Short answer: the Bose Portable Smart Speaker for better sound quality, the Sonos Roam 2 for the lower price. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #65 of 145 medium speakers, rated 3.4/5, at $399. The Sonos Roam 2 ranks #77, rated 3.2/5, at $179, $220 cheaper.
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. 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 case for the Sonos Roam 2: Very neutral. The tradeoff: Exact same sound quality as the original Roam.
Buy the Bose Portable Smart Speaker if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Sonos Roam 2 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Portable Smart Speaker | Sonos Roam 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $179.00 |
| Ranked | #65 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #77 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IPX5 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| App | Yes (Bose Music) | Sonos S2 App |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators | 1x ~45mm racetrack mid-woofer + 1x tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) | - |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Strap | No | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 63Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 95dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| TWS | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Bose Portable Smart Speaker compares with other leading options:
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- JBL Charge 6 vs Bose Portable Smart Speaker
- JBL Flip 6 vs Bose Portable Smart Speaker
- JBL Flip 7 vs Bose Portable Smart Speaker
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Bose Portable Smart Speaker
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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Sonos Roam 2: $179.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Sonos Roam (ranked lower, rated 3.1/5).
Pros: Very neutral. Additional button for pairing instead of being shared with power button. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Exact same sound quality as the original Roam. Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted as you turn up the bass.
Full Sonos Roam 2 review and specifications →
| App | Sonos S2 App |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x ~45mm racetrack mid-woofer + 1x tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons