At a look
Knowledgeable’s Ranking
Execs
- Good sound for a small machine
- Helpful faucet gestures
- Works as a Wi-Fi extender with Eero methods
Cons
- Distorts at increased volumes
- Sound isn’t vastly higher than 4th gen
- Dearer for UK patrons
Our Verdict
With higher sound, extra options and the potential to increase your property Wi-Fi, the Echo Dot 5 is the perfect Dot but, and the perfect good speaker underneath $50/£55.
Worth When Reviewed
$49.99
Finest Costs As we speak: Amazon Echo Dot (fifth Gen)
$49.99
Amazon’s vary of Alexa audio system is so massive it may be difficult to work out which one to purchase. The concept, after all, is that you simply don’t have only one, however fill your property with them so you’ll be able to hearken to music anyplace, ask Alexa stuff wherever you might be and management good house units – similar to lights – in each room.
The Echo Dot, although, has at all times been an amazing place to begin and lets you have a hands-free digital assistant with out breaking the financial institution.
With the 5th-generation mannequin, nothing has modified in that respect, even when it’s a fiver dearer within the UK this time round.
Nonetheless, wherever you reside, the Echo Dot 5 is more likely to be the one to purchase due to a choice of small however helpful upgrades.
That’s until, after all, you see a earlier era mannequin on sale for a really low worth. And since Amazon frequently slashes 50% off its units in seasonal gross sales, that’s one thing value allowing for should you can wait.
Options & design
- Similar design as 4th era
- New faucet gestures
- Improved show on mannequin with clock
Jim Martin / Foundry
Apart from the actual fact it now is available in new Cloud Blue color, pictured right here, the 5th-gen Echo Dot is strictly the identical as its predecessor to take a look at.
It’s the identical dimension, has the identical material masking the entrance and prime, the identical 4 buttons and the identical mild ring across the base.
On the again is a single connector for the facility cable and – as with the 4th-gen Dot – there isn’t any 3.5mm minijack.
Jim Martin / Foundry
When you spend an additional $10/£10 on “with clock” mannequin, and I extremely advocate that you simply do, you’ll get a helpful dot-matrix show.
With 24 dots horizontally and 5 vertically, there are 120 in complete – significantly extra decision than the seven-segment LED show of the fourth gen, as seen beneath. (Be aware, too, the Cloud Blue color isn’t too vibrant: it’s extra of a grey-blue.)
Jim Martin / Foundry
This enables the brand new Echo Dot to point out much more than simply the time. Artist and observe names scroll as you hearken to music, extra detailed climate data is proven whenever you ask for a forecast and models or measurements are displayed whenever you ask Alexa to do calculations.
Just like the 4th-gen Echo Dot with clock, it is going to additionally present the amount (out of 10) and the time remaining on a countdown timer.
The show brightness adjusts mechanically based mostly on room brightness, however you’ll be able to set it manually, too.
Be aware that Cloud Blue is unique to the Echo Dot with clock (which additionally is available in Glacier White). When you go for the common Echo Dot 5, there’s a alternative of Charcoal, Deep Sea Blue (a a lot darker blue) and Glacier White.
Whichever mannequin you decide, it is going to have a temperature sensor in-built, identical to the fourth-gen Echo. It’s the primary time Amazon has put one right into a Dot, and it means you’ll be able to automate good heating / cooling methods based mostly on room temperature. Plus, you’ll be able to ask Alexa “what’s the temperature within the eating room” or whichever room you may have your Dot in.
Maybe Amazon intends the Echo Dot for use in a bed room, although. One other new function is a sensor that may detect a faucet. That is used to pause and resume music, finish calls, snooze alarms and dismiss timers.
One more new function is the Echo Dot 5’s skill to turn out to be an Eero vary extender. When you have an Eero mesh Wi-Fi system and your Amazon account linked within the Eero app, it ought to mechanically detect your new Echo Dot and use its Wi-Fi so as to add round 1000 sq. toes of additional protection.
That’s nowhere close to the protection you’d get from shopping for an precise Eero node, nor does it supply wonderful speeds (you’ll be able to count on as much as 100Mbps) and may solely deal with 10 units, but it surely’s an amazing use of the Echo Dot and an additional motive to purchase it if you have already got Eero.
There’s one limitation: should you do use it as an extender, you’ll be able to’t additionally use the Echo Dot 5 as a part of a stereo pair. It’s one or the opposite.
Sound high quality
This brings us on to sound high quality. Amazon has upgraded the only speaker contained in the Echo Dot 5 to a barely bigger one with increased tour. That merely means the cone can transfer out and in extra, and it results in higher bass amongst different issues.
Total, you’d in all probability agree that the Dot 5 sounds fairly good for a small good speaker. The Dot 5 nearly matches within the palm of your hand, so listening to decent-sounding music coming from it with a little bit of bass is a commendable achievement.
Jim Martin / Foundry
You received’t discover an enormous distinction in high quality between this and the Echo Dot 4, however there’s actually extra bass.
At increased volumes issues start to distort, which is a disgrace, however at as much as round quantity 5 or 6 that doesn’t occur and it’s loud sufficient to fill a fairly sized room.
There’s extra bass nonetheless should you go for an 4th-gen Echo, however that’s double the value. And, naturally, it isn’t a patch on the Echo Studio which is twice the price once more.
It could be a considerably irrelevant comparability as you’re unlikely to have each Alexa and Google Assistant audio system in your house, however the Echo Dot 5 sounds noticeably higher than the equally priced Nest Mini.
Due to built-in Bluetooth, you should use the Echo Dot 5 as a Bluetooth speaker to stream audio out of your cellphone, too.
Alexa
On the core of each Amazon Echo is Alexa. The voice-controlled assistant is at your beck and name and can do all the pieces from answering common questions and supplying you with a climate forecast to switching good lights and plugs on and off.
Alexa can let you know when your native DIY retailer shuts, remind you of conferences, hold a buying and to-do listing and play music and radio on demand.
The nice factor is that Alexa is identical regardless of whether or not you purchase an affordable Echo Dot or the flagship Echo Studio: there’s no distinction in functionality.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Utilizing Expertise, you’ll be able to broaden Alexa’s usefulness. Within the Alexa app you’ll discover a big library of expertise together with all the pieces from interactive video games and ambient sounds that ought to have extensive attraction to very particular issues just like the UK-based DVLA Car Enquiry that allows you to discover out when your automotive tax is due for renewal.
And should you do have varied Echo units dotted round your property, Alexa turns into much more helpful. Drop-in, for instance, lets you may have a fast chat with somebody in one other room with out having to stand up and go to them to ask, say, what they need for lunch.
With Bulletins, Alexa will broadcast messages to all units telling the family “Dinner’s prepared”, “time to go” or no matter your message is.
Though Matter – the latest good house normal – is supported, the massive good thing about going with Amazon’s good assistant over Google Assistant or Siri is that Alexa has the largest third-party assist. This implies nearly each good house gadget works with Alexa so you’ll be able to management them together with your voice, and you are able to do this whether or not you’re at house talking to the Echo Dot 5, or out and about utilizing the Alexa app in your cellphone.
This implies you’ll be able to flip lights on and off, open and shut blinds (or storage doorways and sliding gates), lock doorways, arm alarms, regulate thermostats and swap on and off good plugs.
Worth & availability
You should buy an Echo Dot 5 for $49.99 / £54.99 from Amazon.
This implies the value is unchanged within the US, but it surely’s now dearer for these within the UK by £5.
It’s, although, effectively value getting the Echo Dot 5 with clock for $59.99 / £64.99. That $10 / £10 premium is well justified. When you’re going for a stereo pair, get one common Dot 5 and one with clock: there’s no use for shows on each.
After all, earlier than you pull the set off on an Echo Dot 5, it’s value checking for present offers on the Echo Dot 4 and even the third-gen Dot.
Amazon has discontinued the fourth-gen, however you’ll be able to decide up refurbished fashions from Amazon for lower than half the price of Dot 5, or pay the identical for a model new third-gen Echo Dot.
And a fast search on-line exhibits that different retailers are promoting off their shares of the fourth-gen Echo Dot so, should you’re studying this near the Echo Dot 5’s launch in October 2022, it’s the best time to choose up the older mannequin at a discount worth
Nonetheless, keep in mind as I mentioned at first that Amazon frequently reductions its {hardware} and regardless that it’s new, there’s an opportunity you’ll be able to seize the Echo Dot 5 on Black Friday for lower than full worth.
Lastly, there’s a 3rd model of the Echo Dot 5, geared toward youngsters. Known as the Echo Dot Children, it prices $59.99 / £64.99 and is available in both Personal or Dragon designs printed on the material. It’s the identical {hardware} because the common Dot 5, however has a child-friendly model of Alexa and comes with a one-year subscription to Amazon Children+ which incorporates interactive video games, academic Alexa Expertise, Audible books and extra. And as with Amazon’s Children Version Fireplace tablets, this mannequin has the identical two-year guarantee, so it’s effectively value the additional value should you’re shopping for for a kid.
Verdict
The design might not have modified, however behind the scenes there are a shocking variety of enhancements and additions that make this the perfect Echo Dot but.
The temperature sensor, accelerometer (for the faucet capabilities), improved sound and show are all value having.
I didn’t point out it earlier, however the Echo Dot 5 makes use of the identical AZ2 chip because the costly Echo Present 15, which means Alexa responds rapidly and will allow future updates as effectively.
Plus, the Dot 5 is constructed from 55% recycled plastics, and 95% recycled material. The field it arrives in is make from 99% recycled cardboard, too.
Finally, it’s nice worth whether or not you purchase it in a sale or not. When you’re nonetheless undecided about which Echo to purchase, then learn our information to the complete Echo vary.