is a senior reviewer with over twenty years of experience. She covers smart home, IoT, and connected tech, and has written previously for Wirecutter, Wired, Dwell, BBC, and US News.
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I love the Echo Dot Max. It’s an excellent speaker, a good listener, and comes in purple — which is just fun. It’s got new, easier-to-use controls and more smart home sensors and radios than earlier models. It’s also one of the first devices designed for Alexa Plus. And while the AI-powered assistant isn’t mandatory (and is only available in the US), its presence is something of a letdown for an otherwise superior speaker.
Despite the name, the Dot Max isn’t a replacement for the Echo Dot, which is sticking around; it’s a successor to the fourth-gen Echo, released in 2020. At $99, it’s the same price as that melon-shaped Echo, which has been my top pick for an Alexa speaker for the last 5 years. But it is getting long in the tooth and appears to have been discontinued. Now the Dot Max, with its more compact design, sleek knit fabric look, speedy new processor, and support for Matter, Thread, and Zigbee smart home protocols, takes the crown.
8 Verge Score Echo Dot Max $ 100 $ 100 The Good Comes in Purple!
Excellent sound for the size
Improved design
Better physical controls
Supports Thread, Matter, and Zigbee
Works as an Eero Wi-Fi extender The Bad Expensive — $100 is a lot for a Dot
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