Neither Bose SoundLink III nor Sony SRS-XB3 were recommended by experts this month
On 2 Apr 2024 (23 days ago) we went through 115 Bluetooth Speaker expert endorsements , however neither Bose SoundLink III nor Sony SRS-XB3 were included in any of those recommendations. Since neither Bluetooth Speaker received a single endorsement, as far as expert recommendations go, it's technically a tie. We do, however, recommend taking a look at JBL Charge 5 or other critically acclaimed Portable Bluetooth Speakers of this month.
For reference, JBL Charge 5 received 6 endorsements this month, from What Hi-Fi (18 Mar 2024), SoundGuys (9 Feb 2024) TechRadar (4 Mar 2024) and 3 others.
Rank | Change | Price | Bluetooth Speaker | What Hi-Fi | SoundGuys | PCMag | Popular Mechanics | TechRadar | Rtings.com | Tom's Guide | WIRED | TechHive |
Digital Trends |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | - | $180 | JBL Charge 5 The JBL Charge 5 is a durable and high-quality portable Bluetooth speaker with a well-balanced sound, long battery life, and PartyBoost feature, making it perfect for outdoor activities and gatherings. | 1 | 1 | - | - | 7 | - | 12 | 2 | - | 15 |
N/A | N/A | $145 | Bose SoundLink III | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
N/A | N/A | $299 | Sony SRS-XB3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Curious to see this month's entire Portable Bluetooth Speakers ranking? It's here
Rank | Change | Price | Bluetooth Speaker | What Hi-Fi | SoundGuys | PCMag | Popular Mechanics | TechRadar | Rtings.com | Tom's Guide | WIRED | TechHive | Digital Trends |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | - | $180 | JBL Charge 5 The JBL Charge 5 is a durable and high-quality portable Bluetooth speaker with a well-balanced sound, long battery life, and PartyBoost feature, making it perfect for outdoor activities and gatherings. | 1 | 1 | - | - | 7 | - | 12 | 2 | - | 15 |
2 | - | $433 | Sonos Move 2 | - | 2 | - | - | 10 | - | 5 | - | 5 | 4 |
3 | - | $176 | Sonos Roam The Sonos Roam is a highly versatile and durable portable speaker that delivers excellent sound quality, with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, voice assistant integration, and unique features such as Automatic TruePlay and wireless charging. | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 11 | 10 | - | 3 |
4 | - | $48 | Tribit StormBox Micro 2 The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is a durable and waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker with powerful sound, long battery life, and versatile connectivity options. | 3 | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 9 | - | 8 |
Show all rows |
Expert reviews [21]
- with a score: 11
- without a score: 10
Highest score by Loudest Portable Speakers | 100 |
Average score based on 21 reviews | 82 |
Lowest score by What Hi-Fi | 60 |
Score distribution:
80-100 | |
60-80 | |
40-60 | |
20-40 | |
0-20 |
- Show your support for the Patriots and enjoy powerful sound
- Patriots logo on the front and back of the speaker
- The best-performing Bose Bluetooth speaker plays your music with fullness, depth and clarity
- Read more
- Extra Bass for deep, punchy sound, Seamless streaming with NFC and Bluetooth
- Up to 24 hours of battery life, Splash-proof for worry-free use
- Compact, portable design
- Wireless capabilities:-Bluetooth, Built-in battery, Extra Bass, One-touch functions (NFC)
- Read more
Speakers range from not being able to handle even a drop of water to being able to be fully submerged in water for several minutes. Do you plan to take your speaker outside? To the beach? To the pool? In the shower? Then you definitely need to verify the level of water resistance before purchasing. You can tell the water resistance by the IP rating—the higher the rating, the more resistant the speaker is to the elements. For reference, the first digit refers to dust protection and the second digit refers to water protection. It reads as: IP68. Anything higher than IP66 will be dust- and splash-proof, meaning it can handle some contact with water, but cannot be fully submerged or soaked.
Battery life for Bluetooth speakers is measured in milliampere hours (mAh). Manufacturers will report the battery life of a speaker in the average number of hours it takes to empty from a full charge. Keep in mind this number is based on medium levels of usage. If you play the speaker on full volume, it will drain the battery faster. Some specialty features like using the speaker to charge your phone or casting an LED light show will also drain the battery faster. The manufacturer reported number is just an estimate, and may be slightly different based on your usage.
It’s also important to consider is the type of battery. Rechargeable lithium-ion (LI-ion) batters are ideal, but some speakers only take standard or rechargeable AA/AAA/C/D batteries. You may even find Bluetooth speakers that recharge via solar power—great for outdoor use!
Bose SoundLink III is a popular option at the top of the price range. It's in the top 3 bestselling bluetooth speakers and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as LG Xboom Go PK7 or Urbanista Brisbane .
Bose SoundLink III was released in 2014. There are dozens of newer bluetooth speakers on the market. Show newer Bluetooth Speakers
Bose SoundLink III is $247.93 more expensive than the average bluetooth speaker ($122).
Sony SRS-XB3 is a well-known and one of the more expensive options. It's in the top 3 bestselling bluetooth speakers and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Bose Soundlink Revolve Plus II or Ultimate Ears Epicboom .
Sony SRS-XB3 was released in 2016. There are a lot of newer bluetooth speakers on the market. Show newer Bluetooth Speakers
Sony SRS-XB3 is $177 more expensive than an average bluetooth speaker ($122).