Short answer: the JBL Flip 7. It ranks #14 of 145 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $149.95; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #65, rated 3.4/5, and costs $399, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
Why pick the JBL Flip 7: A very neutral speaker, very small, almost pocket size. Watch for: A little bit of a bump at 4kHz, not quite as neutral as the Flip 6.
The case for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker: Both Alexa and Google Assistant are built in, and RTINGS rates its microphones as excellent at hearing commands from far away or in a noisy room. The catch: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it.
Buy the JBL Flip 7. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Flip 7 at IP68 (extended submersion) holds up far better than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at IPX4 (splashing).
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 7 | Bose Portable Smart Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.95 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #14 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #65 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX4 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | No | - |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (560 g) | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Drivers | 45x80mm racetrack driver + 16mm tweeter | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 35W total (25W main + 10W tweeter) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.7” x 2.8” (182.5 x 69.5 x 71.5 mm) | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V 7.5W-15W) | USB-C |
| Strap | Yes (detachable PushLock accessory) | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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
JBL Flip 7: $149.95 Amazon eBay
Older models: the JBL Flip 6 (ranked higher, rated 4.2/5), the JBL Flip 5 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5) and the JBL Flip 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5).
Pros: A very neutral speaker, very small, almost pocket size. Just slightly more treble than the Flip 6 which was already a great speaker. Slightly deeper bass than the Flip 6. IP68 protection, a 7-band app EQ, Auracast and a USB-C digital audio input. Measured bass extension of 59Hz (-10dB).
Cons: A little bit of a bump at 4kHz, not quite as neutral as the Flip 6. On balance it is the slightly worse of the two.
Full JBL Flip 7 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 35W total (25W main + 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.7” x 2.8” (182.5 x 69.5 x 71.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 45x80mm racetrack driver + 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V 7.5W-15W) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable PushLock accessory) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (560 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 4 vs Flip 7 vs Charge 6 – The ULTIMATE JBL Speaker Showdown! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 7 is screech-fest heaven! vs Flip 6!
- Chrispy Things [EDC]: JBL Flip 7: My thoughts & sound test VS the Flip 6!
- GYMCADDY: JBL Flip 7 Review - Is It Worth Upgrading Over The JBL Flip 6 Or Flip 5? More from GYMCADDY →
- Musou1: JBL flip 7 vs KEF muo vs Bose flex 2
- FishBee Product Reviews: LG XBOOM Grab (2025) by Will.i.am - BETTER Than JBL Flip 7?? More from FishBee Product Reviews →
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Bose Portable Smart Speaker: $399.00 Bose eBay
Pros: Both Alexa and Google Assistant are built in, and RTINGS rates its microphones as excellent at hearing commands from far away or in a noisy room. It works as a Wi-Fi speaker at home (AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect) and as a Bluetooth speaker away from Wi-Fi, weighs about 1 kg with a carry handle, and is IPX4 splash resistant. SoundGuys measured 13 hours 6 minutes of playback at 75 dB, beating Bose’s 12 hour claim, and found the bass impressive for its size, especially near a wall or corner. Its 360 degree design spreads sound evenly around a room.
Cons: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it. Pushed to full volume, Tom’s Guide heard unbalanced sound and Pocket-lint found the bass struggling and turning incoherent. RTINGS measured only about 5 hours of battery in its own test. It is mono, has no aux input (the USB-C port only charges), uses Bluetooth 4.2, and the Bose Music app supports a limited list of streaming services. IPX4 covers splashes only, not submersion or dust.
Full Bose Portable Smart Speaker review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Music) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
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