Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Sonos Era 300 ranks #6 of 10 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $499; the Sonos Play ranks #56 of 178 medium speakers by sound quality at $299.
Why pick the Sonos Era 300: A Wi-Fi smart speaker with real stereo and Dolby Atmos spatial audio, excellent Alexa voice pickup and Trueplay room tuning. It links with other speakers (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2), which the Sonos Play cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Sonos Play lacks. The tradeoff: RTINGS’ one listed con is some compression at max volume.
The Sonos Play is the battery-powered, tougher choice. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. Its battery is rated for 24 hours, while the Sonos Era 300 needs an outlet. It is rated IP67, while the Sonos Era 300 has no water resistance. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Sonos Era 300 lacks. The tradeoff: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app.
Buy the Sonos Era 300 at $499 if you want a powered desktop speaker. Buy the Sonos Play at $299 if you want a medium speaker instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A Wi-Fi smart speaker with real stereo and Dolby Atmos spatial audio, excellent Alexa voice pickup and Trueplay room tuning.
A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Sonos Era 300 | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499.00 each | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #6 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #56 of 178 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 9.9 lbs (4.47 kg) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) | Yes |
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) | Yes |
| Drivers | 4x tweeters (1 forward, 2 side, 1 upward-firing), 2x angled woofers | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| 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 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7.3” x 10.2” x 6.3” (185 x 260 x 160 mm) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Streaming Services | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2, Dolby Atmos Music | - |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
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