Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, if you are buying new. The Bose Soundlink Mini ranks higher than it (#74 vs #113 of 175 medium speakers, 3.4/5 vs 2.9/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 is still sold new at $129.99.
The Bose Soundlink Mini is the better-sounding pick. Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 lacks. The tradeoff: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers.
The Ultimate Ears Boom 4 is the longer-running, tougher choice. IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. It is rated for 15 hours of battery against 7 for the Bose Soundlink Mini. It is rated IP67, while the Bose Soundlink Mini has no water resistance. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Bose Soundlink Mini lacks. The catch: Not much improvement over the old ones.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 if you want one new; the Bose Soundlink Mini is discontinued, so only look for it used.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Mini | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $125.00 Discontinued | $129.99 |
| Ranked | #74 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #113 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 7 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (680 g) | 1.4 lbs (620 g) |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2” x 2.3” (180 x 51 x 58 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” x 2.9” (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary connector | USB-C |
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) | Yes |
| Drivers | 50mm full-range driver with passive radiators | 2x 1.57” (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81” x 2.57” (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Strap | No | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.1 |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 85dBC (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Bose Soundlink Mini compares with other leading options:
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- Soundcore Motion+ vs Bose Soundlink Mini
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Bose Soundlink Mini
- Minirig 4 vs Bose Soundlink Mini
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 Mini: $125.00 Discontinued Amazon $125.00 eBay
Newer model: the Bose Soundlink Mini 2, ranked higher, rated 3.4/5, released Jul 2015 (also discontinued). It adds stereo pairing. Battery life goes from 7 to 10 hours. See every Bose SoundLink Mini generation.
Pros: Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. Comes with a charging cradle. Measured bass extension of ~58Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers. Upper treble rolled off. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others. Failures of the mainboard are common. Discontinued.
Full Bose Soundlink Mini review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2013 (13 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 7 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2” x 2.3” (180 x 51 x 58 mm) |
| Drivers | 50mm full-range driver with passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary connector |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (680 g) |
- Links
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Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $129.99 Amazon $129.99 eBay
Older model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 (smaller model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app.
Cons: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 4 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” x 2.9” (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57” (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81” x 2.57” (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 85dBC (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (620 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
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