Echo (3rd Gen)
Standard-bearer gets better
Pros
Even though it may not look like a major update, Amazon significantly improved the speakers in this standard Echo (3rd Gen) and made the design a little less stark with a more plush fabric and new twilight blue colorway.
Echo Plus (2nd Gen)
Smart speaker with home hub
Pros
With the changes to the Echo (3rd Gen), the Echo Plus (2nd Gen) days may be numbered. The two devices now look a lot alike and even have similar speaker setups. However, some may still consider the Zigbee support worth the additional money.
In the deluge of new product announcements from Amazon, this year's update to the "regular" Echo (3rd Gen) may have slipped under the radar a little bit. After all, it doesn't look that different from the previous model. It also kind of sits in this weird middle ground of Echo devices, where it has better sound than the smaller Dots but doesn't have a smart display like the larger Show series. With Amazon announcing its Certified for Humans program to make smart home setup easier, where does that leave the aging Echo Plus (2nd Gen)?
Is there an Echo in here?
Often when Amazon updates a product line it will quickly remove the older version of the products from its listings so as not to overly confuse purchasers. You'll notice, for instance, that many of the Echo (2nd Gen) devices are listed as "Currently Unavailable" on Amazon's website, save for third-party sellers or refurbished items. The Echo Plus (2nd Gen) is technically a separate product to the Echo (3rd Gen), so we can see why it is still listed, but the two devices do share an awful lot in common.
Echo chamber
The original Echo Plus was introduced in the fall of 2017 at a time when there were a number of competing smart home protocols and standards. Its value proposition was that it included a built-in Zigbee hub to better allow Alexa to work with various smart devices since Zigbee was arguably the most popular smart home protocol.
The Plus was refreshed the following fall, and given a new design to better reflect the softer aesthetic Amazon was going for. It was one of the few Echos that were not updated this year, and with the introduction of the program, we wonder how long this particular Echo will stick around in the lineup.
Despite Amazon's attempts to extend the Echo devices line from the plug-sized to the full-on entertainment mini-monitor of the , the original namesake Echo has kept a spot in the lineup once again. Amazon says that it improved the "sound architecture" on the Echo (3rd Gen) with a larger tweeter and bigger woofer to make it comparable to the Echo Plus (2nd Gen), and the device now has a softened look to better match the Echo Dot and even the Show lines. And what else do you do when you want to generate interest in a minor refresh? You introduce a new color! We really love the twilight blue and hope that look comes to more Echo devices.
Bottom line
As we noted in our comparison of the , we think Amazon made the decision here pretty easy when it comes to choosing between the Echo (3rd Gen) or the Echo Plus (2nd Gen). By beefing up the sound quality of the "regular" Echo (3rd Gen), moving the styling towards that of the Echo Plus (2nd Gen), and introducing a new program called Certified by Humans that facilitates easier smart home setup, it's getting difficult to justify purchasing the Echo Plus (2nd Gen) for $50 more.
If you are choosing between these two devices, it seems pretty clear that the Echo (3rd Gen) is the device to get.
Echo (3rd Gen)
Time to upgrade
Better sound and cooler colors
The 3rd gen Echo is built for better sound with a softer, plusher look that comes in four colors, including the soft new twilight blue.
Echo Plus (2nd Gen)
Smart home hub
Smart home support with solid speakers
The Echo Plus was one of the first Echo devices to really step up its sound game while making strides to better support smart home device integration.
Standard-bearer gets better
Pros
- Plush styling like Echo Plus (2nd Gen)
- Much improved sound architecture
- Now available in twilight blue
- Sits in weird middle ground of Echo lineup
- No smart display or LED clock functionality
Even though it may not look like a major update, Amazon significantly improved the speakers in this standard Echo (3rd Gen) and made the design a little less stark with a more plush fabric and new twilight blue colorway.
Echo Plus (2nd Gen)
Smart speaker with home hub
Pros
- Zigbee hub built-in for easy control of smart products
- Premium sound compared to smaller Echos
- Available with a free smart bulb
- Possibly irrelevant with new Echo (3rd Gen) release
- Zigbee hub feature not something many will understand
With the changes to the Echo (3rd Gen), the Echo Plus (2nd Gen) days may be numbered. The two devices now look a lot alike and even have similar speaker setups. However, some may still consider the Zigbee support worth the additional money.
In the deluge of new product announcements from Amazon, this year's update to the "regular" Echo (3rd Gen) may have slipped under the radar a little bit. After all, it doesn't look that different from the previous model. It also kind of sits in this weird middle ground of Echo devices, where it has better sound than the smaller Dots but doesn't have a smart display like the larger Show series. With Amazon announcing its Certified for Humans program to make smart home setup easier, where does that leave the aging Echo Plus (2nd Gen)?
Is there an Echo in here?
Often when Amazon updates a product line it will quickly remove the older version of the products from its listings so as not to overly confuse purchasers. You'll notice, for instance, that many of the Echo (2nd Gen) devices are listed as "Currently Unavailable" on Amazon's website, save for third-party sellers or refurbished items. The Echo Plus (2nd Gen) is technically a separate product to the Echo (3rd Gen), so we can see why it is still listed, but the two devices do share an awful lot in common.
| Echo (3rd Gen) | Echo Plus (2nd Gen) | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 5.8" x 3.9" x 3.9" | 5.8" x 3.9" x 3.9" |
| Weight | 27.5 oz | 27.5 oz |
| Far-field Microphones | Yes | Yes |
| Speakers | .8" tweeter and 3" woofer | .8" tweeter and 3" woofer |
| Dolby Processing | Yes | Yes |
| Line-out with 3.5 mm cable or Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Home Controls | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Home Hub | Yes with Certified for Humans program | Yes with Zigbee hub |
| Music Streaming | Yes | Yes |
| Pair Multiple for Stereo Sound | Yes | Yes |
| Free audio calls to the U.S., Mexico, and Canada | Yes | Yes |
| Finishes | Fabric (4 colors - charcoal, heather gray, sandstone, twilight blue) | Fabric (3 colors - charcoal, heather gray, sandstone) |
The original Echo Plus was introduced in the fall of 2017 at a time when there were a number of competing smart home protocols and standards. Its value proposition was that it included a built-in Zigbee hub to better allow Alexa to work with various smart devices since Zigbee was arguably the most popular smart home protocol.
The Plus was refreshed the following fall, and given a new design to better reflect the softer aesthetic Amazon was going for. It was one of the few Echos that were not updated this year, and with the introduction of the program, we wonder how long this particular Echo will stick around in the lineup.
Despite Amazon's attempts to extend the Echo devices line from the plug-sized to the full-on entertainment mini-monitor of the , the original namesake Echo has kept a spot in the lineup once again. Amazon says that it improved the "sound architecture" on the Echo (3rd Gen) with a larger tweeter and bigger woofer to make it comparable to the Echo Plus (2nd Gen), and the device now has a softened look to better match the Echo Dot and even the Show lines. And what else do you do when you want to generate interest in a minor refresh? You introduce a new color! We really love the twilight blue and hope that look comes to more Echo devices.
Bottom line
As we noted in our comparison of the , we think Amazon made the decision here pretty easy when it comes to choosing between the Echo (3rd Gen) or the Echo Plus (2nd Gen). By beefing up the sound quality of the "regular" Echo (3rd Gen), moving the styling towards that of the Echo Plus (2nd Gen), and introducing a new program called Certified by Humans that facilitates easier smart home setup, it's getting difficult to justify purchasing the Echo Plus (2nd Gen) for $50 more.
If you are choosing between these two devices, it seems pretty clear that the Echo (3rd Gen) is the device to get.
Echo (3rd Gen)
Time to upgrade
Better sound and cooler colors
The 3rd gen Echo is built for better sound with a softer, plusher look that comes in four colors, including the soft new twilight blue.
Echo Plus (2nd Gen)
Smart home hub
Smart home support with solid speakers
The Echo Plus was one of the first Echo devices to really step up its sound game while making strides to better support smart home device integration.