Short answer: the Soundcore Motion 300, and save money too. It ranks #35 of 142 medium portable speakers at $159, while the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd Gen ranks #2 at $79.99. Being the pricier, more established name did not help the Bose here.
The Motion 300’s rank comes with a real asterisk: its factory tuning is not what earns it that spot. Left flat, its own notes say it is very rolled off in the treble and would rank closer to the middle of the pack. Its high placement depends on running a published EQ preset from reviewer Oluv, or at minimum pushing the top two treble bands to max, using its 9-band EQ with adjustable frequency. Once tuned, it delivers pretty deep bass for its size. The Bose Flex 2nd Gen needs no such intervention. Its own notes describe it as sounding nearly identical to the original Flex, warm with boosted bass, though that bass is also called out for drowning out midrange detail.
Stereo and orientation flexibility favor the Soundcore. The Motion 300 supports true stereo pairing and can also be used lying flat as an omnidirectional speaker, with separate custom EQ presets for standing, lying flat, or hanging orientations. The Bose Flex 2nd Gen is not stereo at all. Soundcore also adds LDAC codec support and a 9-band EQ against Bose’s 3-band EQ and aptX Adaptive support.
The Bose has an odd standby quirk worth knowing about: its notes report the battery self-drains about 10% a week even when not in use, something not mentioned for the Motion 300.
Buy the Soundcore Motion 300 if you are willing to spend five minutes applying an EQ preset for the best sound, in exchange for a lower price and a higher rank.
Buy the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd Gen if you want a speaker that sounds the way it will out of the box without any EQ tuning, and don’t need stereo pairing.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen | Soundcore Motion 300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.00 | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #35 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #2 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (9 band with adjustable frequency) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (586 g) | 1.7 lbs (772 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7.9" x 3.5" x 2" (201 x 90 x 52 mm) | 7.9" x 3.6" x 2" (200 x 92 x 50 mm) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Drivers | 60mm full-range driver with passive radiators | 2x 50.8mm (2") full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive | AAC, LDAC, SBC |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 50Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 216ms ldac, 200ms aac, 116ms sbc |
| Maximum SPL | - | 101dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 65Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 30W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Soundcore Motion 300 compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Denon Envaya DSB-250BT
- Minirig 4 vs Soundcore Motion 300
Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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.
The Two Speakers In Full
Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen: $159.00 Amazon eBay
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 →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| 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 →
- Oluv Patreon: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen - sound demo
- Tô Thái Trí Hùng: Unbox & Sound Test - Bose Soundlink Flex 2
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen & Soundcore Motion 300 sound test
- Alan Ross: Hall of Fame classic vs latest Bose tech! More from alanrossreviews →
- CEONTHEMAKING: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd Gen VS Marshall Emberton III - What’s NEW?? More from CEONTHEMAKING →
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Small speaker, mighty sound, The Flex gen 2 shatters physics!
- 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 Soundcore Boom 3i
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Motion 100
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge 5
- See all 94 comparisons
Soundcore Motion 300: $79.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Pretty deep bass for the small size. Pocket size in a big pocket. Can be used in stereo facing you, or omnidirectional lying down. Ability to have a custom EQ for each orientation, standing, lying flat, hanging. Try the Uboom L EQs from Oluv for a more neutral sound. Measured bass extension of 50Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Without the above EQ or turning the top 2 treble EQ bars to max, this speaker is very rolled off in the treble and will rank around #50 in the rankings. Bassup mode is worse than Signature. Not quite as detailed or neutral as higher ranked speakers. Slight bass distortion when turned up.
Full Soundcore Motion 300 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 30W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, LDAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 216ms ldac, 200ms aac, 116ms sbc |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.9" x 3.6" x 2" (200 x 92 x 50 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50.8mm (2") full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (9 band with adjustable frequency) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 101dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (772 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen & Soundcore Motion 300 sound test More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Travel Speakers! Soundcore Motion 300 or Bose Flex or Tribit Stormbow Flow More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion 300 or JBL Flip 6 or Soundcore Boost v2? we all have issues!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: On A Ledge 🪟 Soundcore Motion 300 vs Tozo PA1 ⚒ Battle of the Budget Handheld Bluetooth Speakers More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Flow vs Soundcore Motion 300 (LDAC) 😵 Budget Bose Soundlink Flex "Inspired" Speakers
- Oluv Patreon: Soundcore Motion 300 = Bose Soundlink Flex = Earfun UBoom L?
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Motion 300 vs VIFA Helsinki
- Oluv Patreon: (Anker) Soundcore Motion 300 - first impressions
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- Storytripper HD: Klipsch Nashville vs Harman Kardon Luna vs Soundcore Motion 300 More from storytripperhd →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Earfun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Denon Envaya DSB-250BT
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Minirig 4
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs B&O Beosound A1
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Charge 6
- See all 102 comparisons