Previously, we wrote an elaborate review on Google Home. Now let’s check out the performance of Amazon Echo- a leading competitor in smart home assistants
amazon echo (3rd generation) Rating attributes
amazon echo (3rd generation) Rating attributes- Design & Build
- Features
- Audio performance
- IoT compatibility
- Microphone sensitivity
Alexa vs. Amazon Echo:
First and foremost, let’s clear a common misconception that both Alexa and Echo are the same. No! Alexa is a voice-controlled assistant from Amazon. Alexa is the brain behind the Echo products and Echo is a device (both hardware and software) with the Alexa app installed in it. So when you say ‘Hey Alexa, what’s the time in Chicago?’, it’s the Alexa app that connects through Amazon cloud servers to get the answer you are looking for.
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Manufacturers can have Alexa API configured to their devices. Amazon did this in its own products – Amazon Echo. If a speaker manufacturer wants to have smart capabilities in his line of products, the manufacturer needs to configure Alexa in the speaker so that it can pause or play music and do many other things that Alexa does- based on the voice commands you issue.
Design:
Taking Amazon Echo out of the box would give a pleasant surprise to anyone. It is cylindrical in shape and has a simple and elegant looking design. It has a fabric finish on its cylindrical surface and is available in white, grey, black, and blue colors.
You do not need too many controls on the device if the device is voice-enable. The entire device consists of only 4 buttons- Volume controls (+/-), Microphone mute, and Alexa action button.
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On the surface, it has a light ring to communicate the status of the speaker and an array of 4 microphones to hear you across the room. At the bottom of the speaker, there is a power port and a 3.5 mm audio input/output socket.
This premium speaker is 5.8’’ tall and 3.9’’ wide. So you should not have any problem placing it anywhere at your home. Sound is one of the key USP in Echo products. Inside the product, the Amazon Echo comes with a 3-inch neodymium woofer and a 0.8’’ tweeter.
 Amazon Echo 3rd Generation best Features:
As Amazon says, Echo 3rd Gen comes with improved sound and is powered by Dolby for 360° audio. This means you do not need to think about speaker placement in the room for the best sound. You can place anywhere and still benefit from its audio quality. Echo 3rd Gen has improved vocals and comes with dynamic bass response.
Alexa is always connected to the internet through its vast array of cloud network power by AWS. You can listen to music & podcasts, ask of match scores, weather information, set up alarms and play built-in games (human to machine interaction. Just ask for it- ‘Hey Alexa, let’s play a game’)
You can control your smart lights, Geyser (‘Hey Alexa, switch on the Geyser’), and other Alexa-enabled smart home accessories. There are thousands of Alexa-enable products in the market.
Also, Alexa has multi-language capabilities. You can switch to Hindi and enjoy all things Alexa does in English without worrying about compromised functionality.
Amazon Echo 3rd Generation Sound
Amazon Echo 3rd generation definitely sounds better than its predecessors. In fact, this product has the same audio configuration as 2nd generation Echo plus with a 0.8-inch tweeter and 3.0-inch woofer.
You have a stereo pairing option. Sonos One and Apple HomePod already have this feature. This kind of stereo pairing delivers an enhanced audio experience by splitting the audio signal into dedicated left and right channels. Generally, this kind of pairing requires two same devices: two Echo, two Echo Dots, two Echo Plus, etc. Amazon Echo 3rd Gen can stereo pair with another Echo 3rd Gen device and also with 2018 Echo Plus. This is a great addition. So if you already own an Echo Plus, you know you already have a stereo partner.
3.5 mm audio input/output means you can use your Echo speaker in both ways- to output the Echo’s audio to another device or to play sound from another device through Echo. Previous Echo devices have only input (taking audio input from other devices). 3rd Gen Echo also comes with Bluetooth connectivity.
Similar to Google Home or other smart assistants, if you want to beef up the sound a lot more than usual, you will get some distortion and not a pleasant listening experience. This is not your complete home speaker system but can act as a fantastic portable speaker.
If you are anything like me, you would have music apps like Gaana, Spotify, JioSaavnm, Gaana, and Apple music installed on your smartphone. You can stream all the aforementioned apps through Echo 3rd Gen.
Verdict:
The Amazon Echo 3rd Gen is not your typical yearly upgrade. This solved many criticisms on the previous generation of devices – Music, Price, Features, and compatibility. There is now little need to buy Amazon Echo Plus since not everyone is a heavy user of the in-built Zigbee controller in Echo Plus devices. There are other players in the market such as Sonos which may have better audio capabilities but are twice the price (check out Sonos review here). For the price range and a gamut of features it comes with, Amazon Echo is quite good.
Is Amazon Echo 3rd Generation worth it?
So, on the off chance that you need a speaker with this list of capabilities and Amazon Alexa worked in, the third-age Echo is as yet a respectable choice for financial plans under three figures. Be that as it may, in the event that sound quality is your principle concern, at that point you’re in an ideal situation either doing without the voice control or hanging tight and putting something aside for the Echo Plus. Read Completely the Amazon Echo 3rd Gen Review before buy.
Is Alexa echo 3rd generation wireless?
All-new Amazon Echo (3rd Gen) comes ready to connect to your Wi-Fi.