Short answer: the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It ranks #75 of 172 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.4/5, at $297.77. The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 ranks #167, rated 2.1/5, at $200, $97.77 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is the better-sounding pick. 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 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. IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 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 $97.77 with the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
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
Prices on this page were last checked October 17, 2026 at 6:04 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Portable Smart Speaker | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $297.77 | $200 |
| Ranked | #75 of 172 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #167 of 172 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) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Bose Portable Smart Speaker: