Short answer: the Sony SRS-XE200, if you are buying new, though neither ranks well in its class. The Bose SoundLink Color II ranks higher than it (#125 vs #143 of 175 medium speakers, 2.7/5 vs 2.5/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Sony SRS-XE200 is still sold new at $99.99. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 175 medium speakers; for better sound, the EarFun Uboom L ranks #2 at $49.79.
The Bose SoundLink Color II is the lighter option. Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. At 1.3 lbs (600 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Sony SRS-XE200 at 1.8 lbs (800 g). Watch for: Boosted bass on Color II.
The Sony SRS-XE200 is the longer-running, tougher pick. IP67 rated with dedicated per-function buttons. It is rated for 16 hours of battery against 8 for the Bose SoundLink Color II. It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Bose SoundLink Color II. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Bose SoundLink Color II lacks. The tradeoff: Sounds hollow.
Buy the Sony SRS-XE200 if you want one new; the Bose SoundLink Color II is discontinued, so only look for it used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Color II | Sony SRS-XE200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.00 Discontinued | $99.99 |
| Ranked | #125 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #143 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (600 g) | 1.8 lbs (800 g) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 5.2” x 5” x 2.2” (132 x 127 x 56 mm) | 3.5” x 8.2” x 3.7” (90 x 208 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers | 1x 42x51mm full-range + 2x passive radiators |
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) | Yes (Sony | Music Center app) |
| EQ | No | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Amplifier Power | - | 10W |
| Strap | - | Yes (included strap) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Bose SoundLink Color II compares with other leading options:
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- JBL Charge 6 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- JBL Flip 6 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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 SoundLink Color II: $139.00 Discontinued Amazon $139.00 eBay
Pros: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. IPX4 splashproof. Supports multipoint pairing to two devices at once.
Cons: Boosted bass on Color II. Not as deep of bass as other models. Lacking midrange detail. Rolled off treble. Discontinued.
Full Bose SoundLink Color II review and specifications →
| Released | May 2017 (9 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.2” x 5” x 2.2” (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (600 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton III
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton II
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Cabasse Swell
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Tribit Stormbox
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XE300
- See all 74 comparisons
Sony SRS-XE200: $99.99 Amazon $99.99 eBay
Newer model: the Sony ULT Field 1, ranked higher, rated 3.1/5, released Apr 2024. It drops LDAC. Battery life goes from 16 to 12 hours.
Older models: the Sony XB23 (ranked higher, rated 3.3/5), the Sony SRS-XB20 (ranked higher, rated 2.8/5) and the Sony SRS-XB21 (ranked higher, rated 2.7/5). See every Sony XB and ULT generation.
Pros: IP67 rated with dedicated per-function buttons. Can prop up a phone/tablet as a stand. Fast charging (10 min charge = ~70 min playback); Stamina mode extends battery when low.
Cons: Sounds hollow. Very muffled. Rolled off treble, weird midrange boost, just not great overall. Worse than a Sony XB33.
Full Sony SRS-XE200 review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 10W |
| App | Yes (Sony | Music Center app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.5” x 8.2” x 3.7” (90 x 208 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 42x51mm full-range + 2x passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (included strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (800 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DLX Willington: FINALLY! Sony SRS XG300, SRS XE300, & SRS XE200 Are Here. Binaural Sound Samples & First Impressions More from DLXWillington →
- Danny Pops: Sony XE200 XE300 vs Bose Marshall & JBL More from DannyPops →
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE200 Review And Compared to Sony XB23 - It Got The XE300 Treatment More from GYMCADDY →
- Chrispy Things [EDC]: New Sony XE200 Bluetooth Speaker Sound Test & Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
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- Sony SRS-XE200 vs LG Xboom Go PL5
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs LG Xboom XG5
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini
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- See all 90 comparisons