Short answer: the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker. Both are rated 3.7/5 for sound quality (#14 and #11 of 29 powered desktop speakers), and the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker costs $279 against $298.99 for the Marshall Acton III, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
The case for 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 streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Acton III cannot. It links with other speakers (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast), which the Marshall Acton III cannot. 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 case for the Marshall Acton III: A compact home speaker with classic Marshall amp styling, Bluetooth and an aux input for a small room or desk. The catch: Bass is limited by its 45Hz to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $19.99 less than the Marshall Acton III.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
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 | Marshall Acton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.00 each | $298.99 each |
| Ranked | #14 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #11 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord | - |
| Stereo | No | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | No |
| App | Yes (Bose) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, 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 | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | Bluetooth, Aux |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) | 10.2” x 6.7” x 5.9” (260 x 170 x 150 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | - |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Frequency Response | - | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Amplifier Power | - | 60W (Woofer: 30W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
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