If you’re looking for a bigger, louder Echo speaker, the Echo and Echo Plus are two great options. The third-generation flagship Echo and its cousin, the second-generation Echo Plus, may look the same, but they’re different under the hood.
What are the differences between the Echo and Echo Plus speakers and which is better? We break down both products by design, sound, utility, and price to help you decide which Echo is best for you.
Shape
If you put the Echo 3rd Gen and the Echo Plus 2nd Gen next to each other, can you tell the difference? Probably not. Previous generations had very clear design differences between the two Echos, especially when Amazon switched to cloth exteriors for the more advanced models. But at this point, the two versions have caught up and have more or less the same design.
The Plus and the new Echo share the same cylindrical shape and the exact same dimensions at 5.8 inches tall and 3.9 inches in diameter. The action key, volume rocker, privacy switch, and power cord are all in the same places. Currently, the biggest difference is in the colors that each one comes in. The Echo 3 is available in Charcoal, Heather Grey, Sandstone, and Twilight Blue. The Echo Plus 2 is only available in Charcoal, Heather Gray, and Sandstone, giving you one less choice.
Sound
The Echo models take sound quality to the next level with Dolby speaker technology, but is there a difference in audio hardware between the two models? Again, it used to be, but now the two are identical in these areas. Both have a 3-inch woofer and 0.8-inch tweeter inside a design made for 360-degree sound, and it works great. We were impressed with the sound upgrade the Echo Plus got when it first came out, so it’s no surprise that the third-gen Echo has copied the same audio system.
Both the Echo and Echo Plus also support multi-room audio, so you can play a song in your kitchen while someone else listens to another song in the living room. You can also pair both devices with the Echo Sub, a subwoofer that can help add some bass to your listening experience.
Even if you’re not happy with the sound from either device, you can easily connect your Echo or Echo Plus to premium speakers, since both the Echo and Echo Plus have a 3.5mm audio-out jack (which is can be configured as an input connector when needed).
utility and connectivity
Enhanced sound is nice, but ultimately the point of a smart speaker is to make everyday tasks easier. Echo devices work with thousands of Alexa-compatible smart home devices, including doorbells, lights, thermostats, and more.
All Echo speakers have the same Alexa capabilities, and new ones are added regularly to the entire Echo line via firmware updates. Both the Echo and Echo Plus have what Amazon calls enhanced “far-field speech recognition,” so their microphones can hear your commands from afar, even in noisy environments. They also have “Guard” technology that can listen for sounds like breaking glass or smoke alarms and send you noise alerts.
But here’s where we run into a big difference between the two models: the Echo Plus has a few extra smart home features that the third-gen Echo doesn’t.
Zigbee Wireless Compatibility: Zigbee is a wireless standard used by some smart devices to communicate. These days, it’s not as common for most smart devices to work over Wi-Fi, but for older devices or very specific devices, Zigbee connections may still be necessary. The Echo Plus 2 has that Zigbee compatibility in what Amazon calls a “smart home hub,” so it can control a wider range of smart devices than the Echo 3. This makes it better suited for a household that’s been collecting smart devices for a while. , or a building that still only needs Zigbee devices. Note that Zigbee has a competing standard called Z-Wave, and they are not the same.
Temperature sensor: The Echo Plus also comes with a temperature sensor that you can assign to the Echo and calibrate to detect the temperature in your room. This allows you to give Alexa temperature-related commands or routines, such as “turn on the heat when the temperature drops below 60 degrees.” If your thermostat doesn’t already have smart features like this, it could be a useful addition to your home.
Prices and availability
Rich Shibley/Digital Trends
The third-generation Echo retails for $100, but you can sometimes find it on sale for $80.
The second-generation Echo Plus retails for $150, but could be available for $100.
You can often find Amazon Echo bundles where you can get two different Echo devices or an Echo device and a smart home product (like a lighting kit or smart plug) for one discounted price. The Echo 3, for example, can often be bundled with an Echo Sub, smart bulbs, a smart plug, and other offerings. The Echo Plus 2 has similar package options, but not as diverse.
Conclusion
The Zigbee support and built-in temperature sensor on the Echo Plus are notable differences between the Echo and the Echo Plus. However, this feature does affect the price difference, with the standard Echo costing around $50 less than the Plus model.
Because of that price difference, we tend to recommend the Echo 3 for most users, especially since it shares most of the features of the Echo Plus.
However, there are some exceptions. If you own smart home devices that require Zigbee connections, or want to set up smart routines based on specific room temperatures, the Echo Plus 2 might be a better option. If you’re not sure you have a choice between the two, you might want to go with the fourth-generation Echo speaker, which combines the best parts of the Echo and Echo Plus into a single speaker that costs only about $100. October 2020, the fourth-generation Echo features a spherical shape, premium sound (with a 3-inch woofer and two 0.8-inch front-facing tweeters), and a built-in Zigbee hub.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn