Short answer: the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It ranks #75 of 172 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 3.4/5) at $297.77 and is still sold new; the JBL Flip 5 ranks #77 (rated 3.3/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The JBL Flip 5’s replacement, the JBL Flip 7, is rated 4.2/5 at $89.95.
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 supports AAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Flip 5 lacks. Watch for: 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 JBL Flip 5 is the lighter, tougher choice. Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. At 1.2 lbs (540 g) it weighs much less than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg). It is rated IPX7 against IPX4 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. The catch: Boosted upper bass.
Buy the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the JBL Flip 5 is discontinued.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
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.
Amazon $297.77 Bose $399.00 eBay
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Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Portable Smart Speaker | JBL Flip 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $297.77 | $89.95 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #75 of 172 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #77 of 172 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IPX7 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) | 1.2 lbs (540 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) | 7.1” x 2.7” x 2.9” (181 x 69 x 74 mm) |
| App | Yes (Bose Music) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Strap | No | Yes (lanyard) |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 59Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 200ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Frequency Response | - | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 20W RMS |
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