Short answer: the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It ranks #65 of 145 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.4/5, at $399. The Marshall Emberton III ranks #105, rated 2.7/5, at $160.03, $238.97 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The case for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker: 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. 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.
What the Marshall Emberton III does well: 30 hour battery life - among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. The catch: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors.
Buy the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $238.97 saving on the Marshall Emberton III is not enough to make up the difference.
Battery life favors the Marshall Emberton III: rated for 32 hours against 12 hours for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker.
If water resistance matters to you, the Marshall Emberton III at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at IPX4 (splashing).
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Portable Smart Speaker | Marshall Emberton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $160.03 |
| Ranked | #65 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #105 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Yes |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) | 1.5 lbs (673 g) |
| 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) | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| App | Yes (Bose Music) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators |
| 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 (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Strap | No | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 62Hz |
| TWS | - | No |
| Amplifier Power | - | 20W |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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: $399.00 Bose 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 →
| App | Yes (Bose Music) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
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Marshall Emberton III: $160.03 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Marshall Emberton II (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5).
Pros: 30 hour battery life - among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. IP67 rated, durable rubbery build using 50% recycled plastic. Measured bass extension of 62Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Not very loud. Not really any different from the Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit.
Full Marshall Emberton III review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (673 g) |
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