Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) with Clock Review

Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (4th Generation) Review – We like the 4th generation of Amazon Echo‘s new sphere design, along with the internal upgrades. But if you were hoping they’d also upgrade the previous Echo Dot with Clock, then hope no more.

The new Amazon Echo Dot with Clock has that new cool, look but also comes with an LED clock that displays the time and sets alarms.

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The Echo Dot has always been the compact version of the Echo speakers, so what you see here is a smaller body compared to the Echo which means smaller internal audio components. The Echo Dot has a 1.6″ speaker compared to Echo’s 3.0″ woofer and 2x 0.8″ tweeter with Dolby Audio support. But for an alarm clock that sits next to your bed, it is more than enough.

The compact size makes it perfect for any bedside table, even smaller ones. It weighs 338 grams but this is not something that you’d normally move around the house anyway, though you can if you want to.

Similar to the 4th Gen Echo, it has physical volume controls on the top, along with a mic off and action button. A 3.5mm port is provided if you want to hook it to better, external speakers (but I’d suggest grabbing the Echo Input if you want to make your better speakers smart/Alexa-ready).

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Like all other Echo devices, the speaker has built-in Alexa and she will respond to your voice command across the room. The bottom ring light gives an ominous glow whenever it responds to your voice or when the microphone is muted with a continuous, solid, red ring. It can also serve as a night light in your room and it will go dim as you turn your room lights off.

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It’s very easy to setup (only took me a minute or less) and easy to use. And now with the digital clock on your face all the time, you don’t need to ask Alexa all the time about the time. At times when you don’t want to wake anyone in the room with your voice like my 6-months-old son, the Echo Dot with Clock is great.

In fact, I’m planning to replace the Sonos PLAY:1 in our nursery with the Echo Dot with Clock. There are times where I forgot to bring my phone and I wanted to know what time it was without using my voice command (because I don’t want to disturb the baby).

Being a smart speaker with Alexa support, you can control all your other smart home devices using your voice. All lights in our rooms are smart lights now and can be controlled easily with Alexa speakers and displays lying around our house. We can simply say “Alexa, bedroom lights 10%” for short, or when you need to create kitchen timers with just our voice.

You can also play songs or your playlists on Apple Music through the Echo Dot with Clock, but don’t expect big sound here. Think of the speaker as the additional bonus to the cool, alarm clock.

Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) with Clock Review Conclusion

Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) with Clock comes with the whole new sphere design that adds aesthetics to the room. Functionality wise, it is not much different from the previous generation so if you already have it, you may not need an upgrade unless you want that fresh, new look.

The LED display is bright and can display the clock, timers, and temperature. For most people, it’s good enough to display the current time so you don’t have to ask Alexa each time. It’s a great addition to any room as it serves as a clock but also a bridge to control all the smart devices inside your home.

If you have the other Echo speakers or Echo display, you can also use the “Drop In” feature which acts as an intercom between one room to the other. I used it every now and then as we live in a double-storey house and don’t always have my phone with me all the time.

Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) with Clock retails for A$79 and can be purchased at Amazon (AU | US).

Disclosure: Review sample was supplied for reviewing but all opinions are mine