The Amazon echo and echo plus are among the best selling Bluetooth speakers around the world. They are not just bluetooth speakers but are devices running on artificial intelligence. Amazon launched the speakers to enhance smart homes. The Cyber Monday sale is on and you’re probably thinking which one to buy Amazon echo or echo Plus. While both are currently on sale at Amazon, you compare and find which one is better for you. In this post we have compared Amazon echo vs echo plus, to make your work simple.
Amazon Echo vs Echo Plus
In 2017, Amazon launched the 2nd generation echo called the Amazon echo Plus. It is the larger version of Amazon echo. Earlier it launched the new Amazon echo 2nd Generation.
Design
Amazon Echo– this is shorter than the original echo and is 5.9 inches tall. It comes in various designs. Their 6 variants of the Amazon echo 2nd generation. While 3 are cloth covered other have sleek designs including wood.
Amazon echo plus – it has a cylindrical structure and is shorter and wider than its predecessor. It is just 5.8 inches tall. It has a sleek design and comes in 3 variants, including charcoal, grey, and sandstone.
Sound Output
All the Amazon echo speakers are featured with Dolby Digital Technology. The best part is that both the Amazon echo speakers have multi-room audio. This means that you can listen to one track when you are in the kitchen and someone can listen to another track while sitting in the living room. There is no difference in the sound output and quality by both the devices. Echo plus had a bit disturbance in sound earlier. However, Amazon fixed it with an update.
Smart Home Features
In this term, Amazon echo plus has an upper hand. It can automatically connect to all Smart home devices like the Philips Hue system and smart locks. There is no need to download and install any third party application for connecting the devices. You can control the lightings of your home using the Alexa app. Echo plus is easier to connect compared to Amazon echo 2nd generation.
Price & Availability
The Amazon echo 2nd generation is available for $100 for cloth version and $120 for other designs. The Amazon echo plus 2nd generation is available for $150. However, you can get smart bulbs free with Amazon echo Plus. Both the devices are on sale currently. Therefore, it’s the best time to buy.
Calling
Both Amazon echo and echo plus allows you to call a text anyone having the Alexa app installed on their phone. Echo plus premium version accepts commands faster and processes them. However, both have almost the same hardware specifications, so it doesn’t matter much.
Conclusion
The main difference between Amazon echo and echo Plus is that the latter has a bit more features. The sound quality is better on the Echo Plus and also you get the smart home features along with the temperature sensor. The price difference between Amazon echo and echo Plus is only about $50. Looks and design are almost the same and does not matter much. The most important factor is smart home. If you want it for your smart home then obviously echo plus is the best one.
However, if the main motive for you buying this device is as a Bluetooth speaker, then Amazon echo 2nd generation is better. We say this because there is no difference between the two devices in terms of sound output and audio quality. You can simply download the Alexa app and get started with music playback. If smart home and connecting all the devices in your home with each other is your concern, then go for Amazon echo Plus.