The Amazon Echo Dot Max is the biggest upgrade Amazon’s smallest smart speaker has gotten in years. Sound output is noticeably louder and bassier than the previous Dot, and the assistant has been overhauled with the new Alexa+ system.
A smart speaker that you’ll want to use for all of your multimedia needs
The sound upgrade is the biggest reason to consider the Echo Dot Max over an older Echo Dot. Amazon redesigned the internals around a custom-tuned woofer and a separate tweeter, which gives the audio noticeable range across treble, midrange, and bass. The low end is the most noticeable difference, with bass output roughly three times what the previous Echo Dot managed. Spatial audio support gives stereo content more width, which makes music sound less like it’s coming from a single tiny speaker.
Alexa+ is the built-in assistant on the Echo Dot Max. It’s a significant departure from the normal Alexa experience we’ve seen on most Echo products over the last few years. Alexa+ supports a more natural form of interaction, allowing you to ask follow-up questions within a single conversational thread and receive simple language responses. Additionally, third-party service integrations like OpenTable and Uber integrate natively with Alexa+, making it easier than ever to reserve a table or book a ride.
Matter and Thread radios are built into the Dot Max, which lets it act as a smart home hub on its own. Smart bulbs, plugs, and sensors with Matter support pair to the speaker through the Alexa app, and Wi-Fi 6E keeps the connection stable as more devices come online. A temperature sensor inside the speaker can also trigger smart home routines, such as turning on a fan once the room hits a set temperature. Touch controls on top of the speaker let you play, pause, and adjust volume without using a voice command.
The Dot Max is small enough to fit anywhere, but the sound has its limits. So, don’t expect it to fill a big open room or stand in for a real soundbar. If you want bigger sound, the standard new Echo is the larger speaker in Amazon’s current lineup. Alexa+ is also rolling out in waves, so it may take a while to reach your speaker even after you set up the Dot Max.
The Echo Dot Max is usually $100, so it’s worth grabbing this deal if you’ve been waiting for the right time to replace an aging Echo Dot.