Echo (4th Gen) Review: Premium Sound and Smart Home Hub with Alexa
Are you looking for a smart speaker that not only delivers premium sound but also serves as a smart home hub? Then you should check out the Echo (4th Gen) by Amazon. This smart speaker boasts rich, detailed sound that automatically adjusts to any room, making sure you have the best listening experience. It also allows you to control compatible smart home devices using voice commands with its built-in hub. With Alexa as its voice assistant, you can set reminders, alarms, and ask questions, making it more than just a speaker. Let's dive deeper into the features of the Echo (4th Gen) and see what makes it stand out from the rest.
Product Description
The Echo (4th Gen) is a smart speaker that offers premium sound quality and a built-in smart home hub. With Alexa, Amazon's voice assistant, users can control compatible smart home devices using voice commands and play music from various streaming services.
One of the standout features of the Echo (4th Gen) is its premium sound quality. The device automatically adapts to any room to provide rich, detailed sound. It also supports lossless HD audio on select streaming services, such as Amazon Music HD, for an even better listening experience.
Users can also stream songs from popular music services like Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Spotify, among others, using voice commands. And with Alexa, setting timers, reminders, and alarms is a breeze. Users can also ask Alexa questions like "what time is it?" and get quick answers.
The Echo (4th Gen) serves as a smart home hub that allows users to control compatible lights, locks, and sensors using voice commands. It's easy to set up compatible Zigbee and Matter devices, and it even supports Ring Smart Lighting solar lights and bulbs.
Overall, the Echo (4th Gen) is a versatile and powerful smart speaker that offers premium sound quality and a range of useful features. Whether you want to listen to music, control your smart home devices, or get quick answers to your questions, the Echo (4th Gen) has you covered.
Pros and Cons
The Echo (4th Gen) is a premium smart home hub with Alexa integration, designed to provide a superior audio experience and seamless smart home control. Here are some pros and cons of the product:
Pros
- Premium Sound Quality: The Echo (4th Gen) delivers an impressive audio experience with its 3-inch woofer and dual front-firing 0.8-inch tweeters. The sound quality is clear, rich, and fills the room effortlessly. It also features Dolby audio processing for a more immersive experience.
- Built-in Smart Home Hub: With the built-in Zigbee hub, users can easily connect and control their smart devices without the need for additional hubs or apps. The Echo (4th Gen) can control over 100,000 smart home devices from over 9,500 brands.
- Alexa Integration: The Echo (4th Gen) comes with Alexa, Amazon's intelligent personal assistant. It can answer questions, play music, set alarms, control smart home devices, and much more. Alexa also gets smarter over time by learning from the user's interaction.
Cons
- Price: The Echo (4th Gen) is priced at $99.99, which may be considered expensive for some users.
- Size: The Echo (4th Gen) is a large device, which may not be suitable for small spaces.
- Privacy Concerns: With Alexa integration, there are concerns about privacy and security. Some users may be uncomfortable with the device constantly listening for commands and potentially capturing sensitive information.
Customer Reviews
The Echo (4th Gen) | With premium sound, smart home hub, and Alexa | Charcoal has received a 4.7 out of 5 stars rating from over 141,361 customers on Amazon. The vast majority of customers have given the Echo a high rating of 5 stars, with only a small percentage of customers giving it a lower rating.
Positive Reviews
Customers have praised the Echo (4th Gen) for its premium sound quality, smart home hub features, and Alexa integration. One customer writes, "The Echo 4 is actually beyond my expectations. It is physically fairly heavy, the quality of manufacture and finish is good. There is a standard screw...". Another customer writes, "Replaced my decade old alarm clock with this and couldn't be happier. She hears me from the hallway. She is like having a personal assistant, which is...".
Negative Reviews
While the vast majority of customers are happy with their Echo (4th Gen) purchase, some have noted issues with the device's performance. One customer writes, "Tengo un Echo Dot 3G, y me agradaba el sonido, y decidí adquirirlo por el rendimiento del sonido que afirmaban (claro, el precio era atractivo). Se es..." while another writes, "The music function. I had...".
Overall, the Echo (4th Gen) seems to be a highly rated and well-regarded product among customers. Its smart home hub features, premium sound quality, and Alexa integration make it a must-have for anyone looking to upgrade their home automation setup.
Conclusion
The Echo (4th Gen) is an excellent smart speaker that boasts premium sound quality, voice control, and a built-in smart home hub. The device adapts to any room's environment and supports high-quality audio on select streaming services. It also allows users to play music from various streaming services using voice commands and control compatible smart home devices.
One major drawback of this device is that it requires a compatible music streaming service to support HD audio. Also, some users may find the setup process for compatible smart home devices to be a bit complex.
Overall, the Echo (4th Gen) is a great addition to any smart home setup, especially for those who enjoy listening to high-quality music and controlling their smart home devices with voice commands. If you're looking for a powerful and versatile smart speaker, the Echo (4th Gen) is an excellent choice. With over 141,361 ratings and an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars, it's clear that this device has won the hearts of many buyers. We highly recommend it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common questions and concerns about the Echo (4th Gen) that buyers have asked:
Q: What is the Echo (4th Gen)?
A: The Echo (4th Gen) is the latest smart speaker from Amazon. It features premium sound quality and a built-in smart home hub, as well as access to Alexa, Amazon's virtual assistant.
Q: What are the dimensions of the Echo (4th Gen)?
A: The Echo (4th Gen) measures 5.2 x 5.7 x 5.2 inches and weighs 2.5 pounds.
Q: What is the sound quality like on the Echo (4th Gen)?
A: According to reviews from buyers, the sound quality on the Echo (4th Gen) is excellent. The speaker features a 3-inch woofer and two 0.8-inch tweeters, which provide clear, balanced sound.
Q: Can the Echo (4th Gen) be used as a smart home hub?
A: Yes, the Echo (4th Gen) has a built-in smart home hub that allows you to control compatible smart home devices with your voice.
Q: Does the Echo (4th Gen) have a screen?
A: No, the Echo (4th Gen) does not have a screen. It is a voice-controlled smart speaker.
Q: How does Alexa work on the Echo (4th Gen)?
A: Alexa is Amazon's virtual assistant that is built into the Echo (4th Gen). You can use your voice to ask Alexa to play music, answer questions, control smart home devices, and more.
Q: Can I use the Echo (4th Gen) to make phone calls?
A: Yes, you can use the Echo (4th Gen) to make phone calls to other Echo devices or to phone numbers in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Q: Is the Echo (4th Gen) easy to set up?
A: Yes, setting up the Echo (4th Gen) is easy. All you need to do is plug it in, connect it to your Wi-Fi network, and follow the on-screen instructions in the Alexa app.
