Amazon has seen the power and potential of Alexa+, its AI-powered smart assistant, and is now launching a raft of devices to support it. Today, at the company's September 2025 devices event, the company unveiled several new Echo devices, with the Dot Max (pictured, right) leading the pack.
The Echo Dot Max is a $100 smart speaker designed to occupy every room in your home, complete with the usual smart home bonuses. The major changes inside and out are to ensure it's better able to use Alexa+, which includes new custom silicon, sensors and better sound.
For instance, Dot Max features two drivers which, when combined, produces three times as much bass as the fifth-generation Echo Dot. The sound, which will adapt to the local space, is apparently so good that Amazon's Daniel Rausch described it as the "most performant" smart speaker at this sort of price.
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Similarly, new microphones are paired with a new, custom-made AZ3 chip for improved conversation detection and background noise filtering. AZ3 can also harness Amazon's "Omnisense" platform that combines Wi-Fi Radar, audio and its accelerometer to monitor what's going on in your home.
You'll notice the hardware has been redesigned, with the light ring moved to a new control surface on the front of the sphere.
Amazon's Echo Dot Max, along with the rest of its Echo devices, are available to pre-order today, with buyers getting early access to Alexa+ as part of the deal. Shipping is expected to commence on October 29 for both the Dot Max and its pricier and bigger sibling, the Echo Studio (pictured, left).
Amazon is hosting a hardware event in New York City where we expect the company to unveil new Echo, Kindle and other devices. There may also be updates to Alexa+ even though there was already a special event dedicated to the smarter assistant in February this year. Follow Engadget's Amazon event liveblog for real-time updates.