DevicesAudio
Same-category comparison
Amazon Echo (4th Gen)vs Sonos Era 100
Both are audio. Rows that do not match are marked Differs. The feature paragraphs under each name are AI-generated.
Amazon
Echo (4th Gen)
Often discounted. Confirm the current price; the 2020 model is still listed with the specs below.
Pros
- • A Zigbee hub and, on Amazon’s current technical details, Matter and Thread as well.
- • Bluetooth streaming is built in, which the original HomePod story did not center.
- • Smaller and cheaper than a HomePod when the house already speaks Alexa.
Cons
- • Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), not Wi-Fi 6.
- • eero Built-in is easy to over-read. Amazon’s own limits are 1,000 sq ft and about 100 Mbps.
- • Alexa and an Amazon account are the platform.
Sonos
Era 100
Confirm the current Sonos price. Line-in and Ethernet adapters are extra.
Pros
- • Stereo from one small speaker, with Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 both listed.
- • A physical microphone switch.
- • Wi-Fi 6, and it does not ask to be your door lock’s hub.
Cons
- • No Thread and no Matter hub. It will not commission a bulb.
- • The analog and Ethernet jacks are paid adapters.
- • Voice control here is Sonos Voice Control, not a full smart-home platform.
Hardware
| Spec | Amazon Echo (4th Gen) | Sonos Era 100 |
|---|---|---|
| GenerationDiffers | Echo (4th Gen), 2020 release, per Amazon’s technical details for this listing | — |
| DriversDiffers | 3.0 in neodymium woofer and two 0.8 in tweeters | Two angled tweeters and one midwoofer, three class-D amplifiers |
| SizeDiffers | 5.7 × 5.7 × 5.2 in (144 × 144 × 133 mm), 34.2 oz | 7.18 × 4.72 × 5.14 in (182.5 × 120 × 130.5 mm), 4.44 lb |
| Wi-FiDiffers | Dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) | — |
| Smart-home hubDiffers | Amazon’s technical details list Zigbee, Sidewalk, Matter, and a Thread border router | — |
| BluetoothDiffers | A2DP audio streaming and BLE | — |
| PowerDiffers | 30W adapter in the box | 100–240V internal supply |
| RadiosDiffers | — | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4 and 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 5.0. No Thread radio is listed. |
| InputsDiffers | — | USB-C. Line-in needs the Sonos Line-In Adapter. Ethernet needs the Sonos Combo Adapter. Both are sold separately. |
| MicsDiffers | — | Far-field array with a hardware mic switch |
Software
| Spec | Amazon Echo (4th Gen) | Sonos Era 100 |
|---|---|---|
| VoiceDiffers | Alexa. Microphone off button. English and Spanish on the listing used here. | — |
| eero Built-inDiffers | Optional, and only with a compatible eero, linked accounts, and limited extra coverage (Amazon cites up to 1,000 sq ft, 100 Mbps, and 10 devices on 5 GHz). | — |
| PrivacyDiffers | Mic-off button, reviewable voice recordings | — |
| ControlDiffers | — | Sonos app, Sonos Voice Control, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth |
| TuningDiffers | — | Trueplay on iOS and Android |
| Smart homeDiffers | — | Not a Matter controller or Thread border router |
What you buy with it
| Spec | Amazon Echo (4th Gen) | Sonos Era 100 |
|---|---|---|
| WarrantyDiffers | 1-year limited warranty | — |
| AccountDiffers | Amazon account and the Alexa app | Sonos account for the app and updates |
| What it is notDiffers | Not a Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7 router. eero Built-in is a small extender, not a substitute for the routers in the router category. | — |
| What else you buyDiffers | — | The line-in or Ethernet adapter if you need either jack. A second Era 100 if you want a stereo pair. |