Amazon Echo Pop Review: An Entry-Level Smart Speaker

The Amazon Echo Pop is the latest addition to Amazon's Alexa-powered smart speaker lineup. Designed as a budget-friendly alternative to the Echo Dot, the Echo Pop brings a compact and colorful design to the table. But how does it stack up against its slightly pricier sibling, the Echo Dot (5th Generation)? Let’s dive into the details and find out if this entry-level smart speaker is worth your investment.

Design

A Fun and Compact Look

The Echo Pop looks like a sliced-off version of the Echo Dot, featuring a flat front and a half-sphere design. It’s available in four colors—Charcoal, Glacier White, Lavender Bloom, and Midnight Teal—making it a stylish addition to any room. If those colors don’t suit your taste, Amazon offers silicone sleeves in additional hues like blue, glow-in-the-dark, lilac, and more. However, the sleeves cost an extra $16.99, which might make the Echo Pop less appealing when compared to the Echo Dot.

Buy the Echo Pop Sleeves:

Shop Echo Pop Sleeves on Amazon

Simple Controls

The Echo Pop features three buttons on top—mute, volume up, and volume down. Unlike the Echo Dot, it lacks an Action button for activating Alexa manually, which might be a dealbreaker for some users.

Features

Alexa-Powered Smartness

Despite its budget price, the Echo Pop retains the core features of Alexa. It can answer questions, control smart home devices, play music, set timers, and more. Powered by the AZ2 Neural Edge processor, the Echo Pop offers slightly faster responses for on-device tasks like controlling smart plugs.

What’s Missing?

To keep costs down, Amazon has stripped the Echo Pop of some features found in the Echo Dot:
– No Temperature Sensor: Unlike the Echo Dot, the Echo Pop cannot trigger routines based on room temperature.
– No Ultrasound Motion Sensor: The Echo Pop lacks the ability to detect room occupancy.
– No Tap Gestures: You can’t tap the Echo Pop to snooze alarms or pause music.

If these features are important to you, the Echo Dot (5th Generation) is the better option.

Buy the Echo Dot (5th Generation):

Shop Echo Dot (5th Generation) on Amazon

Sound Quality

Basic Audio Performance

The Echo Pop is equipped with a 1.95-inch front-firing speaker. While it performs adequately for voice responses and casual music listening, it falls short in audio quality compared to the Echo Dot.

• Bass: The Echo Pop lacks the depth and warmth of the Echo Dot, making bass-heavy tracks feel underwhelming.
• Clarity: High frequencies can sound muddled, especially at higher volumes.

If sound quality is a priority, spending an extra $10 on the Echo Dot is a wise choice.

Price and Availability

The Echo Pop is priced at:
– USA: $54.98
– UK: £44.99
– Europe: €52.99

While the Echo Pop is cheaper than the Echo Dot, the price difference is minimal. During sales, the Echo Dot often sees significant discounts, narrowing the gap even further.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Affordable price point
• Compact and colorful design
• Alexa-powered with Matter compatibility

Cons:

• Echo Dot offers better features for just $10 more
• No temperature or motion sensors
• Audio quality is lacking

Final Thoughts

The Amazon Echo Pop is a decent entry-level smart speaker for those who want a basic Alexa device for quick voice commands and smart home control. However, the minimal price difference between the Echo Pop and the Echo Dot (5th Generation) makes the latter a more compelling option.

If you’re looking for better audio quality, additional sensors, and more advanced features, the Echo Dot is worth the extra investment. But if you’re on a tight budget and only need a simple Alexa device, the Echo Pop gets the job done.

Buy the Amazon Echo Pop:

Shop Amazon Echo Pop on Amazon

FAQs

What is the Amazon Echo Pop?

The Echo Pop is Amazon’s new entry-level smart speaker designed for basic Alexa functionalities like voice commands and smart home control.

Does the Echo Pop have a temperature sensor?

No, the Echo Pop lacks a temperature sensor, which is available in the Echo Dot (5th Generation).

Can I change the color of the Echo Pop?

Yes, you can purchase silicone sleeves in various colors to customize your Echo Pop.

Shop Accessories for Echo Pop:

Browse Echo Pop Accessories on Amazon

For more smart speaker options, check out our Best Smart Speakers guide!