Amazon Echo (4th Gen) Review
Our Verdict
The Echo 4th Gen is the definitive Alexa smart speaker — a hub, a speaker, and a home controller all in one elegant sphere.
Pros & Cons
✓Pros
- ✓Rich, room-filling audio
- ✓Built-in Zigbee smart home hub
- ✓Excellent Alexa integration
- ✓Attractive spherical design
- ✓Multiple color options
✗Cons
- ✗Fully integrated into Amazon ecosystem
- ✗No screen for visual feedback
- ✗Always-on microphone raises privacy questions for some
In-Depth Review
The Amazon Echo 4th Gen is the sweet spot in Amazon's smart speaker lineup. Its spherical design is attractive, the audio quality is a genuine step up from previous Echos — punchy bass, clear mids, and surprisingly wide stereo separation. More importantly, it contains a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, meaning you can control compatible smart lights, locks, and plugs without a separate hub device. Alexa's capabilities have never been broader, and the Echo serves as an excellent control center for an Amazon-centric smart home. The companion app makes setup painless, and privacy controls (microphone mute button, delete voice history) are well-implemented.
Specifications
| Audio | 3" woofer + dual front-firing tweeters |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Zigbee hub |
| Smart Hub | Zigbee, Matter, Thread |
| Colors | Charcoal, Glacier White, Twilight Blue |
| Dimensions | 5.7" × 5.7" × 5.2" |
| Power | 30W adapter |
Disclosure: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this site, at no extra cost to you.
