Short answer: the Sonos Era 100 for better sound quality, the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen for the lower price. The Sonos Era 100 ranks #16 of 24 powered desktop speakers, rated 3.6/5, at $219. The Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen ranks #11, rated 3.1/5, at $39.99, $179.01 cheaper.
The Era 100 is the much bigger, better-sounding speaker. Two angled tweeters and a mid-woofer give it some stereo width and a balanced midrange, Trueplay room correction tunes it to the room, and it works with AirPlay 2, Alexa and Sonos multi-room. RTINGS found it short on low bass and not loud enough for large rooms.
The Echo Dot 5th Gen is the cheap, compact Alexa speaker. What Hi-Fi liked its sound for the size, and it adds a temperature sensor and eero Wi-Fi extender support. Its single 44mm driver distorts at higher volume and thins out in the bass. It supports AAC Bluetooth.
Buy the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen if the price is the priority over sound quality, or the Sonos Era 100 if sound quality is the priority over the price.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen | Sonos Era 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.99 each | $219.00 each |
| Ranked | #11 of 14 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #16 of 24 in Medium 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 (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) | External AC adapter |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| EQ | No | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| 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) | 7.2” x 4.7” x 5.1” (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Amazon Alexa |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
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How Sonos Era 100 compares with other leading options:
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- Marshall Woburn II vs Sonos Era 100
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- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Sonos Era 100
Prices on this page were last checked October 7, 2026 at 9:25 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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The Two Speakers In Full
Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen: $39.99 each Amazon eBay
Pros: What Hi-Fi rated it 5 stars for sound, calling it expansive for its size with great Alexa integration and an understated look, from a single 44mm front-firing driver. It has a room temperature sensor, works as an eero Wi-Fi extender, and includes a mic mute switch alongside dedicated volume and action buttons.
Cons: 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. Engadget’s own head-to-head against the step-up Echo Dot Max found that speaker louder and bassier, from a 2.5-inch woofer and dedicated tweeter versus this speaker’s single small full-range driver. It is mono in a single unit, has no 3.5mm output, no battery, and needs Wi-Fi and an Amazon account for its smart features.
Full Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Alexa) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.9” x 3.9” x 3.5” (100 x 100 x 89 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver |
| EQ | No |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
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Sonos Era 100: $219.00 each Amazon eBay
Same family: the Sonos Era 300 (larger model, rated 4/5).
Pros: RTINGS lists room correction tools and bass/treble adjustments as its real strengths, and its balanced midrange suits a wide range of genres, with wider stereo separation than the mono Sonos One SL it replaced thanks to two angled tweeters plus a 25% larger mid-woofer than the original Sonos One. Alexa is built in with a far-field mic, and it ties into the wider Sonos S2 app ecosystem for multi-room audio.
Cons: RTINGS’ own two listed cons are not loud enough for larger rooms and very little low-bass thump, so genres like EDM and hip-hop lack rumble even with the tone adjustments. There’s no Google Assistant, the USB-C line-in needs a separately purchased adapter, and there’s no battery.
Full Sonos Era 100 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.7” x 5.1” (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Streaming Services | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| USB Input | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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