Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) vs Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen)

Buy the Echo Dot with Clock if you want a bedside or kitchen speaker that shows the time and doubles as a temperature and motion sensor for routines. Buy the Echo Dot (4th Gen) if you want the round 2020 design and a 3.5 mm audio output for wired speakers or headphones. The clock model is the newer 5th-gen hardware with a slightly larger 1.73-inch driver and added sensors; the 4th Gen has the larger 1.6-inch driver but no clock and no sensors. Owners of both report similar Alexa reliability and small-room sound, so the choice comes down to the display and sensors versus the audio jack.

• Choose the Echo Dot with Clock if you want a visible clock, alarm and timer display plus temperature and motion sensing for Alexa routines.
• Choose the Echo Dot (4th Gen) if you need the 3.5 mm audio output to feed a stereo or powered speakers, or prefer the round fabric design.