REVIEW: Echo Dot 5th generation, meet Alexa's new box

Officially launched on May 31, 2023, the Echo Dot 5rd generation arrived with new features and audio improvements. Is it worth buying this smart speaker with Alexa? Read the full text and find out!

Echo Dot 5 brings incremental innovations

With the new generation of the line Echo Dot, Amazon promises to deliver satisfactory audio experience for the virtual assistant Alexa, capable of adapting to environments and reproducing vibrant bass and treble in any situation.

Although the models retain the design of the previous generation, the Echo Dot 5 with watch received an update on the LED panel: if before it only showed the time, in the 5th generation we have a panel that also gives us visual information about the time, volume of the speakers, name of the song being played and the answer to some questions made for Alexa.

If other technical details remain the same as the previous generation, then what advances would the Amazon brought to the 5th generation of Echo Dot?

Design

Like the previous model, the EchoDot 5 it has a globe shape, covered by a fabric that protects the sound inputs and outputs — and in the model with a clock, evaluated in this review, it has an LED panel with 24×5 LED points that shows information other than the time. At the top there are four buttons: two for volume, an action button to control the Alexa directly and a button to disable the microphone.

On the back is the connector for the 15W glacier white power cable — and only that, as the model loses the previous generation's 2mm P3,5 auxiliary output. At the base of the smart speaker, an LED ring lights up according to the operating mode, in six different colors: blue (Alexa connected), red (microphone muted), orange (configuration mode or Alexa disconnected), purple (Do Not Disturb), yellow (notification) and green (incoming call).

It is worth remembering that Amazon launched in Brazil — as an accessory sold separately — the base with battery, compatible with the 4th and 5th generations of the Echo Dot, with a capacity of 2000 mAh, which offers up to 5 hours of music away from the socket. However, the accessory was not available for testing.

Hardware

A EchoDot 5 is a smarter smart speaker, the processor AZ2 Neural Edge provides faster responsiveness and allows the Alexa understand the user better.

A Amazon decided to give a upgrade also in some features of the EchoDot 5, which now has some functions that were previously seen only in larger lines like Echo Show. Now, the new generation of the line has sensors that measure the internal temperature of the environments, allowing greater collaboration between Alexa, intelligent heaters and air conditioners, increasing the efficiency of the environment's climate control.

The Wi-Fi repeater function, introduced as a software upgrade on the previous model, is also present on the EchoDot 5. The model can work as a Mesh-type router and improve the connectivity of the surrounding environment and devices. For now, this function is only compatible with the line router amazon eero, which is not yet available in Brazil.

Finally, an accelerometer was included that adds touch sensitivity and allows the user to pause music or turn off alarms without the need for voice commands.

Audio

the speaker of EchoDot 5 has 1,73 inches, while the EchoDot 4 it is only 1,6 inches. It may seem like a small difference, but it guarantees cleaner and more balanced audio for the new generation device. However, the sound delivery becomes critical as the volume is increased, bringing a distorted sound when we get close to the maximum volume.

To listen to music in the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom or a small room, the EchoDot 5 fulfills its role. But if you're looking for a speaker that can liven up a gathering of friends or a small party, it's better to think about the larger model. Echo. Also, with the absence of auxiliary sound output, there is no longer the possibility of connecting the smart speaker to a more powerful sound system.

In terms of features, it is possible to pair with another speaker in the Amazon Echo line to create stereo sound, with each one playing an audio channel. It is also possible to create groups of speakers, combining multiple speakers with Alexa to play the same content simultaneously.

Worth it?

Now the unanswered question, is it worth opting for EchoDot 5 other guy EchoDot 4 for her? Well, despite being visually the same, the new generation delivers a more improved experience than its predecessor. The new intelligent processor also adds to the assistant Alexa, which has greater responsiveness than the previous generation. You upgrades audio must also be taken into consideration when making the choice.

If you already own a 4th generation Echo Dot, it may still not be advantageous to switch to the new model. The Echo Dot with 5th generation clock is a good choice for anyone who doesn't already own an Amazon smart box (or wants to add another box to their connected home), who has an Echo Dot 4 without a clock, or else from previous generations.

Some people, however, may not consider this exchange so advantageous because they use the device exclusively to talk to the Alexa, which as previously stated, remains the same. But when we look at the price factor, opting for EchoDot 4 ends up not making much sense, since both are practically in the same price range (in models with a watch, the difference is just under R$ 30) and the EchoDot 5 it's more modern.

you find the EchoDot 5 for BRL 407 (without watch) and EchoDot 5 with watch for R$ 502. The base with battery, sold separately, costs R$ 229 at Amazon.

Editorial Board

Which Alexa is your dream of consumption? Comment below!

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reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 13 / 6 / 23.