These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen ranks #11 of 14 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $79.99; the Sonos Roam 2 ranks #92 of 172 medium speakers by sound quality at $179.
What the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen does well: 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. 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 Roam 2 is the battery-powered, tougher pick. A very neutral 0.9 lbs (429 g) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker with IPX5 water resistance, a 10-hour battery and Alexa built in. Its battery is rated for 10 hours, while the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen needs an outlet. It is rated IPX5, while the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen has no water resistance. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen lacks. Watch for: Exact same sound quality as the original Sonos Roam.
Buy the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen at $79.99 for a powered desktop speaker, or the Sonos Roam 2 at $179 for a medium speaker instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
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.
Amazon $79.99 eBay
A very neutral 429 g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker with IPX5 water resistance, a 10-hour battery and Alexa built in.
Amazon $179.00 Sonos $179.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 17, 2026 at 6:04 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 Roam 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 each | $179.00 |
| Ranked | #11 of 14 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #92 of 172 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IPX5 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) | - |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Sonos S2 App |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | Yes |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver | 1x ~45mm racetrack mid-woofer + 1x tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| 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) | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 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 | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 63Hz |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Maximum SPL | - | 95dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
| Strap | - | No |
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