Short answer: the Beats Pill 2024. It ranks #61 of 135 medium speakers by sound quality at $99.95; the Sonos Roam ranks #72 and costs $175, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Beats Pill 2024 offers: Doubles as a power bank (USB-C charge-out). 24 hour battery life; a 10 min quick-charge gives 2 hours. Watch for: Boosted upper bass, somewhat thuddy.
What the Sonos Roam offers: Very neutral. Watch for: Bass extension isn’t very good.
Buy the Beats Pill 2024. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sonos Roam and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Beats Pill 2024 is rated for 24 hours versus 10 hours for the Sonos Roam.
Specifications Side By Side
| Beats Pill 2024 | Sonos Roam | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.95 | $175.00 |
| Ranked | #61 of 135 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #72 of 135 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Sonos S2 App |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~56Hz | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX5 |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 680 g | 0.9 lbs / 429 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.6" x 2.8" x 2.8" (219 x 71 x 70 mm) | 2.4" x 6.6" x 2.4" (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x drivers with dual passive radiators | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| Max Volume | - | 95dB |
| Wifi | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- KEF Muo gen2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- Sonos Roam 2 vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- Sonos Roam 2 vs Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021
- Beats Pill 2024 vs Marshall Emberton III
- Sonos Roam vs Sony ULT Field 3
The Two Speakers In Full
Beats Pill 2024: $99.95 Amazon
Pros: Doubles as a power bank (USB-C charge-out). 24 hour battery life; a 10 min quick-charge gives 2 hours. IP67 rated. Stereo pairs with a second Pill.
Cons: Boosted upper bass, somewhat thuddy. Slightly recessed mids. Rolled off treble.
Full Beats Pill 2024 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~56Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 8.6" x 2.8" x 2.8" (219 x 71 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x drivers with dual passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 680 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: New Beats Pill 2024: sound demo
- Oluv Patreon: Beats Pill 2024 - first & last impression
- DailyTekk: NEW Beats Pill First Impressions & Sound Test - Worth $149?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beats Pill vs Harman Luna vs Bose Flex vs Soundcore Motion Plus
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Beats Pill (by Apple) 2024 version review vs JBL and Soundcore!
- Reddit Search for Beats Pill 2024 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sonos Roam: $175.00 Amazon
Pros: Very neutral. IP67 rated at ~1 lb. Wireless (Qi) charging - rare for a portable speaker. Works with Alexa/Sonos Voice Control and the wider Sonos ecosystem over Wi-Fi.
Cons: Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted if you turn up the bass.
Full Sonos Roam review and specifications →
| App | Sonos S2 App |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4" x 6.6" x 2.4" (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 429 g |
| Wifi | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons