Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen ranks #12 of 15 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $79.99; the Sonos Play ranks #56 of 178 medium speakers by sound quality at $299.
Why pick 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 Sonos Play lacks. It links with other speakers (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa), which the Sonos Play cannot. Watch for: 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 Sonos Play is the battery-powered, tougher option. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. Its battery is rated for 24 hours, while the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen needs an outlet. It is rated IP67, while the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen has no water resistance. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen lacks. The tradeoff: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app.
Buy the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen at $79.99 for a powered desktop speaker, or the Sonos Play at $299 for a medium speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A small, affordable Alexa speaker with a temperature sensor, eero Wi-Fi extender support and a mic mute switch.
A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support.
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 | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 each | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #12 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #56 of 178 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | Yes |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | - |
| XLR Input | No | - |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | No | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | No | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 3.9” x 3.9” x 3.5” (100 x 100 x 89 mm) (H x W x D) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn | - |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
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