Ecobee3 Vs Ecobee4 Thermostat

With smart thermostats, you can now enjoy a more comfortable and healthier living environment in your home. They are a part of home automation. A smart thermostat that is working properly is responsible for controlling the home’s heat and temperature levels. A smart thermostat is usually connected to the home’s air conditioning and heating systems. Whenever it finds the temperature too low, it will tell the heaters to turn on. If the air is too hot, it will tell the air conditioners to work. You no longer have to fumble with remote controls to find the right temperature levels for the day.

Ecobee3 Vs Ecobee4 Thermostat 1

Ecobee is one of the most well-known brands of smart thermostats. When talking about smart home and home automation, it is one of those names that will be brought up. The company has achieved quite a huge success with Ecobee3. However, they have finally moved on. Recently, Ecobee4 was released into the market. Thus, we certainly wonder what changes that the new model brings. Below, we are going to see how Ecobee4 differs from Ecobee3, as well as which product that holds the best value for your money.

Ecobee3 vs. Ecobee4 Thermostat: Design

At first, you may not immediately notice the differences between Ecobee3 and Ecobee4 in terms of design. The new model still retains the similar rectangular shape of the old model, with rounded sides and edges. However, after some more observation, you may notice that Ecobee4 now has a line of blue light on the top. Meanwhile, Ecobee3 is entirely black. The addition of the blue light actually indicates that the new model now comes with built-in support for Alexa (more on this later).

Ecobee3 Vs Ecobee4 Thermostat 2

Well, unfortunately, both Ecobee3 and Ecobee4 only come in the black color. There is no other color option. Not a big deal, though.

In addition, Ecobee4 is slightly bigger and bulkier than Ecobee3. The increased size and weight are due to the built-in speaker in the new model – which is given mostly in order to support Alexa. The old model, Ecobee3, measures 3.93” x 3.93” x 0.86”. Meanwhile, Ecobee4 measures 4.29” x 4.29” x 1.03”. So, if you have a particular spot for putting the thermostat, make sure that there is enough space.

Ecobee4 still uses the same room sensor as Ecobee3. The room sensor is actually the one responsible for detecting the temperature levels in the room, and it sends the data to the main device for further processing and control. The room sensor has a white color and measures 1.73” x 1.73” x 0.86”. Unlike the other competitors in the market, both Ecobee3 and Ecobee4 allow you to put multiple room sensors in multiple rooms in order to even out the temperature levels across your home.

Ecobee3 vs. Ecobee4 Thermostat: Features

The most distinctive thing that makes Ecobee4 more interesting than Ecobee3 is the built-in Alexa support. Of course, when comparing Ecobee3 and Ecobee4, the differences are mainly focused to the Alexa integration. Previously, with Ecobee3, you have to purchase an Echo Dot or the Amazon Echo in order to use Alexa. Now for those of you who are not familiar with Alexa yet, it is Amazon’s smart virtual personal assistant that allows people to control compatible products throughout their home using voice commands.

Ecobee3 Vs Ecobee4 Thermostat 3

Ecobee3 does not have any built-in mic and speaker, so it has to rely on another device in order to be controlled using Alexa. Since the virtual assistant has become incredibly popular, the company has decided to bring Alexa support right into Ecobee4. The new model has built-in mics to listen to your voice commands and a built-in speaker to deliver Alexa’s responses. This way, not only you can control the thermostat using voice commands, but also you can interact with Alexa through the device. You can ask Alexa to tell you about today’s weather forecast, turn on your lights, play music, or even create a shopping list.

However, the two models still come with the same other features. Each of them is equipped with a 3.5” color LCD touch screen that has a resolution of 320 x 480, built-in 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi that operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency, WEP / WPA / WPA2, static and DHCP IP addressing, and TLS. Well, even though they come with WEP, WPA, and WPA2, it is highly recommended that you use WPA2. That is the most secure Wi-Fi protection technology, very difficult to crack as long as you use a strong password. WEP is extremely not recommended, very weak and easy to crack. You definitely don’t want some malicious cyber criminals breaking into your home network, possibly compromising your privacy and sensitive information.

Both models are compatible with HVAC systems, including gas, electricity, oil, dual fuel, heat pump, humidifier, dehumidifier, ventilator, and HRV/ERV systems. Both are compatible with various smart devices, including HomeKit, SmartThings, Wink, and IFTTT.

Ecobee3 vs. Ecobee4: Power and Bandwidth Consumptions

Both Ecobee3 and Ecobee4 have low power usage of barely 3.5 VA. Both models have been equipped with energy saving features. Their sensors are also able to detect if there is any person in the room, and they will automatically adjust the systems to reduce energy usage whenever the room is not occupied. Both models require hardwired connections with C-wires, and they come with the kits needed if you don’t have any C-wire installed in your home.

They averagely require 15 – 20 MB monthly bandwidth. However, Ecobee4 may require more monthly bandwidth, depending on your Alexa usage. Ecobee3 does not need as much bandwidth because it does not have Alexa.

Ecobee3 ThermostatEcobee4 Thermostat
Brandecobeeecobee
Key differences- Works with Amazon Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately) - Smart, really smart - intuitively understands when to turn on your heating or cooling equipment based on your home's unique energy profile, the weather outside, and thousands of other data points to make sure you're comfortable at all times- Comes with built-in Alexa Voice Service, so you can ask your ecobee to set a timer, read you the news, adjust the temperature, and more. With Far-field voice technology your ecobee4 can hear you from across the room - Room sensors help manage hot and cold spots in your home, delivering comfort to the rooms that matter most
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Conclusion
In general, the primary difference between the two models is the Alexa support. Ecobee3 does not have any built-in mic and speaker, and thus doesn’t support Alexa. If you don’t plan on using Alexa, Ecobee3 is already good enough. However, Alexa can give you a whole new level of the smart home experience. If you want built-in support for Alexa, you should choose Ecobee4. The other differences between the two models are rather trivial. Ecobee4 is slightly larger than Ecobee3, now coming with a blue light indicator that is connected to Alexa. Ecobee4 may require slightly more bandwidth than Ecobee3, depending on your Alexa usage.

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