The all-new Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio are Amazon's 'most advanced' smart speakers yet
With compact bodies, powerful sound, state-of-the-art chips under the hood, and Alexa+ experiences out the box, Amazon's newest smart speakers will probably top a lot of holiday shopping lists this year.
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase from the links on this page.
While Apple doesn't seem to have any intention to release sequels for the second-gen HomePod or the one-and-done HomePod mini anytime soon, and Google's next Nest smart speaker continues to keep us waiting and speculating for some reason, Amazon is out there doing what it does best.
What do you do if you like the look and size of the ultra-affordable Echo Dot, but want a little extra power? Well, you can make a compromise on the former front and go for a "standard" fourth-gen Echo with a "normal" size or, starting today, you can pre-order the first-of-a-kind Echo Dot Max.
Amazon Echo Dot Max
Smart Speaker with Room-Filling Sound, Built-in Smart Home Hub, Designed for Alexa+, AZ3 Chip with AI Accelerator, Omnisense Technology, High-Excursion Woofer for Deep Bass, Custom Tweeter, Fabric Design, Three Color Options
This bad boy is almost as compact as the 2022-released Echo Dot (5th Gen), but it comes with the same "room-filling sound" promise as the aforementioned non-compact Echo. That's made possible by a "sophisticated" two-way speaker system with a high-excursion woofer in charge of producing "deep bass" and a custom tweeter for "crisp high notes."
Compared to the latest Echo Dot edition, which normally costs $49.99, the Echo Dot Max claims to improve the bass power threefold, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the retail price is also bumped up to $99.99.
This unassuming little guy purportedly packs a lot of punch for its size. | Image Credit -- Amazon
That $50 increase doesn't only cover a massive improvement in audio quality, mind you, as the Echo Dot Max is also "purpose-built for Alexa+", which essentially means the ambient AI experiences unveiled by Amazon earlier this year will work better on this all-new device than older members of the Echo family.
Early access to Alexa+ capabilities will be provided right out of the box with the Echo Dot Max when this powerful little guy starts shipping on October 29, and oh, let's not forget about the "custom-designed" AZ3 chip packed by the new $99.99 smart speaker for better conversation detection and more "natural, free-flowing interactions with Alexa+."
Are you buying one of Amazon's new smart speakers?
Yes, I'll be getting the Echo Dot Max
0%
The new Echo Studio sounds like my jam
0%
I'm still thinking about it
50%
Nah, I'll hold on to my current speaker(s)
50%
I don't really care about smart speakers anymore
0%
Interestingly enough, the Echo Dot Max's launch seems to have led to the silent discontinuation of the "regular" Echo, which is no longer available from Amazon as it's... no longer really needed.
A mighty new Echo Studio is also here
Unlike the Dot Max, the Echo Studio is not a completely new product, instead following in the footsteps of a first-gen model released back in 2019 as Amazon's biggest, boldest, and best-sounding Alexa speaker.
Amazon Echo Studio
2025 Generation, Smart Speaker with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos Technology, Built-in Smart Home Hub, Alexa+ Support, AZ3 Pro Chip with AI Accelerator, Omnisense Technology, High-Excursion Woofer for Immersive Bass, Three Full-Range Drivers for Room-Filling Sound, Fabric Design, Two Color Options
Naturally, that means the Echo Studio (2nd Gen) is now the company's best-sounding speaker, incredibly squeezing a powerful high-excursion woofer and three "optimally placed" full-range drivers into a 40 percent (!!!) smaller body than the 2019 edition.
Like its predecessor, the new Echo Studio comes with state-of-the-art spatial audio and Dolby Atmos technology for a "true surround sound experience", and like the Echo Dot Max, a "modern" spherical design is adopted to help with the style and coherence of the Echo roster.
Recommended Stories
Amazon's most powerful 2025 speaker is also surprisingly compact. | Image Credit -- Amazon
It pretty much goes without saying that the 2025 Amazon Echo Studio will support all Alexa+ experiences out of the box while packing a fancier version of that aforementioned AZ3 processor unsurprisingly dubbed AZ3 Pro for "advanced performance."
Up for pre-order today in Graphite and Glacier White colorways, the upgraded and redesigned Echo Studio is only slightly costlier than the original edition, at $219.99, shipping to its earliest adopters on October 29... and looking highly unlikely to receive a price cut during next week's 48-hour Prime Day extravaganza.
Should you pull the trigger?
While Apple and Google's lack of activity these last few years in the smart speaker landscape might suggest that this product category is either dead or slowly dying, Amazon is almost singlehandedly trying to keep these devices alive... after essentially creating this market on its own all those years back.
If you still find smart speakers useful and still like to talk to Alexa rather than ChatGPT or Gemini, I don't believe you'll be able to get better, prettier, more powerful, or more versatile gadgets than the new Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio this holiday season, so by all means you should probably put in your order today to secure your place in front of the line at the end of the month.
"Iconic Phones" is coming this Fall!
Rediscover some of the most unique and memorable phones of the last two decades! "Iconic Phones" is a beautifully illustrated book that we've been working on for over a year - and it's coming out in just a couple short month!
"Iconic Phones: Revolution at Your Fingertips" is a must-have coffee table book for every phone lover out there. Covering the stories of more than 20 fan-favorite phones, it takes you on a memorable journey through the technological revolution that shaped our lives. Sign up now to secure an early discount price!
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
![T-Mobile will be giving out something that every smartphone user needs for free [UPDATED]](https://m-cdn.phonearena.com/images/article/174494-wide-two_350/T-Mobile-will-be-giving-out-something-that-every-smartphone-user-needs-for-free-UPDATED.webp)
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: