If when you have a doubt, ask Alexa to dispel it for you, Amazon has an interesting novelty: the new EchoPop, the smart speaker with which we talked for a long time before writing this review. At the introductory price of 54,99 euro it’s officially the cheapest device in the range – although promotions like Prime Days often drop the price of other Echoes below this threshold. But without a doubt it is the most colorful, with variations Petrol green and Lavenderand with the possibility of customizing the models as well Anthracite and Ice White with the official cases of Mission Cables.
Ma vthe new Pops are worth buying, when the new fifth generation Echo Dots cost only ten euros more? Are the colors and the new shape worth more than the (few) features less? We help you understand which is the best choice for your smart home this Amazon Echo Pop review.
Our review of the Amazon Echo Pop
In addition to cutting the introductory price of its new smart speaker compared to the Echo Dot, Amazon has also decided to give a cut to the spherical shape. The Pop comes with a flat speaker covered in fabric and a rounded back, where there are also the suns three physical buttons to increase and decrease the volume, as well as to mute the device.
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At the bottom we find an oval base that does not slide the device (even if on a smooth surface it is enough to push it a little to make it move). On the back is the input for the proprietary charger – sadly no USB-C, like the rest of the Echo family. Above we find a Bright LED which gives visual feedback when you chat with Alexa.
Aesthetically, we like the device – even more than the Dot. But it is simply a personal choice, perhaps dictated by the fact that we have been seeing our Echo Dot for longer and appreciate the novelty. The ability to add colored covers made by Mission Cables it is interesting, even if we think that many will not take full advantage of it. The fact that it lights up at night could make it a suitable choice for a child’s bedroom, who will be able to use Alexa with their child account. But the the price of 22.99 euros for the cover seems a bit high to us, being almost half of the device. However, it is one more option to adapt the Pop to your needs: like the base to hang it separately or the one for outdoor use.
The design of the device convinced us, as well as the build quality. It seems to us a solid product to keep in the house and also to use as a smart alarm clock in the morning: by tapping the device, in fact, you can activate the Snooze function to snooze the alarm. So a little more resistance is needed – and the Pop guaranteed it during rehearsals.
All the classic simplicity of Amazon
Once the Amazon Echo Pop was plugged in, ready for the tests of this review, we had to wait less than a minute because the LED turns orange and Alexa’s voice told us in different languages that the device was ready for configuration. Which as usual is very simple, especially if you already have an Amazon Alexa account.
If you don’t have it, start by downloading the Alexa app on your iPhone or Android smartphone (or iPad or tablet) and linking your Amazon account. Those who have not set up an account will need to enter their information and test Alexa’s voice recognition: the whole procedure is guided as soon as you enter the app.
Those who already use the Amazon voice assistant, simply select “Add device” and connect the Pop via Bluetooth (for some reason, during our tests the Bluetooth device was called Echo Dot instead of Pop – but that should be the only one suggested in the app anyway).
Once connected, you just have to start talking to your Echo Pop, remembering to start each sentence with “Alexa”.
The new chip and microphones are very responsive
We started testing this Amazon Echo Pop review by talking next to the speaker we’d finished setting up. We asked about the weather, to play some songs (we’ll talk about the audio in detail in the next paragraph), to set an alarm. But we started talking to the device anywhere in the room, even while doing noisy tasks like vacuuming. And Alexa has always heard us.
The microphones of Pop and the new chip AZ2 Neural Edge they made interacting with Alexa a breeze. As soon as we said the voice assistant’s name, the Echo Pop would listen and answer most questions immediately. If you are used to writing with the latest generation generative AI, you will discover that Alexa does not understand speech in an equally “natural” way. Anyone who wants to know what the weather will be like in Miami tomorrow must ask a direct question, formulations such as “Alexa, I landed in Florida tomorrow and I wonder if the humidity will be active” will leave you unanswered. But if you do direct questions, Echo Pop will understand and answer them on the fly.
As you can expect, the usefulness of the device depends the level of integration of your smart home and how much you use Amazon services. Those with smart lights and appliances will be able to use Echo Pop as a controller also thanks to the Matter protocol, the new standard for home automation. And if you connect your subscription Amazon Music or Audible you can listen to music, podcasts and audiobooks directly from the smart speaker
Audio quality: it can become a speaker for music
Amazon provided its Echo Pop with pretty loud speakers, which we enjoyed testing during this review. The volume becomes quite high: if you turn it up to the maximum it will fill even rather large rooms.
The sound quality, however, is not comparable to products dedicated to audio. The bass feel little and the details do not shine as happens with special speakers. However, it reproduces the voice very well: not only that of Alexa, but also that of podcasters and actors reading audiobooks. If you like to fall asleep listening to Audible, having Echo Pop on your nightstand could be a great idea.
Confrontation fra Amazon Echo Pop and Dot
With such a similar price (on paper there is only a ten euro difference) and with the Echo Dot which often goes on sale during Amazon sales, a comparison between the company’s two basic speakers seems interesting to us. What do you lose with ten euros less?
Not much, at least for most users. The sound is clear in both speakers, although the Dot has rounder bass and a richer sound. Also in this case we are talking about a product for audiophiles, but there is an advantage. You can connect both to Bluetooth and even combine more than one for stereo sound if you like.
On the other hand, the difference in the timing and accuracy of the responses is minimal. If you keep them in two different rooms, you won’t notice the difference: it’s a worthy replacement for the Dot to make your home smarter. Albeit in the Echo Pop the temperature sensor is missing, which could be used to manage air conditioners, for example (although you can almost always manage the on and off routines with the thermometer of the air conditioners themselves). Also missing the ultrasonic sensor to understand when you enter the room – then you will have to use your voice to turn on the smart lights.
In the end, action button is missing, which allows you to activate Alexa without talking to her. We hardly ever use it, so we didn’t miss it. But it’s up to you to evaluate whether you actually use it and you need it.
Amazon Echo Dot Review: Is It Worth Buying?
After the tests of our review, we think there are several cases in which a person may prefer Amazon’s Echo Dot to other smart speakers. But two cases must be distinguished: who is already part of Amazon’s smart home ecosystem and who is not.
If you already have an Echo or use Alexa on your smartphone, the new Pop has some interesting advantages. The lowest price (54.99 euros), especially if the classic discounts arrive during the sales on Amazon, it makes it an ideal choice for cover rooms where you will use the Echo less. For example, you could keep it in the kitchen for recipes and some music, or in the bedroom as a smart alarm clock and for one last smart home check before bed. All this, leaving your smart speaker or Amazon smart display in the living room, for example. Also, for those with an Alexa smart home could replace an older speaker, from the first generations of Echo.
Those who have never used Alexa, on the other hand, should start by downloading the app and talking a little to the voice assistant via smartphone. In this way you will be able to understand if it has the functions you are looking for, at no cost. And then make this small investment to understand whether a speaker is the right choice for you: especially if you find it on promotion.
But in any case, know that the Echo Pop is cheap, has a nice design and several interesting colors, responds quickly and has a loud and clear sound despite its small size. If you need the Action button and the temperature and ultrasound sensors, the extra ten euros for the Dot is well spent.