Short answer: the Bose Soundlink Flex. It ranks #38 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 3.8/5) at $159 and is still sold new; the Bose SoundLink Color II ranks #125 (rated 2.7/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The Bose Soundlink Flex is the better-sounding, longer-running option. IP67 rated; rugged enough to survive drops from several feet and floats. It is rated for 12 hours of battery against 8 for the Bose SoundLink Color II. It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Bose SoundLink Color II. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. The catch: Warm sounding with overly boosted bass which drowns out midrange detail.
What the Bose SoundLink Color II does well: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Bose Soundlink Flex lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Bose Soundlink Flex. Watch for: Boosted bass on Color II.
Buy the Bose Soundlink Flex. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the Bose SoundLink Color II is discontinued.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Flex | Bose SoundLink Color II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.00 | $139.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #38 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #125 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Connect) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 33ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (589 g) | 1.3 lbs (600 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.5” x 2” (201 x 90 x 52 mm) | 5.2” x 5” x 2.2” (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 60mm full-range driver + 2x passive radiators | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | - |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Watch Them Compared
Videos and reviews that test both speakers side by side.
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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: $159.00 Amazon $159.00 eBay
Newer model: the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen, ranked higher, rated 3.8/5, released Sep 2024. It adds adjustable EQ, AAC and aptX Adaptive. See every Bose SoundLink Flex, Micro, Max and Plus generation.
Pros: IP67 rated; rugged enough to survive drops from several feet and floats. Around 12 hours of battery at moderate volume. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sounding with overly boosted bass which drowns out midrange detail
Full Bose Soundlink Flex review and specifications →
| Released | Oct 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 33ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.5” x 2” (201 x 90 x 52 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 60mm full-range driver + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| 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 (589 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Oluv Patreon: Soundcore Motion 300 = Bose Soundlink Flex = Earfun UBoom L?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex or Beosound A1 (1st gen) - ultimate compact speaker 😇 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex vs Minirig MK3 and Marshall Emberton - best bluetooth speaker?
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Small speaker, mighty sound, The Flex gen 2 shatters physics!
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- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Flow vs Soundcore Motion 300 (LDAC) 😵 Budget Bose Soundlink Flex "Inspired" Speakers More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Danny Pops: BEST Bose Speaker?? Bose Soundlink Flex vs micro, Color II, and revolve + More from DannyPops →
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- Patricio Benadon: Bose SoundLink Flex vs. Mini 2 SE. Music audio quality sound test. Listen 4 different genres!
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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
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