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- Table of Contents
- Top
- Main Differences
- Design
- Sound
- Active Features
- Connectivity
- Comments
Apple HomePod (1st generation) vs Amazon Echo Gen 4
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
Apple HomePod (1st generation)
Amazon Echo Gen 4
Tested using Methodology v0.8
Updated Sep 04, 2024 07:33 PM
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Amazon.comTested using Methodology v0.8
Updated Feb 03, 2025 02:20 PM
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Amazon.com
BluetoothNo
Wi-FiYes
SpeakerphoneYes
Voice AssistantYes
Battery PoweredNo
BluetoothYes
Wi-FiYes
SpeakerphoneYes
Voice AssistantYes
Battery PoweredNo
Variants
- HomePod (1st generation) (Space Gray)
- HomePod (1st generation) (White)
- Echo Gen 4 ((Product) Red)
- Echo Gen 4 (Charcoal)
- Echo Gen 4 (Glacier White)
- Echo Gen 4 (Twilight Blue)
Our Verdict
Apple HomePod (1st generation)
Amazon Echo Gen 4
The Apple HomePod (1st generation) and the Amazon Echo Gen 4 are both excellent speakers for voice assistants, but the Apple is more versatile overall. Out-of-the-box, the Apple has a more balanced sound profile, and it has a better soundstage. It supports Apple AirPlay, while the Amazon speaker supports Bluetooth. Also, it offers bass and treble adjustments so you can customize its sound. The Apple speaker may be harder to find in new condition since it's been discontinued.
Main Differences for
Threshold
Music
7.0
6.8
Frequency Response Accuracy
7.3
6.9
Dynamics
6.8
5.6
EQ
No
Bass/Treble
Full Comparison
Design
Style
Style Photo
RGB Lights
No
No
Portability
4.2
5.5
Dimensions Photo
Volume
203 in³ (3,332 cm³)
168 in³ (2,757 cm³)
Weight
5.5 lbs (2.5 kg)
2.0 lbs (0.9 kg)
Power Source
AC Only
AC Only
One-Hand Carry
No
Yes
Build Quality
6.4
6.4
Build Quality Photo
Material Quality
Good
Good
Water Resistance
No
Unspecified
Dust Resistance
Unspecified
Unspecified
Impact Resistance
No
Unspecified
Floats In Water
No
Unspecified
Controls
8.0
6.0
Controls Photo
Controls Photo 2
Ease Of Use
Great
Great
Feedback
Great
Great
Music Play/Pause
Yes (Tactile)
No
Call Answer/End
Yes (Tactile)
No
Volume Up/Down
Yes (Tactile)
Yes (Physical)
Track Next/Previous
Yes (Tactile)
No
Microphone On/Off
No
Yes (Physical)
Additional Controls
Yes
Yes
In The Box
In The Box Photo
Sound
Frequency Response Accuracy
7.3
6.9
Frequency Response Graph
Slope
0.19
-1.22
Std. Err.
2.35 dB
3.54 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
53.4 Hz
54.2 Hz
High-Frequency Extension
19.1 kHz
18.2 kHz
Raw Frequency Response
Raw Frequency Response Graph
Binaural Recording @ 1m
Binaural Recording @ 2m
Soundstage
7.5
7.8
Directivity Graph
Directivity Index
0.97 dB
4.06 dB
Stereo
No (mono)
Yes
Dynamics
6.8
5.6
Dynamic Range Compression
SPL @ Max Volume
88.5 dB SPL
84.8 dB SPL
DRC @ Max Volume
2.41 dB
3.96 dB
Active Features
Battery
0.0
0.0
Battery Life
N/A
N/A
Charge Time
N/A
N/A
Power Saving
No
No
Charging Port
No Battery
No Battery
Battery Powered
No
No
Voice Assistant
10
10
Alexa
No
Built-in (Wi-Fi Only)
Google Assistant
No
No
Speakerphone
Yes
Yes
Siri
Built-in
No
Voice Assistant
Yes
Yes
Voice Activation
Yes
Yes
Microphone Mute
Yes
Yes
Far-Field Performance
Excellent
Excellent
Ambient Noise Performance
Excellent
Excellent
App
6.6
9.3
App Picture
App Name
Apple Home
Amazon Alexa
iOS
Yes
Yes
Android
No
Yes
EQ
No
Bass/Treble
Stereo Pair Mode
Yes
Yes
Party Mode
Yes
Yes
Multi-Room
Yes
Yes
Connectivity
Wired
Aux Input
No
Yes
USB Audio
No
No
Other Ports
No
No
Bluetooth
0.0
7.5
Bluetooth
No
Yes
Bluetooth Version
No Bluetooth
Unspecified
Bluetooth iOS Latency
N/A
141 ms
Bluetooth Android Latency
N/A
119 ms
Bluetooth Range
N/A
305.1 ft (93.0 m)
Multi-Device Pairing
No
No
Wi-Fi
8.1
6.5
Wi-Fi Version
Wi-Fi 5
Wi-Fi 5
Wi-Fi Frequency Band
2.4GHz & 5GHz
2.4GHz & 5GHz
Wi-Fi
Yes
Yes
Apple AirPlay
Yes
No
AirPlay Latency
37 ms
N/A
Google Chromecast
No
No
Chromecast Latency
N/A
N/A
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Apple HomePod (1st generation)
Amazon Echo Gen 4
Comments
Apple HomePod (1st generation) vs Amazon Echo Gen 4: Main Discussion
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