Short answer: the Bose Soundlink Flex. It ranks #36 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $79.99; the LG Xboom Go PL5 ranks #125, rated 2.4/5, and costs $179, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
Why pick the Bose Soundlink Flex: IP67 rated; rugged enough to survive drops from several feet and floats. The tradeoff: Not stereo.
What the LG Xboom Go PL5 does well: 18 hour battery life; IPX5 rated. Watch for: Barely any bass.
Buy the Bose Soundlink Flex. It is rated higher for sound quality than the LG Xboom Go PL5 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Flex | LG Xboom Go PL5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $179.00 |
| Ranked | #36 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #125 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (LG XBOOM App) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | 71Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX5 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 33ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| 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 (589 g) | 1.4 lbs (640 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | - |
| 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) |
| Drivers | 1x 60mm full-range driver + 2x passive radiators | 2x 1.75-inch woofers + 2x passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | - |
| Amplifier Power | - | 20W |
| Lights | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Bose Soundlink Flex:
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Earfun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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: $79.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen, ranked higher, rated 3.8/5.
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 →
| 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
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Flex More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex Review! vs JBL Flip 6 and JBL Charge 5. Travel heaven?? 🤞 More from alanrossreviews →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Flex
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beats Pill vs Harman Luna vs Bose Flex vs Soundcore Motion Plus
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex vs Soundcore Boost vs Bogasing M4 - cheap or Bose?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow has deeper bass than the Bose Flex but………..
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Flow vs Soundcore Motion 300 (LDAC) 😵 Budget Bose Soundlink Flex "Inspired" Speakers More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Oluv Patreon: Soundcore Motion 300 = Bose Soundlink Flex = Earfun UBoom L?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex or JBL Flip 6 (eq adjusted) or Denon Envaya - best speaker for travel!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex or Beosound A1 (1st gen) - ultimate compact speaker 😇
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex or JBL Flip 6 (eq adjusted) or Denon Envaya - best speaker for travel!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Flow vs Soundcore Motion 300 (LDAC) 😵 Budget Bose Soundlink Flex "Inspired" Speakers
- Patricio Benadon: Bose SoundLink Flex vs. Mini 2 SE. Music audio quality sound test. Listen 4 different genres!
- Patricio Benadon: Bose SoundLink Flex vs. Mini 2 SE. Music audio quality sound test. Listen 4 different genres!
- Danny Pops: BEST Bose Speaker?? Bose Soundlink Flex vs micro, Color II, and revolve + More from DannyPops →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex vs Minirig MK3 and Marshall Emberton - best bluetooth speaker?
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Small speaker, mighty sound, The Flex gen 2 shatters physics!
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Huawei Sound Joy
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Teufel Rockster XS
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Earfun Uboom Slim
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Cleer Audio Scene
- See all 137 comparisons
LG Xboom Go PL5: $179.00 Amazon eBay
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 →
| 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 |
| 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 Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- LG Xboom Go PL5 vs Marshall Emberton II
- See all 37 comparisons