Quick verdict
Amazon’s Echo Time is a $199.99 bedside smart clock that tries to wake you at the right moment, not just the set one. Launched on October 28, 2026, as part of Amazon’s five-device Alexa+ refresh, Echo Time pairs a 3.2-inch circular touchscreen with Omnisense sleep sensing — ultrasound that tracks your breathing so the smart alarm can rouse you during lighter sleep, anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes around your set time, with no watch or ring to wear. It has no camera, by design, and it earned the National Sleep Foundation’s SleepMark designation. Why it matters: it is Amazon’s first Echo built entirely around the nightstand, and its headline feature only works with Alexa+ switched on. This review is based on Amazon’s announced specifications and pricing, not hands-on testing.
What is the Echo Time?
Echo Time is a spherical smart clock with a 3.2-inch round touchscreen, hundreds of swappable clock faces, and a display that dims below 0.3 nits at night and gradually brightens like a sunrise before your alarm. It comes in Graphite, Glacier White, and Coral Pink, with an optional adjustable stand for $39.99. There is no camera and no video calling or streaming — it is a clock first, in the same spirit as the Echo Spot (2024), but with a bigger screen and a sleep system the Spot never had.
How does the sleep sensing work?
Amazon’s Omnisense platform combines presence detection, room temperature sensing, and an ultrasonic transducer that detects breathing patterns and your distance from the device. Opt in, and the smart alarm watches for a lighter phase of sleep inside a window you set — 10 to 60 minutes around your alarm time — then starts quietly and builds volume across up to four snoozes. Amazon is clear that Echo Time is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition.
Two conditions matter. First, the smart alarm requires Alexa+, which is included with a Prime membership. Second, sleep sensing needs the microphone enabled — mute the mic and the sleep monitor stops working. If a silent, sensor-free nightstand is the whole point, a dedicated sunrise clock like the Hatch Restore 3 or the phone-free Loftie Alarm Clock takes the opposite approach.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Sleep-timed smart alarm with no wearable required — ultrasound sensing does the work
- No camera, and an opt-in sleep monitor you can disable in the Alexa app at any time
- 3.2-inch touchscreen with hundreds of clock faces and a sub-0.3-nit night mode
- National Sleep Foundation SleepMark designation for its wind-down and wake-up features
Cons
- $199.99 — $90 more than an Echo Spot, for a device that only does bedside duty
- The headline smart alarm requires Alexa+ and a live microphone
- No video, no personal photos on the clock faces, and the stand costs an extra $39.99
Who should buy the Echo Time?
Buy it if you are an Alexa household that hates being jolted awake and does not want to sleep in a watch or ring to get gentler alarms. A Kids version starts at $209.99 with a year of Amazon Kids+ included. Skip it if you just need a cheap Alexa clock — the Echo Spot does that job for far less — or if any always-listening sensor by the bed is a hard no.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Echo Time cost?
$199.99 in the US, in Graphite, Glacier White, or Coral Pink. The Kids version starts at $209.99, and the optional adjustable stand is $39.99.
Does the Echo Time have a camera?
No. Echo Time is camera-free by design, which is part of its bedroom pitch — though it does have microphones and sensors for Alexa+ and sleep sensing.
Do I need Prime to use the smart alarm?
The sleep-sensing smart alarm requires Alexa+. Alexa+ is included with an Amazon Prime membership; without Prime it is a paid add-on.
Can I turn the sleep sensing off?
Yes. Sleep sensing is opt-in, can be switched off in the Alexa app, and stops working when you mute the microphone.
Price and availability
Echo Time is available now in the US for $199.99, with deliveries reported to begin in December. Check the current price at Amazon below.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.