Amazon Echo Spot vs Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

The Amazon Echo Spot wins overall on value and smart home usefulness: it costs a small fraction of the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), is better rated by owners, works as a Matter bridge, supports dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and includes a motion sensor. The Beam is the winner if what you actually want is a soundbar for the TV.

The screen and the job each one does. The Amazon Echo Spot is a compact bedside smart clock with a round display, motion sensing and Alexa built in. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a 651 mm soundbar with no display at all, designed to sit under a television and deliver clear dialogue and processed Dolby Atmos.

The Amazon Echo Spot works as a Matter bridge, but it has no Zigbee coordinator and no Thread border router, so it cannot adopt Zigbee devices on its own. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) offers no hub features whatsoever, although it does integrate with Google Home, Apple HomeKit and Home Assistant as a speaker.

The Amazon Echo Spot was designed for exactly that, replacing an alarm clock with a glanceable display, alarms, Alexa and surprisingly full sound for its size. Just note that some light-sensitive sleepers find the screen visible even at its dimmest setting. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) belongs in a living room with a TV, not on a nightstand.

Buy the Amazon Echo Spot if you want an inexpensive bedside or desk Alexa device that shows the time and weather at a glance, senses motion for automations, bridges Matter accessories and includes a physical mic-off switch. Bear in mind the 90-day warranty and the lack of a 3.5 mm output or play/pause buttons.

Buy the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) if TV sound is the problem: its center tweeter and speech enhancement make dialogue clear, it fits under most televisions, and it expands into surround with other Sonos speakers. It also supports three voice assistants and works with Google Home, HomeKit and Home Assistant, with a 1-year warranty.