Short answer: the Bose Portable Smart Speaker for better sound quality, the Beats Pill 2024 for the lower price. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #78 of 175 medium speakers, rated 3.4/5, at $297.77. The Beats Pill 2024 ranks #79, rated 3.3/5, at $129.95, $167.82 cheaper.
What the Bose Portable Smart Speaker does well: Both Alexa and Google Assistant are built in, and RTINGS rates its microphones as excellent at hearing commands from far away or in a noisy room. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Beats Pill 2024 lacks. The catch: 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.
The Beats Pill 2024 is the longer-running, lighter option. Doubles as a power bank (USB-C charge-out). It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 12 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. At 1.5 lbs (680 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg). It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. The tradeoff: Boosted upper bass, somewhat thuddy.
Buy the Bose Portable Smart Speaker if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Beats Pill 2024 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Portable Smart Speaker | Beats Pill 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $297.77 | $129.95 |
| Ranked | #78 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #79 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) | 1.5 lbs (680 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) | 8.6” x 2.8” x 2.8” (219 x 71 x 70 mm) |
| App | Yes (Bose Music) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | No |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators | 2x drivers with dual passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) | - |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Strap | No | Yes (lanyard) |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | ~56Hz |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 15, 2026 at 5:41 PM 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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The Two Speakers In Full
Bose Portable Smart Speaker: $297.77 Amazon $297.77 Lowest Bose $399.00 eBay
Pros: Both Alexa and Google Assistant are built in, and RTINGS rates its microphones as excellent at hearing commands from far away or in a noisy room. It works as a Wi-Fi speaker at home (AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect) and as a Bluetooth speaker away from Wi-Fi, weighs about 1 kg with a carry handle, and is IPX4 splash resistant. SoundGuys measured 13 hours 6 minutes of playback at 75 dB, beating Bose’s 12 hour claim, and found the bass impressive for its size, especially near a wall or corner. Its 360 degree design spreads sound evenly around a room.
Cons: 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. Pushed to full volume, Tom’s Guide heard unbalanced sound and Pocket-lint found the bass struggling and turning incoherent. RTINGS measured only about 5 hours of battery in its own test. It is mono, has no aux input (the USB-C port only charges), uses Bluetooth 4.2, and the Bose Music app supports a limited list of streaming services. IPX4 covers splashes only, not submersion or dust.
Full Bose Portable Smart Speaker review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| TWS | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
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Beats Pill 2024: $129.95 Amazon $129.95 eBay
Older model: the Beats Pill+ (ranked lower, rated 2.1/5). See every Beats Pill generation.
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. Measured bass extension of ~56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Boosted upper bass, somewhat thuddy. Slightly recessed mids. Rolled off treble.
Full Beats Pill 2024 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~56Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| 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 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (680 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: New Beats Pill 2024: sound demo More from Oluv’Sone →
- Oluv Patreon: Beats Pill 2024 - first & last impression
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beats Pill vs Harman Luna vs Bose Flex vs Soundcore Motion Plus More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Beats Pill (by Apple) 2024 version review vs JBL and Soundcore!
- DailyTekk: NEW Beats Pill First Impressions & Sound Test - Worth $149?
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