Short answer: the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen. It ranks #2 of 15 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $219.99. The Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen ranks #12, rated 3.1/5, at $79.99, $140 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The case for the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen: A small, affordable Alexa speaker with a temperature sensor, eero Wi-Fi extender support and a mic mute switch. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen lacks. The catch: What Hi-Fi’s one real complaint was distortion at higher volumes, and bass force and detail both fall off at the low end, typical for a speaker not much bigger than a hockey ball.
The Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen is the better-sounding option. A great sounding Amazon smart speaker, with wide sound from one box, Dolby Atmos and a built in smart home hub. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen lacks. The catch: SoundGuys still marked it down on Value (4.0 of 10) given the $219.99 list price, and it is explicitly not true left-right stereo from one cabinet, so a stereo pair is needed for real width in a larger room.
Buy the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $140 with the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
A small, affordable Alexa speaker with a temperature sensor, eero Wi-Fi extender support and a mic mute switch.
A great sounding Amazon smart speaker, with wide sound from one box, Dolby Atmos and a built in smart home hub.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen | Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 each | $219.99 each |
| Ranked | #12 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #2 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa Home Theater) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) | External AC adapter |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) | 3.6 lbs (1.632 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes (Wi-Fi 6E) |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes (Alexa) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) | Yes (mic mute button, far-field) |
| EQ | No | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + Dolby Virtualizer, via Alexa app) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver | 3.75in high-excursion woofer, 3x 2.25in full-range drivers (L/R/up) |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 3.9” x 3.9” x 3.5” (100 x 100 x 89 mm) (H x W x D) | 6.1” x 5.6” x 5.8” (155 x 142 x 147 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn | Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, SiriusXM |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
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