Short answer: the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It ranks #75 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.4/5, at $399. The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 ranks #173, rated 2.1/5, at $200, $199 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is the better-sounding pick. A smart speaker with Alexa and Google Assistant built in that streams over Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth on the go. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 lacks. The tradeoff: 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 Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 is the longer-running, tougher choice. A tough waterproof speaker that floats, with USB-C charging, a long battery and PartyUp linking. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 12 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. Watch for: A lot of distortion at higher volumes.
Buy the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $199 with the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Portable Smart Speaker | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $200 |
| Ranked | #75 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #173 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Yes |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) | 3.4” x 3.4” x 8.9” (87 x 87 x 225 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 app) |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm 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 (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Strap | No | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn | - |
| Maximum SPL | - | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
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