Which smart speaker should you buy?

It’s been almost a year since Amazon unveiled the Echo Pop, a cheaper, more stylish alternative to other speakers in the Echo smart speaker line. 

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably wondering how the Echo Pop compares to the Echo Dot (5th Generation), another affordable speaker packed with Alexa smarts and audio prowess. We’ve pitted the two Amazon speakers head-to-head to determine which speaker is more worth your money. 

Scroll down to learn how the Echo Pop and the Echo Dot compare when it comes to key areas like price, design, features and audio quality. 

Price 

The Echo Pop is Amazon’s newest smart speaker, arriving on the scene in May 2023. The Pop is priced at £44.99. 

The Echo Dot has been around much longer, with the 5th generation model having launched in October 2022. It costs £54.99. 

Design

• The Echo Pop comes in more fun colours 
• The Echo Dot supports tap gestures and has an Action Button
• If you want a clock, opt for the Echo Dot with Clock model 

The Echo Pop and the Echo Dot are similar sizes with matching rounded edges. However, whether the Echo Dot is a sphere (hence the ‘dot’ in its name), the Echo Pop has more of a semi-circular shape with a flat edge where the sound is produced. 

The Echo Pop comes in a bolder array of colours, including black, white, lavender and teal, whereas the Echo Dot sticks with more muted shades, including black, white and navy blue. 

When it comes to physical controls, the Echo Dot has an Action Button, volume controls and mute. It also supports tap gestures, allowing you to play/pause, end calls, dismiss timers and snooze alarms with a tap. The Echo Pop, on the other hand, sticks with three physical buttons: mute and volume controls. 

If you’d like to be able to see the time at a glance, you can add this feature by opting for the Echo Dot with Clock model. However, this functionality is not available on the basic Echo Dot or the Echo Pop. 

Winner: Echo Dot

Features

• Both speakers feature Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant 
• The Echo Pop produces Alexa’s voice louder and clearer 
• The Echo Dot has a built-in temperature sensor 

If you’re thinking about picking up an Echo speaker – whether that’s the Pop or the Dot – it’s safe to assume you’re interested in Alexa. 

Amazon Alexa is a versatile smart assistant, capable of answering questions, playing music, reading news, providing traffic updates and updating you on the weather. She can also control any compatible smart home device, from smart thermostats to smart lights and everything in between. 

While both speakers will provide the same responses and offer the same basic Alexa functionality, we personally found that the Pop had an edge during interactions with the smart assistant due to its larger speaker. This allows the Pop to produce her voice more loudly and clearly. 

That said, the Pop offers more functionality thanks to its built-in temperature sensor. This allows the speaker to detect changes in indoor temperature and respond by triggering set routines, whether that’s turning the smart fan on when it gets too hot or cranking the thermostat up when its too cold. 

Winner: Echo Dot

Sound quality 

• The Echo Dot produces superior sound quality compared to the Pop 
• The Echo Pop doesn’t perform as strongly in the high or low ends 
• Both speakers support the same wide array of streaming services 

You might assume that because the Echo Pop has a larger speaker, it will produce better sound. However, Trusted Reviews Home Technology Editor David Ludlow felt that the Echo Dot offered superior audio quality during his testing. 

While the Echo Pop is loud enough to fill a regular-sized room, it lacks the range of the Echo Dot. It doesn’t produce the same warmth and bass we heard from the Dot and the high-end could sound more harsh and muddled coming from the Pop. 

That said, you don’t need to worry about any differences in compatibility, with both speakers supporting playback via Bluetooth and from a wide array of music streaming services, including Amazon Music Unlimited, Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer. 

Winner: Echo Dot

Verdict 

The Echo Pop and Echo Dot are two affordable Amazon smart speakers that take full advantage of the brand’s Alexa voice assistant. However, the Echo Dot is our winner if you’re happy to spend £10 more. 

Buy the Echo Pop if… 

You want to save money and want to add a pop of colour to your home. 

Buy the Echo Dot if…

You want to best-sounding Echo speaker under £60 and the benefits of a temperature sensor.