Short answer: the Bose Soundlink Flex. It ranks #36 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $79.99. The Tronsmart T8 ranks #52, rated 3.6/5, at $49.99, $30 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The case for the Bose Soundlink Flex: IP67 rated; rugged enough to survive drops from several feet and floats. The catch: Not stereo.
The case for the Tronsmart T8: Two upward firing drivers, a woofer and two passive radiators spread sound evenly around the speaker, so placement matters less. The catch: Against the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor, listeners in Mateusz Cholewa’s comparison found the T8 harsh and tiring, and Techder Audios’ test showed the Xiaomi Sound Party with deeper, heavier bass.
Buy the Bose Soundlink Flex. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $30 with the Tronsmart T8 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Battery life favors the Tronsmart T8: rated for 18 hours against 12 hours for the Bose Soundlink Flex.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Flex | Tronsmart T8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $49.99 |
| Ranked | #36 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #52 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Tronsmart) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 18 hours at 50% volume, lights off (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | No | Yes (app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 33ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (589 g) | 1.8 lbs (0.80 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.5” x 2” (201 x 90 x 52 mm) | 8.6”H x 3.2”W x 3.2”D (218 x 82 x 82 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 60mm full-range driver + 2x passive radiators | 2x upward firing full-range drivers + 1x woofer + 2x passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | Yes (lanyard) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 40W |
| Charging Time | - | 4.5 hours |
| Frequency Response | - | 56Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Lights | - | Yes |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- 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 29, 2026 at 3:43 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: $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 Earfun Uboom Slim
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Cleer Audio Scene
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Soundcore Motion 100
- See all 118 comparisons
Tronsmart T8: $49.99 Best Buy Tronsmart eBay
Pros: Two upward firing drivers, a woofer and two passive radiators spread sound evenly around the speaker, so placement matters less. In AudioPro Reviews’ and Dresser’s comparisons most listeners preferred it to the JBL Flip 6, JBL Flip 7 and Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 for its fuller body and less fatiguing treble, and Audioreviews.org found it stayed clean at maximum volume. It is rated for 40W, with IPX7 waterproofing, an 18 hour battery rating, app EQ, lights, a volume wheel, aux input, TF card playback, a lanyard and stereo pairing.
Cons: Against the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor, listeners in Mateusz Cholewa’s comparison found the T8 harsh and tiring, and Techder Audios’ test showed the Xiaomi Sound Party with deeper, heavier bass. Josh’s Gadgets and More preferred the cheaper Vortex Blast for smoother highs and deeper bass. Bass is rated only down to 56Hz.
Full Tronsmart T8 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Tronsmart) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 18 hours at 50% volume, lights off (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Charging Time | 4.5 hours |
| Dimensions | 8.6”H x 3.2”W x 3.2”D (218 x 82 x 82 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x upward firing full-range drivers + 1x woofer + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (app) |
| Frequency Response | 56Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (0.80 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- AudioPro Reviews: Tronsmart T8 vs JBL Flip 6 | Which one sounds BETTER?
- Dresser: JBL Flip 7 vs Tronsmart T8 Bluetooth speaker sound test
- Dresser: Tronsmart T8 vs UE mega boom 3 sound test
- Mateusz Cholewa: Tronsmart T8 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor & Opinion in Subtitles More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Techder Audios: Xiaomi Sound Party 50w VS Tronsmart T8 More from techderaudios →
- Techder Audios: Xdobo X8 IV VS Tronsmart T8
- Josh’s Gadgets and More: Tronsmart T8 vs Vortex Blast
- Audioreviews.org: Tronsmart T8 Portable Bluetooth 5.3 Speaker Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons