REVIEW: Echo Dot Max surprises with powerful bass and is ready for Alexa+

A Amazon It has dominated the smart speaker market in recent years and has now revamped some models for a new generation of its AI. We received the Echo Dot Maxwhich promises a more immersive and powerful sound, as well as being "ready" to take advantage of the Alexa+This is the most powerful version of the company's personal assistant. Check out what we think and whether it's worth the investment.

Design and construction

The first thing I noticed when I took off the new one Echo Dot Max The thing about the box is that it has a slightly more premium look than the... Echo Dot conventional. Instead of a smooth fabric finish, the new model features a much nicer 3D mesh finish.

She weighs about 505 grams and can be easily moved with one hand. It's worth mentioning that it gives a more robust impression than the 5th generation model, resembling the models... Echo conventional.

The shape is still spherical, but now all the buttons are on the front, in an area custom-made for this purpose. The buttons include the "mute" button in the middle and the volume down buttons on the left and volume up buttons on the right. The LED ring has also changed position, now surrounding this button area instead of the base, as it is in the previous model. Echo Dot 5rd Generation.

Finally, it comes in 3 colors: Black (Graphite), White e Purple (Lavender) and it's worth mentioning that it no longer has the 3,5mm audio output of previous models.

Audio quality

The new Echo Dot Max Its sound component was transformed. A Amazon says that she relies on 3x more powerful bass that of the "5th generation Dot". It's worth mentioning that it still lags behind a Echo StudioFor example. Check the details:

• woofer: A driver of 2,5 inches dedicated to the bass

• Twitter: A driver of 0,8 inches for crystalline high notes.

In practice, I noticed that the volume is indeed much more powerful and that it doesn't distort, even at maximum volume. It also inherits the technology of... automatic environment adaptation da Echo Studiowhere it can analyze the room's acoustics and adjust the equalization in real time.

A Amazon It promises good results in spaces up to 30m², and that was enough for us. In living rooms, bedrooms, or kitchens, it should be sufficient and do a good job. I tested it in open spaces, and that's when I noticed it wasn't designed for that.

Another interesting point here is that Amazon suggests using two Echo Dot Max to create a wider and more powerful sound space in the same environment. We didn't receive two units to test, but I was only able to connect one to the Smart TV and I don't recommend it.

The Echo Dot's Bluetooth transmission is full of glitches and has inferior quality. The only way to enjoy the Echo at its best quality on a TV is by using a device. Fire TVThis limits the speaker's usability for video games, for example, and also requires more expense. If that's the goal, it might be worth investing in a soundbar.

The new Alexa+

A Echo Dot Max and other new Smart Speakers Amazon's phones come equipped with the new processor. AZ3It guarantees responses up to 2x faster and processes common commands (such as turning on lights) locally, without needing to use the cloud.

In addition to being faster, this new chip is what we can call "Alexa+ Ready," since it will be necessary to have one of these new products to install the more robust version of the AI. The idea behind this new Alexa is that it will function in a less robotic way and more like what we see in the conversational modes of... ChatGPT e Gemini, for example.

You won't need to keep calling her name all the time anymore, and she'll be able to understand the context of conversations to create an ongoing conversation. With simpler requests, like "set the mood for dinner," she'll be able to adjust the routines of all her smart devices to have compatible lighting and playlists, for example.

One of the highlights made by Amazon The thing is, with the new technology, you'll be able to request a song via context, without necessarily saying its name, for example: "play that Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper song for the movie".

Another similar use is with movies and TV series, where it will be possible to ask to go directly to a scene or chapter using only your voice. It will also be possible to order an Uber and even make restaurant reservations, in addition to it supporting the purchase of tickets for events.

We still don't know exactly how these features will work in everyday use, or if they will only be successful in... Amazon Music for music, in Prime Video for films and series, and it can be extended to other ride-hailing and delivery services, such as 99 e iFood, for example.

It's worth mentioning that the Alexa The current one isn't in the best condition. It doesn't respond well to requests; you ask for one song and it understands another, besides the mini outbursts when it simply doesn't respond at all or just freaks out and screams. Let's see how it goes with the arrival of... Alexa+ Things are getting better.

While this review was closed, it was only available in the US and being gradually released to users. The monthly fee is... $20 or at no additional cost for subscribers of Amazon PrimeWe've provided full coverage of your listing, and you can check out the details at [link/website address]. Full post.

Smart home features

The new Echo Dot Max It inherits some good features from the previous generation, such as temperature and ultrasound sensors (for presence detection), and also brings a new feature to the "Echo Dot" line: It integrates Zigbee and Thread radios.In practice, this elevates the device from a mere "assistant" to a large "automation hub".

• Zigbee Hub and Integrated Thread: It allows you to connect lamps, locks, and sensors directly to the box, without relying on Wi-Fi or external hubs (bridges) for simpler tasks like turning the room light on and off. This frees up your internet signal for more important things (like 4K streaming and online gaming) and ensures that routines work locally, even if the internet goes down. However, if you need to update or give a command from outside the home, you will need internet access.
• Matter (With Thread Border Router): While the older Dot only supported Matter via Wi-Fi, the Max acts as an edge router. Compatible Matter devices respond instantly, with near-zero latency.
• Environment Sensors: A Amazon It retained the excellent set of sensors from the 5th generation. The built-in thermometer and ultrasound sensor allow you to create invisible routines, such as turning on the fan if the room gets hot or turning off the lights when no one is in the room.

Thanks to the support of these standards and technologies, the experience of using smart devices becomes much better. Besides not being locked into a single brand, you're not dependent on the cloud and Wi-Fi, being able to do basic things like turning on a light or changing the temperature, even when you're "offline." Furthermore, by not using the network, the Wi-Fi becomes less overloaded.

Here at home I only have one smart bulb from ImpactIt's very basic and RGB, but Alexa can change the colors, turn it on and off, and create routines with it without any problems.

Microphones and voice recognition

Until then, I had only tested the Echo Dotconventional models. In these models, when she is further away or if there is a lot of noise, the microphone sensitivity drops and it becomes practically impossible to make a request to her.

With the new Echo Dot Max The experience is completely different. Even with music playing very loudly on the TV, she was still able to hear me and respond without any problems. The test was done very close to her and may vary if you are further away and there is noise. It's a significant improvement in quality and makes all the difference in everyday life.

Connectivity and application

A Echo Dot Max arrive with WiFi 6E (11a/b/g/n/ac/ax) and Bluetooth 5.3 Low Energy. As we've already mentioned, it also allows you to connect other Bluetooth devices here. You can use your smartphone or PC to listen to music or play a video, for example, but remember that the quality will be lower than using the speaker's direct Wi-Fi connection.

The app of Alexa It doesn't offer anything new compared to previous models. We use the same app and will register the new Echo using the "+" icon. It may be that with the arrival of... Alexa+Some new features are also coming to the app, but nothing for now.

One unique feature here, though it will likely only work for a small percentage of users, is that it also functions as a mesh network extender, but unfortunately only for routers of that brand. Eero.

Price and availabilityability

A Echo Dot Max It was launched in Brazil at the end of October 2025 with a suggested price of R $ 849,00 with the option to pay in up to 10 installments through Amazon.It is available in three color options (Graphite, white, and purple).

Conclusion

A Echo Dot Max It's an excellent speaker and a huge improvement over the Echo Dot. It has a fuller, more defined sound and a much more sensitive microphone. Furthermore, in terms of design, it's a much nicer and more elegant product to leave in the living room. However, it's twice the price of a conventional Echo Dot.

The advantage here would be having a device compatible with the Alexa+But it hasn't even arrived yet, and we don't know how good it will be after all. The promise is that it will be something revolutionary for everyone's beloved AI, but, at the moment, that's a shot in the dark.

If the goal is simply to listen to music, it's more worthwhile to invest in a Bluetooth speaker. If the idea is to watch movies in high-quality sound, I suggest a soundbar. Investing in the new Echo Dot Max only makes sense if you need to upgrade your old Alexa, or want to create a large environment with several units of the same device.

Specification table

What did you think of the new Echo Dot MaxAre you planning to invest in the new models? Comment below and take the opportunity to check out our other articles as well.

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reviewed by Victor Pacheco in 22 / 01 / 2026.