In 2014, Amazon effectively launched the smart speaker market with the introduction of the original Echo. Before that, smart home devices were largely niche items, unproven and unfamiliar to most consumers. Amazon took a gamble on the “always-on, always-listening” concept that seemed creepy at the time, but promised deep integration with its AI assistant, Alexa.
That bet turned out to be prescient. Armed with Alexa’s growing list of skills and capabilities, the Echo proved irresistible. It skillfully merged the AI assistant and smart speaker concepts into an affordable, user-friendly device. Soon Echos were sprinkled throughout homes and apartments, demonstrating AI’s potential for enhancing everyday tasks and routines.
Amazon’s success sparked a Cambrian explosion of smart speakers from competitors like Google, Apple and Bose. However, Amazon retained its first-mover advantage by pumping out new Echo models with upgraded features and designs. For many, a smart speaker is an Amazon Alexa device, much like Kleenex is synonymous with tissues.
And just this week, Amazon introduced its least expensive smart speaker yet: the Echo Pop, a fun, cute desktop companion that gives off an up-for-anything, buzzy vibe. It’s fun and purple, which is not something I thought I’d ever say about an Alexa smart speaker.
The Echo Pop is the newest addition to the Amazon Echo universe, and it lives up to its name. Not only do you get a cute, colorful smart speaker that will accent most decor, but it also doubles as a Matter controller — all for a non-prohibitive price tag.
What we liked about it
The price
By now, most people are familiar with Alexa and its galaxy of “skills” you can add to any Alexa-enabled speaker. You can connect your Spotify, connect a Roomba vacuum cleaner, ask medical questions of WebMD, get your calendar read back to you and even have a “chat” with Chewbacca.
The most distinctive thing about the Pop, though, is its price tag: $40. Yep, for less than a dinner for two at The Cheesecake Factory, you can have a smart speaker in just about any room of the house — especially small rooms like bathrooms or home offices.
Fast and fun
Its rounded shape and compact 3.9-by-3.3-inch footprint make it an unobtrusive deskside or bedside companion. And yet, it draws the eye with its distinctive colors: teal, purple, black and white. Overall, the pixie-like design gives the Pop more style than its older sibling, the industrial-looking Dot, which costs $10 more.
Like the Dot, the Pop uses Amazon’s AZ2 chip, which means faster Alexa responses, and it has the Dot’s wireless capabilities: It can extend an Eero mesh Wi-Fi network, it’s a Matter controller and it hooks into Amazon’s Sidewalk network.
What we didn’t like about it
Lacking audio quality and features
However, when it comes to how the speaker sounds, the Pop struggles. It can’t produce the rich bass that makes music so enjoyable, and its highs feel cramped and sunken. It’s OK for alarms or vocal interaction, but for listening to music, you’d be better off with the Dot, which is only $10 more.
And there’s even a lack of functions. As I mentioned, you’ve got the same chip and much of the same radio technology as the Dot, but the Pop lacks an accelerometer and motion and temperature sensors, which means you can’t tap to pause music playback. Without knowing the temperature or motion, you miss out on some of the more advanced smart home functions and Alexa routines.
Confusing design and no USB-C
Second, there’s the physical design. Yes, it’s cute and eye-catching, but the front face angles forward and down, which puts the top volume and mute buttons at an awkward angle. The nubs on the buttons are barely there, which meant I often found myself picking up the speaker and looking at which button I needed to press to raise or lower the volume. (The lighted indicator bar will give you a visual indicator of the volume level, which is a nice touch … if you can find the buttons.) And worse, the Dot’s action button has been replaced by a mute button, which shuts off the mic on the Pop if you don’t want Alexa listening in on something. (Hey, no judgment.) But that action button on previous Echo models was handy. You could invoke Alexa without calling out, “Alexa!”, wake the device or reset the device.
And finally, there’s the power supply. Why hasn’t Amazon gotten on the USB-C bandwagon? With the Pop, you’re stuck with a proprietary power supply and cable. If you lose it, it will be time to pay Amazon more money.
How it compares
| Audio | 1.95” (49.5 mm) front-firing speaker, Lossless High Definition |
|---|---|
| Motion detection | No |
| Temperature sensor | No |
| Eero built-in | Yes |
| Wi-Fi connectivity | Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) networks, does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks |
| Smart home device compatibility | Wifi, Bluetooth Low Energy Mesh, Matter |
| Screen | None |
| Controls | Volume up and down, mute microphone |
| Size | 3.9 x 3.3 x 3.6 inches, 6.9 ounces |
| Price | $40 |
| Audio | 1.73" front-firing speaker |
|---|---|
| Motion detection | Yes |
| Temperature sensor | Yes |
| Eero built-in | Yes |
| Wi-Fi connectivity | Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) networks, does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks |
| Smart home device compatibility | Wifi, Bluetooth Low Energy Mesh, Matter |
| Screen | LED display on Echo Dot with clock ($60) |
| Controls | Volume up and down, mute microphone, action button |
| Size | 3.9 x 3.9 x 3.5 inches, 10.7 ounces |
| Price | $50 |
Bottom line
Given the Pop’s limitations, it only really makes sense for occasional Alexa use — setting alarms, answering basic questions and controlling smart lights or plugs — in secondary rooms where sound quality isn’t a primary factor.
If you’re already a fervent Alexa fan, the Pop is a good upgrade for older Echo models like the third generation or older. If you’re new to Alexa, on the other hand, the Pop is a great toe-dip into the ecosystem (Echo-system?). Also, this is the cheapest Matter controller you can buy, but it’s Wi-Fi only, so it’s not compatible with every Matter-enabled device you might want. It does not support the Thread protocol, for instance.
But anyone wanting better sound or smart home integration should spend a little extra on a fourth- or fifth-gen Echo Dot for dramatically superior performance that still fits into secondary spaces well.