Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen. 2018)

Clear and loud audio ; 3.5mm and Bluetooth audio outputs ; Same price as old model ; Improved design

No longer USB-powered ; Not ideal for music

While the previous Echo Dots were cheap ways to extend smart home control all over your home, they weren't the most attractive devices and had weedy sounds. The Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) as a vast improvement on the originals, even though it costs...

Clear, solid sound ; Improved Alexa capabilities ; Budget price

Alexa intelligence is limited

For not a lot of money you get a whole load of smart voice functionality and decent sound

Stylish design ; New LED display ; Good audio reproduction for its size ; Range of colours to choose from ; Physical mics off button ; Same best-selling Echo Dot core

More expensive than Amazon Echo Dot ; Not suitable for providing music to a large room

Far better audio quality ; Attractive fabric covered look

Form factor still hampers sound

A much better sounding Echo Dot, Amazon's most accessible Alexa device just became far more attractive.

Timer countdown ; Great design ; Good sound quality for the size

It's not going to be the only speaker you want in your home

The Echo Dot with Clock is a no brainer in many senses. It's an ideal addition to a bedroom, less distracting than larger devices with a display, but still performing that essential job of showing you the time in the middle of the night. Equally,...

Alexa voice-control and all the smarts that brings ; Hugely improved sound quality ; Affordable

Potentially undercut by Echo Input (if you're just looking for an Alexa controller ; Not speaker)

Increasingly smart, better sounding audio and a stronger design than before: the Amazon Echo Dot is the easy access point for Alexa's skills and voice control, whether as a first Echo device, or an expansion in a growing system.

An Echo Dot….with a clock! ; Excellent voice pickup ; Works with any music service ; Pleasing minimalist aesthetic Decent sound ; Decent sound

Only one colour ; Slightly more expensive

Unless Amazon gives the next one a top hat, it’s hard to see how the Echo Dot gets much better than this