The Echo Dot and the Echo Pop are small speakers that have great sound quality, and which are also Alexa equipped (so you can stay updated on the news and weather). These devices can not only play music, but they can also use Alexa to connect to other smart devices (like lights or locks), offering you greater convenience and control in your home.
So, without further ado, let’s go over the features of the Echo Dot and the Echo Pop and see which is better!
Our Recommendation
Contents
To cut to the chase (for those of you without time to read the whole review), the best Echo between the Echo Dot and the Echo Pop is the Dot. It’s got better sound-quality, greater versatility, and the option for a display and clock.
This being said, the Echo Pop also has several desirable features you might be interested in – let’s take a look!
Echo Dot
First, we’ll talk about the Echo Dot, a multidirectional speaker with impressive range and a powerful sound!
Motion and Temperature Sensors (Connect to Your Home)
If you’re looking to increase the convenience and sense of luxury in your life, look no further than the Echo Dot. I honestly can’t get enough of this feature – it feels magical! Basically, the Echo Dot has temperature and motion sensors, and can interact with compatible smart devices in your home. It uses these sensors to start the fans when the temperature gets too high, to turn the lights on when it senses you enter, etc…
Multidirectional Sound
Perhaps my favorite thing about the Echo Dot is its shape, and how it’s uniquely designed to provide multidirectional sound. When it comes to sound quality, the Echo Dot passes with flying colors. The sound is clear (during both quiet and loud parts of any song), well-balanced, and powerful. The bass is also a lot of fun, and a lot stronger than I would have expected for a fairly small speaker!
Alexa
One of the top features of the Echo Dot is its inclusion of Alexa. This amazing app has been getting more and more popular, and more and more advanced. With the Echo Dot, Alexa can provide you with weather reports, find you music, answer questions, you name it. What’s more, Alexa can connect to compatible smart devices in your house, to control lights, locks, cameras, and so on… Alexa is a great way to keep your home well-monitored and under control. Honestly, I have found her to be a lifesaver!
Display
The Echo Dot is available in a handy version that comes with a display and clock. This shows not only the time, but also the temperature, timers, the titles of songs, etc…This version does cost roughly $10 more than the standard Echo Dot, but it’s well-worth the convenience of a display and clock!
Increased Wifi
The Echo Dot has built-in Eero, which adds up to 1,000 feet or Wifi coverage (it can also support speeds up to 100 Mbps, as long as they are compatible networks). This is one of the highest-rated and most-loved features of the Echo Dot and can be very useful!
Echo Pop
The Echo Pop is a compact, colorful little speaker that has so much more than just music to offer!
Space Efficiency
One of the best things about the Echo Pop is its space-efficiency. With its half-sphere design, it’s made to fit seamlessly into your home, and can easily be stored in a small nook or corner.
Sustainability
A truly unique feature of the Echo Pop is its sustainability. The Echo Pop is made from 80% recycled aluminim and 100% post-consumer recycled yarn, and the packaging can also be recycled!
Alexa
The Echo Pop is also equipped with Alexa, and all of the conveniences that come with her. Check the weather, play music, ask questions, and control compatible smart devices in your home, all from your little, handy-dandy Echo Pop. In fact, many folks will purchase an Echo Pop specifically so that they can use it as an Alexa hub as well as a speaker.
Increased Wifi
The Echo Pop also has built-in Eero, with the similar 1000-foot coverage (and ability to support speeds up to 100 Mbps, as long as they are compatible networks).
A Pop of Color
The Echo Pop comes in a couple of new colors, with the standard glacier white, charcoal, deep sea blue, and the new lavender and midnight teal. These new colors are quite bright and cheerful, and will lend your home a pop of color!
What is the Difference between Echo Pop versus Echo Dot 5th Gen (2022)?
Look and Feel
So, let’s compare the look and feel of the Echo Dot versus the Echo Pop. First off, we’ve got the Dot, which is in the shape of an orb, with a flat bottom. It’s got a very streamlined, high-tech look. The Echo Pop, on the other hand, is a half-sphere (it basically looks like an Echo Dot cut in half). It also has a very sleek appearance, and its shape makes it ideal for storing out-of-the-way in a nook or corner.
Additionally, the Dot has a light ring that emits a pleasant glow on the bottom, and the Pop has one on the top. These serve as indicators and there’s a meaning to each color!
Weight
As far as weight goes, the Dot is 10.7 oz while the Pop is just 6.9 oz. This just goes to illustrate how compact the Echo Pop is, so if you have limited space (or just like to preserve space) in your home, it’s definitely ideal. The Echo Dot is also quite space-efficient, however!
Usability
Next we’ve got usability. Which is easier to use, the Dot or the Pop? As it turns out, the Dot is a bit easier to use, as it has a handy ‘tap-touch’ feature, which allows you to turn it on and off, start and stop music, and more, all at the touch of a hand! The Dot also has a display option, while the Pop does not. This being said, the Pop is still fairly simple to use, the Dot is just a bit more advanced! Thes light rings on the Echo Pop and Dot are a quick and easy way to interact with your Echo. For example, if the light ring is blue, your Echo is listening to you and waiting for you to talk. Green is for a call. Yellow alerts you of notifications, and more (etc.).
The Dot comes with a clock version that’s only $10 more (typically). This makes it a great choice for a bedside display and alarm clock. Personally, I think it’s worth the 10 or so more bucks, as the time display is really convenient and makes the Echo Dot the perfect alarm clock. The Pop has no such option, making it less ideal as an alarm clock. What’s more, only the Dot has a handy ‘action’ button, which will wake the dot, snooze it, etc., as well as a temperature and motion sensor!
What makes both of these speakers really user-friendly is the inclusion of Alexa. Alexa can bring you the news, tell you the weather, find music, answer questions (by performing a Google search), and more. Alexa can also connect to household smart devices, so you can control them from your Echo Pop or Dot. Really, Alexa is an incredibly helpful app, and many purchase Echo Dots or Spots primarily to have a compact, convenient Alexa hub as well as a speaker!
Finally, both the Echo Dot and the Echo Pop have excellent options for privacy (including mic off).
Color Choice
Luckily for us, the Echo Dot and the Echo Pop both come in some lovely colors. The Echo Dot is available in more muted tones, which are charcoal, deep sea blue, and glacier white, to best blend in with your decor. The Pop, however, true to its name, comes not only in charcoal and glacier white, but also lavender and midnight teal – a pop of color!
Sound Quality
While the Echo Dot and Echo Pop both have respectable sound quality, especially for their size and price, the Dot’s sound quality is a little better. Due to its multidirectional speakers, it can reach all sides of the room, whereas the Pop is limited to one direction. Along with this, the Pop speakers do not play high notes or bass as well. The Echo Dot’s range is better, the sound is more balanced, and the bass is more powerful. This being said, the Echo Pop’s sound quality is still quite good (it just sounds best in smallers rooms).
Along with this, the voice recognition for both the Echo Dot and the Echo Pop is top-quality. It’s able to pick up on your voice quite easily, even with household noises or while playing music (I have to say, it is nice to repeat myself a lot less than I did with earlier Echos).
Options to Choose
The Echo Pop is available in just one option, whereas the Echo Dot is available in a version that comes with a clock. I spent the extra $10 and got the one with a clock, since I keep it by my bedside at night and it’s easier than checking my cellphone. It also makes it a great alarm clock!
Warranty
Both the Echo Dot and the Echo Pop have a 2-year extended warranty.
Any Main Common Features
The Echo Dot and the Echo Pop have extended Wifi. They also both have Alexa, are compatible with smart devices, and come in several color options. Finally, they’re both fairly compact, although the Pop is smaller!
Price Difference
As far as price goes, the Echo Pop is the more affordable option. The prices vary, but typically the Echo Dot is roughly $10-$20 more than the Pop ($20-$30 if you get the Dot that includes a clock). Personally, I think the Dot is worth the $10-$30 more, what with the more powerful sound and the state-of-the-art temperature and motion sensors. If you’re on a budget, however, the Pop is also great and can certainly do the trick!
Echo Dot and Echo Pop Stand-Out Features
- Multidirectional sound. Unlike the Echo Pop, the Echo Dot has multidirectional sound. This is thanks to its spherical shape, which emits music all around!
- Temperature and motion sensor. The Echo Dot also stands out in that it has a temperature and motion sensor. The Pop does not. This means that the Echo Dot is capable of checking the temperature, and even responding automatically if the temperature reaches a custom level (for example, it will turn on your fans if your house reaches this level).
- Optional clock. The Echo Dot is available with a clock (the Pop is not), for only $10 or so more. I – and many – would recommend getting the clock version, as it’s remarkably handy for both daily time-checking and as an alarm clock!
- While the Echo Pop has only a color bar, to indicate when the sound detector is listening, the Echo Dot has an optional display. This makes it a bit higher-tech and more user-friendly, I think!
- While both the Echo Dot and the Echo Pop are fairly compact, the Pop wins in this category. It’s just over half the size of the Dot, and can be conveniently tucked into any nook or corner!
- The Pop is unique in that it is crafted from mostly sustainable materials, making it a more sustainable and eco-friendly option for a speaker. Specifically, the Echo Pop is made of 100% post-consumer recycled yarn and 80% recycled aluminum, and the packaging is 100% recyclable as well. Personally, I like to recycle, so this is a plus in my book!
- Colors: The pop comes in more – and brighter – color options than the Dot (to suit your home decor).
Common FAQ
Is Echo Dot Louder Than Echo Pop?
Perhaps the most-asked question about these speakers is, is the Echo Dot louder than the Echo Pop? While the speakers are quite similar in volume, the Echo Dot is in fact capable of going a bit louder. Not only that, but the speaker of the Dot has greater range and the sound is higher-quality in general.
How Many Amazon Echos Does Your Home Need?
How many Amazon Echos your home needs depends on how many smart devices you are looking to control. The more smart devices you have, the more Echos you may need. Most of the time, just 1-2 Echos will do the trick. Sometimes, on the other hand, folks will have 4-7 echos (or more) to run all of their smart devices and have Alexa/music, etc. access in every room… so it’s really your call!
Can You Make Phone Calls With the Amazon Echo Pop?
You can indeed make phone calls with the Amazon Echo Pop. This is one of its most basic uses, and will work for any Alexa to Alexa call.
Which Amazon Echo Smart Speaker Is Right For You?
Honestly, the best Amazon Echo smart speaker for you depends on your needs. Are you looking for something more basic and affordable? Go for the Echo Pop. If you’d like something a little more advanced, the Amazon Echo and Echo Show are quite popular, closely followed by the Echo Dot (both of which are renowned for their versatility and sound quality).
Verdict
When it comes down to it, those looking for a louder, fuller sound (and temperature and motion sensors) should opt for the Echo Dot. Those who don’t require as powerful of a sound and would prefer a more compact and affordable speaker should go for the Pop. Both speakers are great, so either way, you’re unlikely to be disappointed!
Use the Echo Dot if:
- You’d like temperature and motion sensors included
- You’d prefer a fuller, multidirectional sound
- You’d like a speaker that blends in, with a more muted color
- You’d like a speaker with a clock
Use the the Echo Pop if:
- You’re short on space or would like your speaker stowed in a nook or corner
- You’d like a more affordable (comparatively) speaker
- You’d like a speaker in a bright color
