Amazon

Amazon Echo (4th Gen)

Ranked #12 in Smart Speakers

78 LP on the category ladder what's LP?

A former flagship trading on old awards, superseded within Amazon's own current lineup.

Consolidated from 12 cited sources across 11 outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

1 enthusiastic source
9 positive sources
2 mixed sources

See the sources

Flagged as a product to avoid

8 of 18 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick.

A previous-generation product coasting on old awards; it is aging out of Amazon's spotlight while the Dot Max and Echo Studio (2nd Gen) carry the line forward.
Flagged 20 October 2026

A previous-generation product coasting on old awards; it is aging out of Amazon's spotlight while the Dot Max and Echo Studio (2nd Gen) carry the line forward.
Flagged 20 October 2026
Reviewed's endorsement dates from before Amazon's current lineup, and it has since been superseded by the Echo Dot Max, which TechRadar and PCMag now rank as the better and cheaper buy.
Flagged 20 October 2026
Previous-generation sphere design; the current generation adds a materially better chip and radio suite, making it outdated for buyers seeking the latest smart-speaker features.
Flagged 20 October 2026
Superseded by the Echo Dot Max, which TechRadar says is newer, better sounding and one of the cheaper full-featured options; a new buyer has no reason to pick the 4th-gen Echo over it. Its remaining listing is legacy-guide inertia, not current consensus.
Flagged 20 October 2026
2020 hardware that guides still recommend, which is precisely the coasting-on-old-reputation problem. The Echo line has moved to the AZ3 generation, so buy the [PICK] Amazon Echo Dot Max instead.
Flagged 20 October 2026
It is a superseded generation: PCMag's current guide says the Echo Dot Max is now the most well-rounded Alexa speaker, and the 2026 Echo lineup has moved on. It coasts on old praise while the Dot Max beats it at a lower price.
Flagged 20 October 2026
Superseded in Amazon's own lineup and kept alive mainly by legacy roundup placements; current guides have moved on to Echo Dot Max as best overall.
Flagged 20 October 2026
Thin sound and lack of bass and clarity compared to higher-end competitors.
Flagged 13 September 2026

Why the boards include products to avoid

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Pros & cons

✓ Previously recommended by Reviewed as the best smart speaker you can buy
✓ Highly recommended as a top smart speaker
✓ Still listed as the best Alexa speaker by WhatNotSell
✓ Reviewed's recommended Echo for most people
✓ Years on the market with a low failure profile

✗ Previous-generation design coasting on old awards
✗ Aging out of Amazon's spotlight as newer models carry the line forward
✗ Superseded by the Echo Dot Max, now ranked as the better and cheaper buy
✗ TechRadar says the Dot Max is not quite worth upgrading to from a 4th-gen Echo, implying existing owners should keep theirs
✗ Older hardware design

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found.

Evidence 5 articles and 7 video reviews

1 enthusiastic source

The Ambient David Ludlow · reviewer · Jan 2026

A brand-new design, better audio, and a processer built for Alexa+, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen, 2025) is overall the best smart speaker available. If you have the previous model, you may want to hold off upgrading, but newbies and those with older smart displays will find a lot to like.

Read

9 positive sources

Reviewed Rachel Murphy · reviewer · Jun 2020

The fourth-gen Echo smart speaker is our pick for the best smart speaker. This fabric-covered orb’s modern, minimal aesthetic offers a sleek look for your smart home. It has rich sound for a small speaker, and acts as a Zigbee and Matter hub for certain smart home devices. Its built-in temperature sensor helps deploy smart thermostat automation. The sound on the 4th-gen Echo is respectable for a speaker that’s not much larger than a softball, though it can’t compete with the bass produced by larger speakers. But committed Alexa users won’t be disappointed in this new Echo, using it solo, as a stereo pair, or for multi-room music.

Read C

CNET CNET · 4.1M subscribers · Oct 2020

The fourth-generation Amazon Echo sports a spiffy new shape, great sound quality and easy smart home setup for a reasonable price. It’s one of the best smart speakers we’ve ever tested. Check out the video for all of the details including a head-to-head sound comparison with the Nest Audio

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Reviewed Rachel Murphy · reviewer · Dec 2018

The fourth-gen Echo smart speaker takes a minimal aesthetic, with a fabric-covered orb, offering a sleek look and rich sound for a small speaker. It also acts as a Zigbee and Matter hub for certain smart home devices, and it has a built-in temperature sensor to help deploy home automation, like controlling a smart thermostat. Alexa functionality is responsive and quick, and the sound on the 4th-gen Echo is certainly respectable for a speaker that’s not much larger than a baseball. You can use it solo, as a stereo pair, or for multi-room music.

Read T Tech Spurt Tech Spurt · 1.4M subscribers · Oct 2020

This is definitely one of the best speakers I've tested under £100 for audio chops. Any kind of track, from pop and jazz to rock and dance, sounds great thanks to the strong bass and clarity. I'd pick the Amazon All-New Echo 2020 over the Nest Audio for sure (although Google's smart speaker is still pretty impressive for the size and price). So what do you think of the 4th-gen Echo? Let me know below and check out my reviews of rivals as well as bigger, beefier devices like the Huawei Sound X and Apple's HomePod

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Tom's Guide Article · Nov 2022

Of all the best Alexa speakers we've tested, the 4th-generation Amazon Echo is our top pick for most people. The new sphere-shaped design is a big visual statement, but look inside and you'll find a sizable 3-inch woofer and pair of punchy front-firing tweeters that give the Echo detail-packed sound. At under $100 this base Echo balances price, performance, and features to serve as the best overall Alexa smart speaker.

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Tech Steve Tech Steve · 235K subscribers · Nov 2025

The design is very chic. And on the side of it, you have your power as well as a volume rocker. There's also two farfield microphones on the back of it. There's your power cord input. There's a camera on the front of it for doing video chat. And there's two additional microphones, so it can hear you in just about any room.

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teckista.com teckista.com · reviewer · Dec 2024

Verdict : The Echo (4th Gen) is the best-value all-in-one smart speaker for most users, excellent for casual music, seamless Alexa integration, and easy smart-home control. Pick it if you want a simple, stylish hub; skip it if you demand top-tier audio or a non-Alexa ecosystem.

Read T The Search For Awesome The Search For Awesome · 16.9K subscribers · Nov 2020

The Echo (4th Gen) with built in Alexa just might be better than ever. With it's spherical shape and amazing sound - this one is definitely worth a look!

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Tech Opened Tech Opened · 3.6K subscribers · Nov 2020

Unboxing the Amazon ECHO 4th generation speaker! Amazing sound quality and punchy bass!

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2 mixed sources

S Stu’s Reviews Stu’s Reviews · 483K subscribers · Oct 2020

I will say that the sound is much better than I've heard in the standard Echo lineup, and the addition of a temperature sensor and Zigbee hub as a standard fourth- generation feature is nice. Considering the same price as the third generation Echo. If style isn't important to you , then for many this is a 100% brilliant upgrade, and I would be tempted by the sound alone. But when it comes to style, the fourth-generation Echo is , in my opinion, a bit of a strange step aside

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One Hour Smart Home One Hour Smart Home · 118K subscribers · Nov 2020

They also included a Sidewalk feature and the sound quality is better on the 4th generation Echo than the 3rd generation. So, if you want to buy any of these, I think this is the right choice only if you want a Zigbee hub, as it won't have as powerful and clear sound as a Sonos speaker

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Frequently asked questions

It ranks #12 of 17 on our smart speakers tier list, in F tier. That placement draws on 12 cited sources across 11 outlets.

None of the 12 sources with a clear view is critical of it. Previous-generation design coasting on old awards. Aging out of Amazon's spotlight as newer models carry the line forward. Superseded by the Echo Dot Max, now ranked as the better and cheaper buy. TechRadar says the Dot Max is not quite worth upgrading to from a 4th-gen Echo, implying existing owners should keep theirs. Older hardware design.