Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Sonos Era 100 ranks #16 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $217.99; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #75 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality at $399.
What the Sonos Era 100 does well: A compact Wi-Fi smart speaker with stereo from two angled tweeters, Trueplay room tuning, Alexa and Sonos multiroom. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. The catch: RTINGS’ own two listed cons are not loud enough for larger rooms and very little low-bass thump, so genres like EDM and hip-hop lack rumble even with the tone adjustments.
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is the battery-powered, tougher pick. A smart speaker with Alexa and Google Assistant built in that streams over Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth on the go. Its battery is rated for 12 hours, while the Sonos Era 100 needs an outlet. It is rated IPX4, while the Sonos Era 100 has no water resistance. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Sonos Era 100 lacks. 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 Sonos Era 100 at $217.99 for a powered desktop speaker, or the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at $399 for a medium speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 AM 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Sonos Era 100 | Bose Portable Smart Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $217.99 each | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #16 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #75 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IPX4 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) | Yes |
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) | No |
| Drivers | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) | - |
| XLR Input | No | - |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | No | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.7” x 5.1” (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| Omnidirectional | - | Pointing up |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
| Strap | - | No |
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