Echo Pop is available at Rs 4,499 in India. 
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Echo Pop is available at Rs 4,499 in India. Amazon has launched a new more affordable and more fun version of its Echo Dot smart speaker called Echo Pop at Rs 4,499 in India. This new Echo Pop is stepping into the shoes of Echo Dot (5th gen) which was launched last year at a little heftier price of Rs 5,499. This new speaker looks like Echo Dot but is sliced in half, just like its features.
Amazon has shed off a few features from this speaker to cut corners, but did they manage to strike the right balance between the price and features? Read on to find out.
In terms of looks, this chic tiny smart speaker looks great sitting in any corner of your home. It could be your kitchen living area or guest room, as long as it is a small space. Somehow, for me, this semi-sphere shape of the speaker looks better placed in a corner than the Echo Dot’s orb-like design. I used a basic black colour variant, but buyers who want something more playful can opt for Glacier White, Lavender Bloom, and Midnight Teal colour options. The latest Echo family member is much lighter as it is just 196 gm as compared to the Dot which is almost double.
It has three physical buttons on the top: volume up, down and mute. Now, I know many of you might be wondering about the major button here: the action button! Let me break it to you, this is where the speaker will demand a compromise. Echo Pop does not come with an action button that lets you summon Alexa without actually trying to give the voice command. This can be a glaring omission for many who are used to this feature in Amazon speakers, but for newbies, it shouldn't be a dealbreaker.
You will also see a small LED strip on the top that lights up when you give commands or set the volume.
Echo Pop comes with a large 1.95-inch front firing speaker and offers directional sound. In my experience, it was loud enough for the lobby area of my house. It proved quite responsive as well as was quick to pick up commands. I didn’t have to raise my voice much from across the room in order to give voice commands. So you can just sit back and tell Alexa to play Taylor Swift’s or maybe AP Dhillon's songs and enjoy.
In terms of audio, although Echo Pop offers directional sound which makes it a bit limited, it is not bad. However, the Echo Dot, with its 360-degree design, can offer balanced sound to all corners of the room. Notably, both speakers come with the same Amazon AZ2 processor, which means they both are equally good at picking up commands and responding.
Another thing missing from Echo Pop is the temperature sensor, which can be a dealbreaker for people living in a smart home. Echo Pop also misses out on the LED clock design that you see on Echo Dot devices.
Other than that, they both offer almost the same features. You can set alarms, and routines, ask it to switch off lights, ask for weather updates, set reminders and do all the basic stuff that you are supposed to do on a smart speaker. I set a routine for workout reminders for 7 in the morning, followed by workout music after 15 minutes. It certainly did a great job at that.
Echo Pop competes with its own pricier sibling, the Echo Dot. The question is which one is worth buying?
In my opinion, Echo Pop is definitely a fun choice and a steal deal at under Rs 5,000 for users buying a smart speaker for the first time. However, Echo Pop is not the right pick for users who prioritise function over form. Users who are planning to upgrade from an older Echo speaker should go for the latest Echo Dot as they won't be missing out on features like the LED clock or action button that they are used to at just Rs 1,000 extra.
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