Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Generation)

The Amazon Echo Plus smart speaker adds a temperature sensor in addition to its Zigbee hub, but doesn't bring a dramatic difference in sound quality over its predecessor.

Echo Plus

The new Echo Plus is a bit stouter than the original, measuring 5.7 by 3.9 (HW) inches to the original's 9.3-by-3.3-inch profile.

Top

The top of the Echo Plus is unchanged from the previous model save for a gentle curve on the surface, featuring the same Alexa, mic mute, and volume up/down buttons surrounded by a translucent light ring.

Back

The grille cloth runs all over the side of the Echo Plus, broken up only by a small notch on the bottom edge of the back of the speaker. The notch holds a port for the included power adapter, and a 3.5mm port that doubles as line-in or line-out.

Bottom

The bottom of the Echo Plus features a small screw mount for securing the speaker on a stand and a set of charging contacts covered by a rubber door.

Echo Plus vs. Echo

Left to right: Amazon Echo Plus, Amazon Echo

Amazon Echo Sub

You can pair the Echo Plus with a second Echo Plus to create a stereo pair, and connect one or two speakers to the Echo Sub subwoofer (middle) for extra bass.

About Our Expert

Will Greenwald

Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I’m PCMag’s home theater and AR/VR expert, and your go-to source of information and recommendations for game consoles and accessories, smart displays, smart glasses, smart speakers, soundbars, TVs, and VR headsets. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and THX-certified home theater technician, I've served as a CES Innovation Awards judge, and while Bandai hasn’t officially certified me, I’m also proficient at building Gundam plastic models up to MG-class. I also enjoy genre fiction writing, and my urban fantasy novel, Alex Norton, Paranormal Technical Support, is currently available on Amazon.

The Technology I Use

Where to start? I have a standard IT-issued Lenovo Thinkpad for writing and editing, supplemented with an iPad Air and an 8Bitdo Retro Keyboard when I want to write on the go. I also have a Lenovo Legion Go as a platform for running Portrait Displays’ Calman software and controlling the Klein K-10A colorimeter, Murideo SIX-G signal generator, and Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester I use for testing TVs.

For gaming, I use a Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, and a GeForce 5080-equipped MSI gaming laptop. I like collecting retro games as well, and have an Analogue Pocket and a ton of classic consoles and portables. Photography is another interest, and I use a Sony A7 IV when I’m shooting products and events, and a Fujifilm X-Pro3 for my own attempts at visual creativity. And for reading and writing, I’ve become partial to the Kobo Sage for books and the ReMarkable 2 with Type Folio.

When it comes to phones and tablets, I’m pretty platform-agnostic. I use a Google Pixel 8 for my phone and an iPad Air for a tablet. Android, iOS, and iPadOS are all totally fine, but I need a Windows PC. MacOS just isn’t for me.

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