The Amazon Echo 4th Generation, released in late 2020, stands out as a significant evolution in Amazon’s smart speaker lineup, offering a compelling blend of improved audio quality, a redesigned spherical aesthetic, and an integrated Zigbee smart home hub. While its predecessors focused heavily on voice control and basic smart home integration, the 4th Gen Echo elevates the user experience with richer, more balanced sound that truly fills a room, making it a viable option for casual podcast listening beyond just serving as a smart assistant.

Its built-in hub simplifies the setup of compatible smart devices, reducing the need for additional bridges and streamlining your connected home.

Overall, it’s a solid upgrade for anyone looking to enhance their smart home ecosystem with a reliable, good-sounding smart speaker that serves as a central control point.

Feature/Product	Amazon Echo 4th Gen	Amazon Echo Dot 4th Gen	Amazon Echo Studio	Google Nest Audio	Apple HomePod Mini	Sonos One SL	Philips Hue Smart Lighting Kit
Form Factor	Spherical	Spherical	Cylindrical	Rectangular	Spherical	Rectangular	N/A Lighting
Audio Quality	Good balanced	Decent voice	Excellent immersive	Good bass-heavy	Good 360-degree	Excellent rich	N/A
Smart Home Hub	Zigbee	No	No	No	Thread/Matter	No	Requires Bridge
Price Point	Mid-range	Entry-level	Premium	Mid-range	Mid-range	Premium	Varies
Voice Assistant	Alexa	Alexa	Alexa	Google Assistant	Siri	Alexa/Google Assistant	Alexa/Google Assistant
Key Differentiator	Integrated Zigbee hub, improved audio	Compact, affordable	High-fidelity audio, Dolby Atmos	Google Assistant integration	Apple ecosystem, Thread	Multi-room audio, premium sound	Smart lighting control
Ideal Use Case	Central smart home hub, casual podcast	Bedroom, small spaces	Audiophiles, home theater	Google-centric homes	Apple users	Podcast enthusiasts	Ambiance, energy saving

Table of Contents

The Design Evolution: A Spherical Statement

The Amazon Echo 4th Generation marked a significant departure from its cylindrical predecessors, embracing a sleek, spherical design that not only looks more modern but also serves an acoustic purpose. This redesign isn’t just about aesthetics.

It’s a thoughtful evolution aimed at enhancing both the visual appeal and the audio performance of the device within your home.

Aesthetics and Material Choices

Amazon shifted from the fabric-covered cylinder to a more rounded, orb-like shape, creating a softer, less obtrusive presence in a room.

Fabric Finish: The top half of the sphere is covered in a premium fabric, available in various colors like Charcoal, Glacier White, and Twilight Blue, allowing it to blend seamlessly with diverse home decors. This fabric isn’t just for show. it also helps in sound diffusion.
Integrated Light Ring: Unlike previous Echo models where the light ring was on the top, the 4th Gen moves it to the bottom, creating a subtle glow that reflects off the surface it’s placed on. This makes the light indicators for Alexa’s attention or notifications less intrusive and more ambient.
Physical Buttons: The physical buttons for volume control, microphone mute, and action remain conveniently located on the top of the device, maintaining tactile control even when voice commands aren’t preferred.

The Purpose Behind the Sphere: Acoustic Advantages

The spherical design isn’t merely a stylistic choice. Amazon Echo Studio Review

It’s a functional one, optimized for better sound dispersion.

Directional Audio: The 4th Gen Echo houses a 3.0-inch neodymium woofer and dual 0.8-inch front-firing tweeters. The spherical shape allows for these drivers to be positioned in a way that projects sound more effectively in multiple directions, creating a wider soundstage.
Reduced Vibrations: The internal structure of the sphere helps to minimize internal vibrations, leading to clearer audio output, especially at higher volumes.
Enhanced Bass: The larger internal volume of the spherical enclosure contributes to better bass response compared to the smaller cylindrical models, providing a fuller, richer sound profile. This is a noticeable upgrade for podcast lovers.
Placement Flexibility: While still benefiting from optimal placement, the 360-degree sound projection of the sphere means it’s less sensitive to exact positioning than speakers designed for front-firing audio.

The move to a spherical design for the Amazon Echo 4th Gen wasn’t just a facelift.

It was a strategic reimagining that significantly improved both its visual integration into modern homes and its fundamental audio performance, making it a more versatile and appealing smart speaker.

Sound Quality: Punching Above Its Weight Class

When it comes to smart speakers, sound quality often takes a backseat to smart features.

However, the Amazon Echo 4th Generation defies this trend, offering a surprisingly robust and balanced audio experience that genuinely punches above its price point.

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While it won’t replace a dedicated hi-fi speaker system, it’s a significant upgrade for casual listening and an excellent daily driver for audio.

Driver Configuration and Audio Output

The 4th Gen Echo’s audio prowess stems from its thoughtfully designed internal components.

Powerful Woofer: It features a 3.0-inch neodymium woofer, a substantial upgrade from previous generations. This larger woofer is responsible for delivering deeper, more resonant bass, giving podcast a fuller body.
Dual Front-Firing Tweeters: Complementing the woofer are two 0.8-inch front-firing tweeters. These are crucial for crisp highs and clear vocal delivery, ensuring that instruments like cymbals and voices don’t get lost in the mix.
Stereo Pairing: For an even more immersive audio experience, you can pair two Echo 4th Gen devices together to create a stereo setup. This truly widens the soundstage and provides a more separated left and right channel audio, making podcast sound much richer.
Adaptive Audio: The Echo 4th Gen incorporates a technology that allows it to sense the acoustics of the room it’s in. This “adaptive audio” feature then fine-tunes the sound output to optimize its performance, ensuring consistent sound quality regardless of placement.

Comparison to Previous Generations and Competitors

The improvements in sound quality are particularly evident when comparing the 4th Gen Echo to its predecessors and some of its direct competitors.

Vs. Echo 3rd Gen: The difference is immediately noticeable. The 4th Gen offers significantly more bass, clearer mids, and better overall separation of instruments. Podcast sounds less muddy and more dynamic.
Vs. Echo Dot 4th Gen: While sharing a similar spherical design, the Echo Dot 4th Gen is much smaller and therefore cannot deliver the same depth or volume. The full-size Echo 4th Gen is in a different league for audio.
Vs. Google Nest Audio: The Nest Audio is a strong competitor, often praised for its bass. The Echo 4th Gen provides a more balanced sound profile, with clear highs and mids alongside good bass. The choice often comes down to personal preference for sound signature more bass-heavy vs. more balanced and preferred voice assistant.
Vs. Apple HomePod Mini: The HomePod Mini delivers impressive 360-degree sound for its size. The Echo 4th Gen, being larger, can achieve greater volume and a more profound bass response, though the HomePod Mini’s computational audio is excellent for its compact form factor.

Real-World Listening Experience

From podcasts to pop podcast, the Echo 4th Gen handles a variety of audio content with competence. Amazon Echo Dot 5Th Gen Review

Podcast Playback: Genres like rock, pop, and electronic podcast benefit from the improved bass and clear highs. Vocals are prominent and easy to understand.
Podcasts and Audiobooks: Voice clarity is excellent, making it easy to listen to spoken-word content for extended periods without fatigue.
Volume and Clarity: The device can get surprisingly loud without distorting significantly, making it suitable for filling a medium-sized room with sound. Even at higher volumes, dialogue remains intelligible.

For a smart speaker at its price point, the Amazon Echo 4th Generation delivers a sound quality that genuinely enhances the user experience, making it more than just a voice assistant—it’s a respectable audio device in its own right.

Smart Home Integration: Your Central Hub

The Amazon Echo 4th Generation isn’t just a smart speaker.

It’s a powerful smart home hub, largely thanks to its integrated Zigbee radio.

This inclusion significantly elevates its utility, positioning it as the central nervous system for a wide array of connected devices in your home. Ring Outdoor Smart Plug Review

The Power of the Integrated Zigbee Hub

The most significant upgrade in terms of smart home functionality for the Echo 4th Gen is the inclusion of a Zigbee hub.

What is Zigbee? Zigbee is a wireless communication standard specifically designed for smart home devices, known for its low power consumption and robust mesh networking capabilities. Many smart devices, particularly smart lighting, door sensors, and smart plugs, utilize Zigbee.
Simplified Setup: With the Echo 4th Gen, you no longer need a separate bridge or hub for your Zigbee devices like the Philips Hue Bridge for certain bulbs. The Echo acts as the hub, allowing you to directly discover and control Zigbee-compatible devices using Alexa voice commands or the Alexa app.
Reduced Clutter: This integration reduces the number of physical hubs and cables cluttering your router setup, streamlining your smart home infrastructure.
Local Control for some devices: While cloud-dependent for many features, the Zigbee hub often allows for more local control of devices, potentially improving responsiveness and reliability.

Seamless Device Discovery and Control

Adding new smart home devices to your Echo ecosystem is remarkably straightforward.

Voice-Activated Discovery: Simply say, “Alexa, discover my devices,” and the Echo will scan for new Zigbee devices in pairing mode.
Alexa App: You can also use the Alexa app to manually add devices, browse compatible brands, and organize them into rooms or groups.
Device Compatibility: The Echo 4th Gen supports a vast array of Zigbee devices from various manufacturers, including Philips Hue, Sengled, Eero, Ring, and many more. This broad compatibility ensures you’re not locked into a single brand for your smart home gadgets.

Beyond Zigbee: Broad Smart Home Ecosystem

While Zigbee is a highlight, the Echo 4th Gen still integrates seamlessly with a multitude of Wi-Fi and cloud-connected smart devices.

Wi-Fi Devices: It controls thousands of Wi-Fi smart devices from brands like TP-Link Kasa, Arlo, and Ecobee through their respective Alexa skills.
Routines and Automation: The Alexa app allows you to create powerful routines that automate multiple actions based on voice commands, time schedules, or sensor triggers. For example:
- “Alexa, good morning” could turn on your lights, start your coffee maker via a smart plug, and play the news.
- A motion sensor detecting activity could turn on a light for a set period.
Multi-Device Control: You can group devices by room e.g., “living room lights” and control them simultaneously, making managing larger smart homes much easier.
Temperature Sensor: The Echo 4th Gen also includes a built-in temperature sensor, which can be used in routines to trigger actions. For instance, if the room temperature exceeds a certain threshold, Alexa could tell your smart thermostat to turn on the AC.

The integrated Zigbee hub, combined with Alexa’s extensive ecosystem, makes the Amazon Echo 4th Generation an incredibly versatile and powerful smart home controller.

It simplifies setup, reduces complexity, and offers a robust platform for building and managing a connected living space. Myfree Directv Review

Alexa’s Evolving Intelligence: More Than Just a Voice

Alexa, the voice assistant powering the Amazon Echo 4th Generation, continues to evolve, becoming more intelligent, conversational, and integrated into daily life.

Beyond basic commands, Alexa offers a rich suite of features that enhance productivity, entertainment, and communication within your home.

Core Capabilities and Enhancements

Alexa’s fundamental capabilities remain strong, with continuous improvements in understanding and responsiveness.

Voice Recognition: Advanced far-field voice recognition ensures Alexa can hear you even from across a noisy room, thanks to its array of microphones.
Natural Language Processing: Alexa is getting better at understanding natural speech patterns, follow-up questions, and contextual cues, making interactions feel less robotic.
Improved Responsiveness: Faster processing leads to quicker responses to commands, whether it’s playing podcast or controlling smart home devices.
Voice Profiles: If multiple people use the Echo, Alexa can differentiate between voices and provide personalized responses, such as calendar updates or podcast preferences.

New Features and Skills

The Alexa ecosystem is constantly expanding with new features and thousands of third-party skills. Ring Mailbox Sensor Review

Communication:
- Intercom Functionality: Use your Echo as an intercom to broadcast messages to other Echo devices in your home or to specific rooms. “Alexa, announce dinner is ready.”
- Drop In: A hands-free way to instantly connect with family and friends who have Echo devices, acting like a direct line into their device with their permission.
- Alexa Calling and Messaging: Make hands-free calls to contacts who have an Echo or the Alexa app, or send voice messages.
Productivity and Organization:
- Calendar Integration: Connect your Google, Outlook, or Apple calendar to get daily briefings, add events, and set reminders.
- Shopping Lists: Easily add items to your shopping list with a voice command, accessible from the Alexa app on your phone.
- Reminders and Alarms: Set one-time or recurring alarms and reminders for appointments, tasks, or medication.
- Routines: As discussed, powerful routines automate multiple actions based on triggers, from waking up to winding down.
Entertainment:
- Podcast Services: Integration with Amazon Podcast, Spotify, Apple Podcast, SiriusXM, and more.
- Podcasts and Audiobooks: Listen to your favorite podcasts and Audible audiobooks seamlessly.
- News Briefings: Get customized news updates from your preferred sources.
Education and Information:
- General Knowledge: Ask Alexa almost anything, from historical facts to current weather conditions.
- Conversions and Calculations: Quick unit conversions, math problems, and more.
- Recipes: Get step-by-step cooking instructions for a vast array of recipes.

Privacy Considerations

Amazon has made efforts to address privacy concerns, offering various features to give users more control.

Microphone Mute Button: A physical button on the device electronically disconnects the microphones, ensuring Alexa isn’t listening. The light ring turns red to indicate the mic is off.
Voice History Deletion: Users can view and delete their voice recordings in the Alexa app, or set up automatic deletion.
“Alexa, delete what I just said” / “Alexa, delete everything I said today”: Convenient voice commands to quickly remove recent recordings.
Privacy Hub: Amazon’s online privacy hub provides detailed information on how data is collected and used, and options for managing privacy settings.

Alexa on the Echo 4th Generation isn’t just about answering simple questions.

It’s about providing a comprehensive, intuitive, and increasingly personalized smart assistant experience that adapts to your needs and preferences, all while offering tools to manage your privacy.

Setup and User Experience: Plug, Play, and Command

Getting the Amazon Echo 4th Generation up and running is typically a straightforward process, designed for quick integration into your home.

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The overall user experience is intuitive, centered around voice commands and the robust Alexa app.

Initial Setup Process

Setting up the Echo 4th Gen is remarkably simple, even for those new to smart home devices.

Power On: Plug the Echo into a power outlet. The light ring will turn orange, indicating it’s in setup mode.
Download Alexa App: If you haven’t already, download the Amazon Alexa app on your smartphone or tablet available for iOS and Android.
Add Device: Open the Alexa app, tap the “Devices” tab, then the “+” icon, and select “Add Device.” Choose “Amazon Echo” and then “Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus, and more.”
Follow Prompts: The app will guide you through connecting the Echo to your Wi-Fi network and associating it with your Amazon account. You’ll hear audio prompts from the Echo itself during this process.
Personalization: During or after setup, you can personalize settings like your location for weather updates, link podcast services, and enable smart home skills.

Daily Interaction and Responsiveness

The Echo 4th Gen is designed for seamless daily interaction, making it a natural part of your routine.

Voice Commands: The primary mode of interaction is voice. Alexa’s far-field microphones are excellent at picking up commands even from a distance or over podcast. The responsiveness is generally very quick, with commands being processed and executed in a matter of seconds.
Physical Controls: For moments when voice isn’t appropriate e.g., late at night, the physical buttons on top provide tactile control for volume, muting the microphone, and the action button for manual activation or Wi-Fi setup.
Alexa App: The Alexa app serves as the central control panel for your Echo and smart home ecosystem.
- Device Management: View and control all connected smart home devices.
- Routines: Create and manage complex routines.
- Skills: Browse and enable new Alexa skills.
- Voice History: Review and delete past commands.
- Settings: Adjust preferences for podcast, news, privacy, and more.
Multi-Room Audio: Easily group multiple Echo devices for synchronized podcast playback throughout your home, all controlled from the Alexa app or via voice commands.

User Feedback and Common Scenarios

User experience with the Echo 4th Gen is generally positive, especially regarding its core functionalities.

Podcast Playback: Users appreciate the improved sound quality for background podcast, and the ease of requesting songs, artists, or genres.
Smart Home Control: The integrated Zigbee hub is a standout feature, making it simple to add and control compatible smart lights and other devices. The ability to create complex routines is highly valued for automating daily tasks.
Information Retrieval: Quick access to weather, news, recipes, and general knowledge is a frequent use case, providing hands-free information on demand.
Communication: Drop In and intercom features are popular for connecting with family members in different rooms.

While the core user experience is polished, occasional Wi-Fi connectivity issues or temporary Alexa “brain freezes” can occur, though these are typically resolved with a quick reboot or by checking network stability. Norton 360 Deluxe For Mac Review

Overall, the Amazon Echo 4th Generation offers a highly accessible and generally reliable user experience that caters to both smart home enthusiasts and those simply looking for a capable voice assistant.

Connectivity and Features: Beyond the Basics

The Amazon Echo 4th Generation packs a robust set of connectivity options and additional features that extend its utility beyond just a smart speaker and smart home hub.

These elements contribute to its versatility and ability to integrate into various aspects of your digital life.

Wireless Connectivity Options

Reliable and versatile wireless connectivity is crucial for a smart speaker, and the Echo 4th Gen delivers. Gopro Hero 2024 Review

Dual-Band Wi-Fi: Supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, operating on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. This ensures broad compatibility with home networks and allows for faster, more stable connections, especially important for podcast streaming and large file transfers though not directly relevant for Echo, it helps network stability.
Bluetooth: Equipped with Bluetooth 5.0, allowing you to:
- Stream Audio To: Connect your phone or other Bluetooth-enabled devices to the Echo and use it as a Bluetooth speaker. This is great for playing audio directly from apps that don’t have direct Alexa integration.
- Stream Audio From: Connect the Echo to an external Bluetooth speaker or headphones. This is particularly useful if you want to use a higher-fidelity speaker system while still leveraging Alexa’s smart features.

Physical Ports and Sensors

While primarily wireless, the Echo 4th Gen includes a few key physical elements.

3.5mm Audio Output: This is a valuable inclusion, allowing you to connect the Echo to a traditional stereo system, soundbar, or powered speakers via a standard audio cable. This means you can leverage Alexa’s intelligence and podcast streaming capabilities on your existing, higher-quality audio equipment.
Power Port: A standard barrel connector for its power adapter.
Temperature Sensor: As mentioned, the integrated temperature sensor allows you to create routines based on ambient room temperature. For instance, you could have Alexa tell your smart thermostat to adjust if the room gets too warm or cold, or simply announce the temperature when asked.
Motion Detection Ultrasound: The Echo 4th Gen includes ultrasound motion detection capabilities. This allows the device to detect human presence in a room without needing an external motion sensor. This can be used to trigger routines, for example, turning lights on when you enter a room and off when you leave, or delivering a personalized news briefing when it detects you’re in the room in the morning. This is a subtle but powerful feature for automation.

Other Notable Features

Beyond connectivity and physical components, the Echo 4th Gen integrates several other smart features.

Amazon Sidewalk Bridge: The Echo 4th Gen acts as an Amazon Sidewalk bridge. Sidewalk is a low-bandwidth, long-range wireless network designed to extend the working range of compatible devices like some Tile trackers or Ring Smart Lighting beyond your home Wi-Fi. While controversial for some privacy advocates, Amazon states it’s designed with multiple layers of privacy and encryption. Users can opt out of Sidewalk through the Alexa app settings.
Low Power Mode: Amazon has implemented features to make the Echo more energy-efficient, including a low-power mode when idle.
Accessibility Features: Alexa offers various accessibility features, such as screen reader compatibility, adjustable speaking rates, and tap to Alexa.
Guard Plus: A subscription service that enhances your Echo’s ability to act as a security sentinel. It can detect sounds like glass breaking or smoke alarms, notifying you via the Alexa app and even playing dog barking sounds to deter intruders.

The comprehensive suite of connectivity options, physical ports, and smart features makes the Amazon Echo 4th Generation a highly capable and future-proof device, ready to integrate into a diverse range of smart home setups and daily routines.

Privacy and Security: Addressing the Concerns

Amazon has made strides with the Echo 4th Generation to address these anxieties, offering users more control and transparency over their data.

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Microphone Control and Light Indicators

One of the most immediate and tangible privacy features is the physical microphone mute button.

Physical Disconnect: Pressing the microphone off button electronically disconnects the microphones, ensuring the device cannot hear or record anything. This provides peace of mind that no audio is being captured.
Visual Confirmation: The light ring on the bottom of the Echo turns red when the microphone is muted, offering a clear visual indicator that Alexa is not listening. This immediate feedback helps users confirm their privacy settings are active.

Voice History Management

Users have significant control over their voice recordings.

Viewing History: Through the Alexa app or the Amazon Privacy Hub online, you can review a list of all your voice interactions with Alexa. This allows you to see what Alexa “heard” and how it responded.
Deleting Recordings:
- Individual Deletion: You can delete individual voice recordings from your history.
- Bulk Deletion: Options exist to delete recordings by date range e.g., “today,” “this week,” “all time”.
- Voice Commands: For quick deletion, you can say, “Alexa, delete what I just said” or “Alexa, delete everything I said today.”
Automatic Deletion: Amazon provides settings to automatically delete voice recordings after a set period 3 months, 18 months, or never. Choosing a shorter period reduces the amount of data Amazon retains.

Data Use and Opt-Out Options

Amazon provides information and options regarding how voice data is used.

Improving Alexa: Voice recordings are used to improve Alexa’s understanding and accuracy. However, users can opt out of having their voice recordings used to improve Amazon services and develop new features.
Amazon Sidewalk: As previously mentioned, the Echo 4th Gen acts as an Amazon Sidewalk bridge. While designed with privacy layers, users can opt out of participating in Amazon Sidewalk via the Alexa app settings if they have concerns about sharing a small portion of their internet bandwidth.

Security Measures

Beyond privacy, Amazon employs various security measures to protect the device and user data.

Encryption: Communication between the Echo device, the Alexa app, and Amazon’s servers is encrypted to prevent eavesdropping.
Regular Software Updates: Amazon regularly pushes software updates to Echo devices, which include security patches and bug fixes to protect against vulnerabilities. These updates are typically automatic.
Secure Boot: Devices utilize secure boot processes to ensure that only authenticated and authorized software runs on the device.
Guest Mode: For temporary visitors, a “Guest Mode” allows guests to use Alexa for general requests without accessing your personal information like shopping lists or contacts.

While no internet-connected device is entirely without risk, Amazon has made significant efforts with the Echo 4th Generation to provide users with tools and transparency to manage their privacy and enhance the security of their smart speaker experience. Ifttt Review

It’s crucial for users to actively review and adjust their privacy settings according to their comfort level.

Value Proposition and Target Audience

The Amazon Echo 4th Generation carves out a strong value proposition in the smart speaker market, appealing to a broad audience thanks to its blend of improved audio, smart home hub capabilities, and competitive pricing.

Who is the Echo 4th Gen For?

The Echo 4th Gen is an excellent choice for several distinct user groups:

Smart Home Enthusiasts Beginner to Intermediate: With its integrated Zigbee hub, it’s ideal for those looking to start building or expanding a smart home without needing a separate hub. It simplifies connectivity for a wide range of devices.
Amazon Ecosystem Users: If you’re already deeply invested in Amazon services Amazon Prime, Amazon Podcast, Audible, the Echo 4th Gen offers seamless integration and a familiar user experience.
Casual Podcast Listeners: The significantly improved audio quality makes it a perfectly capable speaker for background podcast, podcasts, and audiobooks in a medium-sized room, without the need for a dedicated audio system.
Families: The communication features Drop In, Announcements, ability to set multiple profiles, and general utility for shared information shopping lists, calendars make it a great central hub for a household.
Upgrade from Older Echos: For owners of 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd Gen Echos, the 4th Gen offers compelling reasons to upgrade, primarily due to the audio and integrated hub.

Key Value Differentiators

The Echo 4th Gen stands out for several reasons that contribute to its overall value. Amazon Fire Hd 10 Kids 2023 Review

Integrated Zigbee Hub: This is arguably its biggest selling point, reducing complexity and cost for smart home setups.
Improved Audio Quality: It strikes a good balance between sound performance and price, offering a noticeably better audio experience than its predecessors.
Alexa’s Maturity: Alexa is a highly developed and widely supported voice assistant, with thousands of skills and integrations.
Aesthetic Appeal: The spherical design is modern and more visually appealing than previous utilitarian cylinders.
Price Point: Positioned as a mid-range smart speaker, it offers premium features like the hub at a competitive price, often available with discounts.

Comparing Value: Echo 4th Gen vs. Alternatives

When evaluating its value, it’s helpful to compare it to its closest competitors.

Vs. Echo Dot 4th Gen: While the Dot is cheaper, the full-size Echo 4th Gen offers vastly superior audio and the crucial Zigbee hub, justifying the higher price for a primary smart speaker.
Vs. Echo Studio: The Studio is for audiophiles willing to pay a premium for truly immersive, high-fidelity sound. The 4th Gen Echo is a more practical, everyday solution for most users.
Vs. Google Nest Audio: Both offer good audio and smart assistant capabilities. The Echo 4th Gen has the Zigbee hub, while the Nest Audio integrates deeper into the Google ecosystem. The choice here largely depends on your preferred voice assistant and smart home platform.
Vs. Apple HomePod Mini: The HomePod Mini is excellent for Apple users and HomeKit integration, but the Echo 4th Gen offers broader smart home compatibility especially with Zigbee and generally louder, fuller sound for its size.

In conclusion, the Amazon Echo 4th Generation offers an excellent balance of smart home capabilities, improved audio performance, and a sleek design, all at a reasonable price point.

It’s a compelling choice for anyone looking to build a connected home or simply upgrade their existing smart speaker experience with a capable and aesthetically pleasing device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Amazon Echo 4th Generation still worth buying in 2024?

Yes, the Amazon Echo 4th Generation is still worth buying in 2024, especially if you can find it at a good price, as it offers a compelling blend of improved audio, an integrated Zigbee smart home hub, and a stylish design that remains relevant.

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What is the main difference between Echo 3rd Gen and Echo 4th Gen?

The main differences are the redesigned spherical form factor, significantly improved audio quality with better bass and clearer highs, and the inclusion of a built-in Zigbee smart home hub in the 4th Gen.

Does the Echo 4th Gen have a Zigbee hub?

Yes, the Amazon Echo 4th Generation has a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, allowing it to directly connect and control compatible Zigbee devices like smart lights and sensors without needing a separate bridge.

Can I connect my Echo 4th Gen to an external speaker?

Yes, you can connect your Echo 4th Gen to an external speaker using the 3.5mm audio output jack or via Bluetooth.

How is the sound quality of the Echo 4th Gen compared to the Echo Dot 4th Gen?

The sound quality of the Echo 4th Gen is significantly superior to the Echo Dot 4th Gen, offering a larger woofer and dual tweeters for richer bass and clearer, more room-filling sound.

Is the Echo 4th Gen louder than previous Echo models?

Yes, the Echo 4th Gen is generally louder and has a fuller sound profile than previous standard Echo models due to its larger drivers and acoustic design. Norton 360 Deluxe Review

Does the Echo 4th Gen have a microphone mute button?

Yes, the Echo 4th Gen has a physical microphone mute button on top that electronically disconnects the microphones for privacy.

Can I pair two Echo 4th Gen devices for stereo sound?

Yes, you can pair two Amazon Echo 4th Generation devices to create a stereo sound system for a more immersive audio experience.

What voice assistant does the Amazon Echo 4th Gen use?

The Amazon Echo 4th Generation uses Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.

Does the Echo 4th Gen support Amazon Podcast, Spotify, and Apple Podcast?

Yes, the Echo 4th Gen supports a wide range of podcast streaming services including Amazon Podcast, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and more, via voice commands.

Can the Echo 4th Gen control Philips Hue lights without a Hue Bridge?

Yes, because the Echo 4th Gen has an integrated Zigbee hub, it can directly control Zigbee-compatible Philips Hue lights non-Bluetooth only models without requiring a separate Philips Hue Bridge. Silverstone Kublai Kl07E Review

What colors is the Echo 4th Gen available in?

The Amazon Echo 4th Generation is typically available in Charcoal, Glacier White, and Twilight Blue.

Does the Echo 4th Gen have a clock display?

No, the standard Amazon Echo 4th Generation does not have a clock display.

The Echo Dot with Clock 4th Gen features an LED display.

Can the Echo 4th Gen be used as an intercom?

Yes, you can use the Echo 4th Gen’s “Announcements” feature to broadcast messages to all other Echo devices in your home, effectively acting as an intercom.

What is Amazon Sidewalk and does the Echo 4th Gen support it?

Amazon Sidewalk is a shared network that helps compatible devices work better at home and beyond the range of your Wi-Fi.

The Echo 4th Gen acts as an Amazon Sidewalk bridge, and you can opt out of this feature in the Alexa app.

Does the Echo 4th Gen have a temperature sensor?

Yes, the Amazon Echo 4th Generation has a built-in temperature sensor that can be used for smart home routines or to simply ask Alexa for the room temperature.

Is the Echo 4th Gen battery-powered?

No, the Amazon Echo 4th Generation is not battery-powered and requires a constant power connection via its included power adapter.

Can I use the Echo 4th Gen to make calls?

Yes, you can use the Echo 4th Gen to make hands-free calls to contacts who have an Echo device or the Alexa app.

How do I set up routines on the Echo 4th Gen?

You set up routines for the Echo 4th Gen through the Amazon Alexa app, allowing you to automate multiple actions based on voice commands, schedules, or sensor triggers.

What smart home devices are compatible with the Echo 4th Gen?

The Echo 4th Gen is compatible with thousands of smart home devices that use Alexa skills or are Zigbee-compatible, including lights, smart plugs, thermostats, and security cameras.

Can the Echo 4th Gen recognize different voices?

Yes, with Voice Profiles enabled, Alexa on the Echo 4th Gen can differentiate between different voices and provide personalized responses, such as calendar updates or podcast preferences.

How do I delete my voice history on the Echo 4th Gen?

You can delete your voice history through the Alexa app, by saying “Alexa, delete what I just said” or “Alexa, delete everything I said today,” or by setting up automatic deletion.

Is the Echo 4th Gen good for a large room?

The Echo 4th Gen can fill a medium-sized room with sound quite well.

For very large rooms or a more immersive audio experience, consider stereo pairing two Echo 4th Gens or upgrading to an Echo Studio.

Does the Echo 4th Gen support podcasts and audiobooks?

Yes, the Echo 4th Gen supports playback of podcasts from various services and audiobooks, particularly from Audible.

What is the purpose of the light ring on the Echo 4th Gen?

The light ring on the bottom of the Echo 4th Gen indicates Alexa’s status listening, processing, muted, notifications, or volume levels.

Can I use the Echo 4th Gen to set alarms and reminders?

Yes, you can easily set one-time or recurring alarms and reminders using voice commands on the Echo 4th Gen.

Is the Echo 4th Gen compatible with Google Nest devices?

While the Echo 4th Gen uses Alexa, it generally cannot directly control Google Nest devices without a specific Alexa skill from Nest or a compatible third-party integration that supports both platforms.

Does the Echo 4th Gen support multi-room podcast?

Yes, you can group multiple Echo devices including the 4th Gen to play synchronized podcast across different rooms in your home.

What kind of power adapter does the Echo 4th Gen use?

The Echo 4th Gen uses a proprietary barrel connector power adapter that comes with the device.

Can the Echo 4th Gen detect motion?

Yes, the Echo 4th Gen has ultrasound motion detection capabilities, allowing it to detect human presence in a room and trigger routines.

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