GoKawiilThe biggest differences between the Echo Dot and the Echo Dot Max comes down to cost and specs. Priced at $50, the standard Dot represents excellent value for those looking for a capable smart speaker to help run their home. At $100, the Dot Max is obviously a lot more expensive, but it does pack in better performance. Although we rank the standard Dot as the best smart speaker under $50, there's no doubt the Dot Max offers more impressive audio.
The two-way speaker system in the Dot Max will fill bigger living rooms more convincingly than the Dot, making it a better choice for audiophiles with large homes. By contrast, Amazon's baseline smart speaker is limited to a single front-firing driver. The pricier Dot Max also has superior connectivity, offering support for Wi-Fi 6E, whereas the Dot is limited to dual-band Wi-Fi.
In terms of dimensions, the Dot Max is around 10 percent larger than the Dot, yet both speakers are barely bigger than a baseball. The Dot Max comes in at 3.9 x 4.4 x 4.9 inches, while the Dot is 3.5 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches. At that size, neither smart speaker is going to hog too much room on a coffee table. Admittedly, the Dot Max is a good deal heavier than the fifth-generation Dot. Tipping the scales at 17.8 ounces, the Echo Dot Max is over 65 percent heavier than its 10.7 ounce smaller sibling. Though given that you'll generally set up a speaker like the Echo Dot in one place and leave it there, the weight difference shouldn't have a big impact on usability. Design-wise, the inputs on the Dot are placed on top, compared to the front-facing buttons of the Max, which some might find a little fiddly.