Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3, if you are buying new. The Bose Soundlink Mini ranks higher than it (#74 vs #110 of 175 medium speakers, 3.4/5 vs 2.9/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is still sold new at $79.99.
The Bose Soundlink Mini is the better-sounding, deeper-bass option. Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. Its bass reaches about 58Hz before falling 10dB, against 76Hz for the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3. The catch: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers.
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is the longer-running, lighter option. IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. It is rated for 14 hours of battery against 7 for the Bose Soundlink Mini. At 0.9 lbs (420 g) it weighs much less than the Bose Soundlink Mini at 1.5 lbs (680 g). It is rated IP67, while the Bose Soundlink Mini has no water resistance. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3, since the Bose Soundlink Mini is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Mini | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $125.00 Discontinued | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #74 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #110 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 7 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (680 g) | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2” x 2.3” (180 x 51 x 58 mm) | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary connector | Micro USB |
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) | No |
| Drivers | 50mm full-range driver with passive radiators | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Strap | No | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 166ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 87dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
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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 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
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3: $79.99 Amazon $79.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5, released Jun 2024.
Older models: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. 14 hour battery: longer than the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2. Measured bass extension of 76Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. Boosted 93Hz upper bass. Cuts bass heavily at high volume. 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 2022. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 166ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: The biggest upgrade since time began! 💪 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow has deeper bass than the Bose Flex but………..
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: JBL Flip 6 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (Indoor Mode)⚔️ Battle of the Handheld Bluetooth Speakers. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Danny Pops: Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker? Wonderboom 3 VS Sony XB-13 More from DannyPops →
- YouTube Review
- YouTube: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Anker Soundcore Mini 2 Sound Comparison
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
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