The company’s long-rumored Echo Dot Max is now available for purchase for $99.99, and represents a major refresh of the company’s lineup of compact smart speakers. Designed to highlight the newer Alexa+ experience, Dot Max caters “to those customers who want richer sound and a more capable home hub without going all the way up to our larger, higher-priced speakers,” he said.
What’s new in Echo Dot Max: features and upgrades
The Echo Dot Max is a power performer of the miniaturized, scaled-up kind. It’s supposed to be Alexa, but more than just 2-second timers or weather updates: You have voice interactions like conversation with Alexa+, and then there are on-device skills like drafting short messages or notes into the system along with follow-up question handling without speaking to it like it’s a robot so rigid.
Amazon is also positioning the Dot Max as an entry point for smart homes. This one also has a built-in smart home hub for adding compatible devices and running routines, which shaves off the need for extra bridges. If you have a combination of bulbs, plugs, and sensors, that baked-in control streamlines setup and daily operations.
Audio and design upgrades in the Echo Dot Max
Beneath the fabric, the Dot Max packs in a 0.8-inch tweeter and a 2.5-inch woofer — just enough of each that when tuned you get clearer vocals and fuller bass than what the pint-size Dot can typically manage.
The speaker, Amazon says, supports lossless, high-definition audio and is tuned to the acoustics of your room: It will automatically account for the walls, shelves and space around it to maintain balanced sound.
What that means in practice is that podcasts have a crisper sound at the frequencies of spoken word and playlists will have fuller bass at moderate levels. Far-field microphones are adjusted to listen for wake words over music, the Echo line’s long-standing strong suit. You can also combine the Dot Max with other Echoes for multiroom playback if you’re embedded in Amazon’s ecosystem, or pair two together for a wider stereo soundstage.
Smarter Alexa+ built from the core for better help
The most significant difference is Alexa+. In addition to handling basic commands, the assistant can maintain context through longer exchanges, turn rough notes into polished messages or pull out bullet points from documents it’s been asked to scrutinize. Providing these helps turn voice control into something more than a menu tree; rather, it can become a helpful conversation, an approach many assistants are now taking.
For common smart-home needs — turning a camera on at night, say, or dimming the lights to a preset scene or locking the front door after a certain time — Alexa remains among the most flexible choices. Privacy controls, including a button that mutes the mic and capabilities to review and delete voice recordings, carry over from previous Echo models, something consumer advocates often advise people to check when they start using such devices.
How the Echo Dot Max compares at the $99.99 price
Priced at $99.99, the Echo Dot Max positions itself squarely in a price conversation with Google’s Nest Audio and Apple’s HomePod mini. On paper, the Dot Max leans into adaptive audio and a built-in smart home hub, factors which could push it in front for people bulking up with connected lights and sensors. For straight-up listening to music, larger speakers like the Sonos Era 100 obviously cost more, but they deliver more headroom; where the Dot Max’s value proposition is that of big sound in a small and inexpensive package.
It’s also worth noting that the Dot Max looks like it is filling the slot of spiritual successor to the classic Echo at this price range, and organizing its product lineup so shoppers have a clear choice between the little Dot, a more potent Mini Max, and step-up models still ahead. Industry watchers including Canalys and CIRP have consistently ranked Echo devices among the best sellers in that category, so this configuration all but squarely targets a mainstream sweet spot.
Accessories and availability for Echo Dot Max buyers
Joining the speaker on launch are two first-party accessories: a discreet wall mount for tidy cable management, and a sophisticated charging stand for flexible placement around the home. They’re simple kitchen, hallway or dorm life quality-of-life upgrades where counter space and outlets may be in short supply.
The Echo Dot Max is available now and costs $99.99. For most homes, it will be a fine all-in-one: a speaker that sounds better than average, an accessible smart home hub and even something of a display case for the more conversational Alexa+. Mulmin’s AI speaker looks like it belongs in a contemporary Luddite version of “2001: A Space Odyssey.” If you’ve been waiting to test one of these out but don’t want to pay through the nose, Mulmin’s effort is both pleasant and competitive at this price.