The Amazon Echo (4th gen) continues to impress as a smart speaker thanks to Alexa, and this is the best-sounding, most capable design yet – thought we're not 100% sold on the new design.

Sounds really nice; Built-in Zigbee hub; Lots of audio options

Shape takes some getting used to; The cheaper Dot might suit you better; Very Amazon focused

Don’t be fooled by its playful design; the new Echo means business, delivering a weighty sound and full command of your smart home

Expansive bass in a small design; Lots of smart features; Classy build and finish

Slightly underwhelming treble; Not fully omnidirectional

The Amazon Echo (4th gen.) is a great smart speaker for the price as long as you live in an Alexa world. If your smart home devices are all compatible (which most are) and you don't mind the new orb-like design of the speaker then you'll likely be very happy with what this has to offer.

Good build quality; Price; Strong bass for its size; Alexa is compatible with tons of smart home products; Quality built-in mic is good at picking up the wake word

Round design is nice; but not for everyone; Alexa app is confusing at first; No YouTube compatibility by default

The 4th-gen Amazon Echo is the most well-rounded smart speaker. The Amazon Echo is the most well-rounded smart speaker, and I’m not just talking about its looks. Yes, the spherical shape of the 4th-generation Amazon Echo makes it visually interesting, but the smart home networking tech and Amazon’s...

Sleek spherical design, Good audio for price, Great smart home skills, Audio in/out port

I wish it had a clock, Audio not as good as Sonos One

Amazon Echo (4th Gen) is comfortably the most fully-featured Alexa smart speaker yet. With greater sound to rival the Google Nest Audio , the tried-and-tested functionality of Alexa, a stylish new design and Zigbee integration, Amazon has nailed its flagship speaker in 2020.

The new Echo has improved sound from previous Echos, a built-in Zigbee hub, a temperature sensor, and a snazzy new look. If you're committed to the Amazon ecosystem, upgrading to this 4th-gen Echo is a solid choice, though temper your expectations of the sound quality.

Aesthetically pleasing; Zigbee hub; Sidewalk compatible

Distorts at top volume

Smart speakers may have taken us a step closer to ambient computing, but adding new features to the latest iterations seem to have become a struggle for the makers. The freshest product of this toil is the 4th generation Amazon Echo, whose USP is its spherical design, though Amazon is also promising...

It's round; It's also got good bass and improved overall audio quality; Adds built-in Zigbee smart home hub capability.

Privacy is still a concern; Not truly omnidirectional; Besides audio and design, most upgrades are very incremental.