sound quality, and tight integration with Apple Music and other Apple services.
For a budget-friendly option:
- Google Nest Audio: The Google Nest Audio offers a compelling combination of affordability and solid sound quality. It also boasts a robust set of features, including Google Assistant integration and Chromecast built-in.
- JBL Link 10: This portable smart speaker delivers a surprisingly powerful sound for its size and is compatible with both Google Assistant and Alexa. It’s a great option for those who need a speaker they can take on the go.
For a more visual experience:
- Amazon Echo Show 5: If you want a smart speaker with a screen, the Echo Show 5 is a good choice. It allows you to watch videos, make video calls, and view photos, in addition to the standard smart speaker functions.
- Facebook Portal: For a smart display specifically designed for video calling, Facebook Portal is a great option. It offers excellent video call quality and integration with Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
For a more sophisticated design:
- Bose Home Speaker 500: The Bose Home Speaker 500 features a sleek design and high-quality audio, making it a stylish addition to any room. It also offers multi-room audio capabilities and Bose’s excellent sound technology.
Ultimately, the best alternative for you will depend on your individual needs and priorities. Consider your budget, sound quality requirements, smart home ecosystem, and desired features when making your decision.
Final Verdict
The Amazon Echo (4th generation) is a solid smart speaker that offers a compelling blend of features, sound quality, and affordability. Its improved design, enhanced audio performance, and seamless smart home integration make it a top contender in the crowded smart speaker market. While it may not be the absolute best in every category, it delivers a well-rounded experience that’s perfect for most users. If you’re looking for a reliable and feature-rich smart speaker that won’t break the bank, the Echo (4th generation) is definitely worth considering.
In conclusion, the Amazon Echo (4th generation) is a solid upgrade from its predecessors, offering a well-rounded smart speaker experience. Its sleek design, improved sound quality, and enhanced features make it a great addition to any home. Whether you’re looking to play music, control smart home devices, or simply ask for information, the Echo (4th generation) delivers a reliable and user-friendly experience.
The device’s ability to seamlessly integrate with other Amazon products and services, such as Alexa, makes it a versatile tool for everyday tasks. The improved sound quality is a welcome addition, providing a richer and more immersive audio experience for music and podcasts. The new spherical design also adds a touch of modern elegance to any room.
However, it’s important to note that while the Echo (4th generation) is a great option, it’s not without its limitations. Some users may find the lack of a built-in display to be a drawback, especially for those who rely on visual cues for certain tasks. Additionally, the device’s reliance on Amazon’s ecosystem may be a turn-off for users who prefer a more open platform.
Overall, the Amazon Echo (4th generation) is a highly recommended smart speaker that offers a compelling blend of features, performance, and affordability. It’s a worthy upgrade from previous models and a solid choice for anyone looking to enhance their home with smart technology.
Amira 
Mohammed