Short answer: the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen. It ranks #37 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $99.99; the LG Xboom Go PL5 ranks #146, rated 2.4/5, and costs $179, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen is the better-sounding, tougher pick. A very portable 1.3 lbs (586 g), IP67-rated speaker with a clear, well-balanced midrange that keeps voices and instruments intelligible. It is rated IP67 against IPX5 for the LG Xboom Go PL5. It supports aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, which the LG Xboom Go PL5 lacks. Watch for: One Flex remains mono and cannot deliver genuine low-bass rumble; RTINGS also found the elevated treble can turn hi-hats and other high-frequency detail piercing.
What the LG Xboom Go PL5 does well: 18 hour battery life; IPX5 rated. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen. The tradeoff: Barely any bass.
Buy the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen. It is rated higher for sound quality than the LG Xboom Go PL5 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen | LG Xboom Go PL5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $179.00 |
| Ranked | #37 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #146 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (LG XBOOM App) |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX5 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (Wireless Party Link, up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (586 g) | 1.4 lbs (640 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.5” x 2” (201 x 90 x 52 mm) | 7.9” x 3.1” x 3.1” (201 x 79 x 79 mm) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Drivers | 60mm full-range driver with passive radiators | 2x 1.75-inch woofers + 2x passive radiators |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive | SBC, AAC |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 71Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 20W |
| Lights | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen compares with other leading options:
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs EarFun Uboom L
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Motion+
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Minirig 4
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 Flex 2nd gen: $99.99 Amazon $99.99 eBay
Older model: the Bose Soundlink Flex (ranked lower, rated 3.8/5). See every Bose SoundLink Flex, Micro, Max and Plus generation.
Same family: the Bose SoundLink Max (larger model, rated 4.3/5), the Bose Soundlink Micro 2 (larger model, rated 3.6/5) and the Bose SoundLink Plus (larger model, rated 4.2/5).
Pros: A very portable 586g, IP67-rated speaker with a clear, well-balanced midrange that keeps voices and instruments intelligible. The second generation adds a Bose app with 3-band EQ, better-placed controls and stereo pairing with another Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen. It supports AAC and aptX Adaptive in addition to SBC, making it a stronger wireless option than most small rivals.
Cons: One Flex remains mono and cannot deliver genuine low-bass rumble; RTINGS also found the elevated treble can turn hi-hats and other high-frequency detail piercing. The claimed battery life is only 12 hours, and some owners report accelerated standby drain after firmware updates. It is expensive for its size, so the added app and codec support, not a transformational sound upgrade over the original, are the main reasons to choose it.
Full Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.5” x 2” (201 x 90 x 52 mm) |
| Drivers | 60mm full-range driver with passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (586 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Flex More from Oluv’Sone →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen & Soundcore Motion 300 sound test
- Oluv Patreon: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen - sound demo
- Alan Ross: Hall of Fame classic vs latest Bose tech! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Small speaker, mighty sound, The Flex gen 2 shatters physics!
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: DBSONO X-Blast F37 vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2 - They all want to be me 😊
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs BOSE SoundLink FLEX 2 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- CEONTHEMAKING: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd Gen VS Marshall Emberton III - What’s NEW?? More from CEONTHEMAKING →
- Tô Thái Trí Hùng: Unbox & Sound Test - Bose Soundlink Flex 2
- Musou1: JBL flip 7 vs KEF muo vs Bose flex 2
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Teufel Rockster XS
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Huawei Sound Joy
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Cleer Audio Scene
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- See all 146 comparisons
LG Xboom Go PL5: $179.00 Amazon $179.00 eBay
Same family: the LG Xboom Go PL7 (larger model, rated 2.4/5).
Pros: 18 hour battery life; IPX5 rated. LED lights sync to music via the LG XBOOM app; Wireless Party Link connects up to 100 speakers. USB-C charging. Measured bass extension of 71Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Barely any bass. 14kHz peak, bright on top. Soundboost mode makes the top end even harsher.
Full LG Xboom Go PL5 review and specifications →
| Released | Jan 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
| App | Yes (LG XBOOM App) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 71Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.1” x 3.1” (201 x 79 x 79 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.75-inch woofers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wireless Party Link, up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (640 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- LG Xboom Go PL5 vs LG Xboom XG5
- LG Xboom Go PL5 vs DOSS E-Go II
- LG Xboom Go PL5 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini
- LG Xboom Go PL5 vs Sony SRS-XE200
- LG Xboom Go PL5 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- LG Xboom Go PL5 vs B&O Beosound Explore
- LG Xboom Go PL5 vs Marshall Emberton
- LG Xboom Go PL5 vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- See all 38 comparisons