Echo Studio (2025) Review: Pros, Cons, Common Issues & Is It Worth It?
Drivers: 3.75″ woofer + 3× 2.25″ full-range | Chip: AZ3 Pro | Hub: Zigbee, Matter & Thread | Wi-Fi: 6E | UK Price: £219.99
Overview
The Echo Studio (2025) is the first significant redesign of Amazon’s premium smart speaker since it launched in 2019. The spherical design replaces the original cylindrical shape and is 40% smaller. Powered by the AZ3 Pro chip, it includes a built-in smart home hub supporting Zigbee, Matter and Thread, an eero Wi-Fi extender, and onboard sensors for temperature, light and presence detection. It is designed for Alexa+ — Amazon’s AI-enhanced assistant — though Alexa+ was still rolling out to UK customers at launch.
Key Features
Setup & Compatibility
Plug in and follow the guided setup in the Alexa app. The built-in Zigbee, Matter and Thread hub means compatible smart home devices — bulbs, plugs, sensors — connect directly without a separate bridge. Works with Ring and Nest cameras — say “Alexa, show me the front door” to pull up a live view. The Echo Studio (2025) is not compatible with an optical audio input — there is no optical port on this model.
What’s New
The 2025 Echo Studio is a ground-up redesign — not an incremental update. The spherical design is 40% smaller and considerably more attractive than the original. The AZ3 Pro chip delivers noticeably faster Alexa responses. The built-in smart home hub now supports Matter and Thread in addition to Zigbee, making it the most capable Echo smart home hub available. Onboard temperature, light and presence sensors enable automation routines without additional hardware. The eero Wi-Fi extender built in can provide up to 93m² of additional coverage. Alexa+ compatibility is included for when the AI assistant fully rolls out to the UK.
Pros
Cons
Common Problems & Fixes
The most commonly reported issues with the Echo Studio (2025) are Wi-Fi connection drops, Bluetooth pairing failures and smart home devices not responding after a firmware update. Most resolve with a device restart by unplugging for 10 seconds. For a full list of known faults and fixes see our troubleshooting guide.
Real World Performance
The sound from the Echo Studio (2025) is genuinely impressive for a speaker of this size — particularly in the midrange and with Dolby Atmos content from Amazon Music. Bass output is strong for the footprint, though reviewers who have used the original Echo Studio consistently note that the sub-bass performance is not quite at the same level as the 2019 model. The AZ3 Pro makes Alexa responses noticeably faster than older Echo devices. The Automatic Room Adaptation works well and improves over the first hours of use. As a smart home hub, it is the most capable in the Echo range — Zigbee, Matter, Thread and eero all from one device is genuinely useful and removes the need for separate bridge hardware.
Best Alternatives
Who Should Buy It?
The Echo Studio (2025) is the right choice for anyone who wants Amazon’s best-sounding smart speaker and the most capable built-in smart home hub. The combination of Zigbee, Matter, Thread and eero in one device makes it particularly good value for anyone building or expanding a smart home. If pure audio quality is the only priority and smart home integration is not important, the Sonos Era 100 still edges it on sound at a higher price.
Verdict
A well-executed redesign that improves on the original in almost every way except one: bass depth. The new design is better-looking, the AZ3 Pro is faster, and the smart home hub capabilities are the best in the Echo lineup. The lower bass output compared to the 2019 model is a real trade-off, but for most people the improvements outweigh it. At £219.99 it is not cheap, but it is the most capable Amazon smart speaker available.