The new Amazon Echo Dot is still tiny, but now louder and more stylish too

Among the many, many Alexa-powered devices announced today was a very familiar one: the Echo Dot, Amazon’s cheapest and best-selling Echo to date. But this one’s not exactly the same as before. Sure, it’s still a tiny little thing – but instead of looking like a small slice of an original Echo tube (or a hockey puck), this one’s fuzzy on the sides like a fabric speaker grate. No surprise: it looks a bit more like the Google Home Mini. But it might sound better than its pint-sized competitor, as the 2018 Echo Dot packs in a pretty significant upgrade, producing up to 70% louder sound than the last version thanks to a larger 1.6in speaker. Otherwise, the new Echo Dot is much as it has always been: the easiest and most affordable way to put Alexa in your home. It’s out on 11 October at the same £49.99 price.

Andrew Hayward Freelance Writer

About

Andrew writes features, news stories, reviews, and other pieces, often when the UK home team is off-duty or asleep. I'm based in Chicago with my lovely wife, amazing son, and silly cats, and my writing about games, gadgets, esports, apps, and plenty more has appeared in more than 75 publications since 2006.

Areas of expertise

Video games, gadgets, apps, smart home