The Echo Pop’s Playful Appearance
As soon as I got a peek at Amazon’s brand-new Alexa-fueled smart speaker, the Echo Pop, I couldn’t help but feel it exuded a certain “spunk” in its appearance. It’s fun, cute, and radiates a cheerful vibe. After testing it for a few days, I can confidently say that its appearance is the main reason I’d choose it over the $49.99 fifth-gen Dot. Although it lacks new features and takes a slight hit in sound quality compared to the Dot, it still holds its own.
Performance and Sound Quality
The Echo Pop is perfect for smaller rooms like bathrooms, laundry rooms, or guest rooms where you want a smart speaker for tasks like listening to podcasts, controlling smart home devices, or answering occasional questions. Its smaller size, vibrant color options, and lower price make it a great fit for such spaces. However, if you’re looking to enhance your audio experience in larger rooms, spending an extra $10 on the Echo Dot might be worthwhile.
This semi-circular smart speaker features three physical buttons (volume up, volume down, and mute) and a barrel plug with a long white power cord connected to a 15-watt power brick. While the Pop retains Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant, its capabilities encompass streaming music, setting multiple timers, triggering Alexa Routines, controlling connected smart home devices, playing games, making calls, and more.
Smart Features of the Echo Pop
One notable feature of the Echo Pop is its integration of Amazon’s AZ2 Neural Edge processor, delivering faster responses to voice commands like “What time is it?” and “Turn off the lights.” However, it lacks advanced sensors in the Dot, such as a temperature sensor, ultrasound motion detector, and a versatile accelerometer.
So, when it comes to choosing between the Echo Pop and the Dot, it boils down to your specific needs. Sound-wise, the Echo Pop is suitable for podcasts and radio but falls short for music, especially in larger rooms. Both devices boast the AZ2 processor, but the Dot edges ahead in responsiveness. The Pop’s sleek and room-friendly design makes it a worthy choice for aesthetics.
If you’re invested in an Alexa-powered smart home or looking to upgrade aging early-gen Echo devices, the Echo Pop shines in smaller spaces. However, the fourth-gen Echo remains the top recommendation for a powerful Echo speaker. For newcomers, the Echo Pop is a fantastic entry point into the world of smart speakers and smart home technology.
Conclusion: Is the Echo Pop Right for You?
Overall, the Echo Pop is a compelling option for those seeking affordability and functionality in a stylish smart speaker. At the same time, the fourth-gen Echo offers a more feature-rich experience for users with larger rooms or specific requirements.