Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3, if you are buying new. The Bose Soundlink Mini 2 ranks higher than it (#72 vs #114 of 175 medium speakers, 3.4/5 vs 2.9/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is still sold new at $134.99.
The Bose Soundlink Mini 2 is the better-sounding, deeper-bass option. Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. ~10 hour battery life; can pair to two devices at once and remembers up to 8. Its bass reaches about 58Hz before falling 10dB, against 91Hz for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 lacks. The tradeoff: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers.
The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is the longer-running, tougher pick. Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. It is rated for 15 hours of battery against 10 for the Bose Soundlink Mini 2. It is rated IP67, while the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 has no water resistance. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 lacks. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 if you want one new; the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 is discontinued, so only look for it used.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Mini 2 | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $184.00 Discontinued | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #72 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #114 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (680 g) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 2x 33mm fullrange | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2” x 2.3” (180 x 51 x 58 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Power Input | Micro-USB or charging cradle | Micro USB |
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Strap | No | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Bose Soundlink Mini 2:
- EarFun Uboom L vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
- Minirig 4 vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Bose Soundlink Mini 2: $184.00 Discontinued Amazon $184.00 eBay
Older model: the Bose Soundlink Mini (ranked lower, rated 3.4/5). See every Bose SoundLink Mini generation.
Pros: Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. ~10 hour battery life; can pair to two devices at once and remembers up to 8. Measured bass extension of ~58Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers. Upper treble rolled off. Bass is 2db less boosted than the Bose Soundlink Mini. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others. Failures of the mainboard are common. Discontinued.
Full Bose Soundlink Mini 2 review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2015 (11 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2” x 2.3” (180 x 51 x 58 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 33mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | Micro-USB or charging cradle |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (680 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Bose Soundlink Mini
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Soundcore 3
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Sony XB33
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Turtlebox Ranger
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Bose Portable Smart Speaker
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Beats Pill 2024
- See all 96 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon $134.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Klipsch Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- See all 99 comparisons