Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #14 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $279; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #75 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality at $399.
Why pick the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: A compact smart speaker with an up firing driver for taller sound, built in Alexa, AirPlay 2, Google Cast and an aux input. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Bose Portable Smart Speaker lacks. The catch: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is the battery-powered, tougher option. A smart speaker with Alexa and Google Assistant built in that streams over Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth on the go. Its battery is rated for 12 hours, while the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker needs an outlet. It is rated IPX4, while the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker has no water resistance. The tradeoff: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it.
Buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ($279) for a powered desktop speaker; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ($399) suits a medium speaker instead.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | Bose Portable Smart Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.00 each | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #14 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #75 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IPX4 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Input | AC power cord | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| App | Yes (Bose) | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) | No |
| Drivers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | - |
| XLR Input | No | - |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | No | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| Omnidirectional | - | Pointing up |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
| Strap | - | No |
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