Short answer: the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It ranks #78 of 166 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 3.4/5) at $297.77 and is still sold new; the Sonos Roam ranks #93 (rated 3.1/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Sonos Roam’s replacement, the Sonos Roam 2, is rated 3.2/5 at $179.
Why pick 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.
The Sonos Roam is the lighter choice. Very neutral. At 0.9 lbs (429 g) it weighs much less than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg). The catch: Bass extension isn’t very good.
Buy the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the Sonos Roam is discontinued.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Portable Smart Speaker | Sonos Roam | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $297.77 | $169.99 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #78 of 166 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #93 of 166 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.0 |
| 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 | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control |
| 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 (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 10, 2026 at 5:37 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 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 →
| 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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Sonos Roam: $169.99 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Sonos Roam 2, ranked higher, rated 3.2/5, released May 2024. See every Sonos Roam generation.
Pros: Very neutral. IP67 rated at ~1 lb. Wireless (Qi) charging: rare for a portable speaker. Works with Alexa/Sonos Voice Control and the wider Sonos ecosystem over Wi-Fi. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted if you turn up the bass. Discontinued.
Full Sonos Roam review and specifications →
| Released | Mar 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Sonos S2 App |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons