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Critics were quite pleased with how well the Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 was easy to set up through its companion app. They also liked its room-filling sound and extra features such as motion sensing and low power mode. However, its lack of a battery contributed to its poor portability, and it is not designed to be used outdoors.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 is an entry-level smart speaker that was first released in mid-2020. Weighing only 0.7 pounds, the speaker is pretty light in weight, and like some of the top-rated speakers in the market, it also has a set of four microphones that make it possible to use its voice assistant functionality.
The Alexa voice assistant will only work through WiFi, but owners can stream music and videos from their devices through WiFi and Bluetooth or link their smartphones to use it as a speakerphone. Speaking of which, it has a Bluetooth range of 214 ft, making it a lot more convenient to use than some of the most popular Bluetooth speakers and a good number of the best WiFi speakers in the industry. If you’re looking for a speaker that’s a lot better for streaming content, we have a few ideas on the best soundbar for Roku TV (or any other popular streaming platform).
Consensus
our Verdict
The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 received praise from critics for its spherical shape and easy-to-use voice assistant. Expert testers from What HiFi liked how easy it was to set up since, during testing, all they had to do was download the Alexa app onto their smartphones and follow easy prompts. Reviewers from Tom’s Guide were satisfied with how well the speaker could fill a room with sound and also liked that it had a low power mode to reduce power consumption when idle. Also commended was its motion sensing feature, which, they established, could detect when people enter or exit a room.
However, testers were slightly disappointed that the Echo Dot Gen 4 had no battery and had to be plugged into work. This makes it unfit for outdoor use and is a discredit it has in common with the Amazon Echo Gen 4 (which we’ve covered in our Amazon Echo Gen 4 review).
ReasonS to Buy
Exceptional Bluetooth range
Room filling sound
Support for Alexa Assistant
Easy to set up
Motion detection
Reason to Avoid
No battery
Not built for outdoor use
Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 Specs
Battery Life
4 hrs
Built In Microphone
Yes
Charge Time
1 hrs 45 min
Smart App
Amazon Alexa app
Speaker Pairing
Yes
Water Resistant
No
Wattage
15W
Wireless Range
1000 sq ft
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Speakers based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
Battery Life (Hours)
0
Volume Output (dB)
78.4
Low End Roll Off (Hz)
142.544
High End Roll Off (Hz)
2,487.122
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Product Comparison
Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 Review
True Score
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Ranking
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Market Context
The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 is an entry-level smart speaker that was first released in mid-2020. Weighing only 0.7 pounds, the speaker is pretty…
The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 is an entry-level smart speaker that was first released in mid-2020. Weighing only 0.7 pounds, the speaker is pretty light in weight, and like some of the top-rated speakers in the market, it also has a set of four microphones that make it possible to use its voice assistant functionality.
The Alexa voice assistant will only work through WiFi, but owners can stream music and videos from their devices through WiFi and Bluetooth or link their smartphones to use it as a speakerphone. Speaking of which, it has a Bluetooth range of 214 ft, making it a lot more convenient to use than some of the most popular Bluetooth speakers and a good number of the best WiFi speakers in the industry. If you’re looking for a speaker that’s a lot better for streaming content, we have a few ideas on the best soundbar for Roku TV (or any other popular streaming platform).
The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 is a spherically shaped speaker that is slightly larger than the Amazon Echo Dot Gen 3. The Gen 4…
The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 is a spherically shaped speaker that is slightly larger than the Amazon Echo Dot Gen 3. The Gen 4 also delivers slightly more bass than the Gen 3 and is available in more color options than the Echo Dot Gen 3.
The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 has a mute function while the Amazon Echo Plus 2 does not, and it also comes with a subwoofer…
The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 has a mute function while the Amazon Echo Plus 2 does not, and it also comes with a subwoofer and an AUX input, both of which are missing on the Echo Plus 2.
At a weight of 12 ounces, the Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 is heavier than the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen, which weighs about 6.4…
At a weight of 12 ounces, the Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 is heavier than the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen, which weighs about 6.4 ounces. The Echo Dot Gen 4 also supports Amazon Alexa, while the Google Nest Mini supports Google Assistant.
