Good
can always hear you, small but loud enough, great device support, clear when muted, activity can been seen from across the room, Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio socket
Bad
music distorts at max volume, no real bass, general knowledge not quite as good as Google Assistant
The new Echo Dot is a slight improvement over the old one in every way. It’s more attractive, sounds better, hears you just as well, still has a 3.5mm socket and Bluetooth audio in and out.
It isn’t a patch on the larger Echo speakers, which are almost twice the price, but just about beats its closest rival, the Google Home Mini, on sound and connectivity.
If you’re in the market for a cheap wireless speaker that can make calls, control your smart home and play the occasional song or two, the Amazon Echo Dot is easily one of the best smart speakers on the market for you even better than the Google Home Mini in terms of call quality and music playback.
That said, if you plan on sitting down for a longer listening session, we recommend connecting to an external speaker or opting for one of the more audio-adept Amazon speakers like the Amazon Echo (2nd Generation) or new Amazon Echo Plus with an Amazon Echo Sub. Your music will thank you.
At £50, or frequently £30 on deals, you get a lot of smart speaker for the money with the Echo Dot. But where the original Echo Dot was a no-brainer, the decision now comes down to whether you want Alexa or Google Assistant in your tiny smart speaker, which is a much tougher call to make.
