Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #31 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $118.99; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #75, rated 3.4/5, and costs $399, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The Soundcore Boom 3i is the better-sounding, longer-running option. A warm, punchy waterproof speaker that sounds great and is a strong value. It is rated for 16 hours of battery against 12 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. At 1.7 lbs (783 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg). It is rated IP68 against IPX4 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. The tradeoff: Not quite as good as a JBL Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close.
The case for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker: A smart speaker with Alexa and Google Assistant built in that streams over Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth on the go. It links with other speakers (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2), which the Soundcore Boom 3i cannot. 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 Soundcore Boom 3i. 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.
Want more options? Browse the full 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
| Soundcore Boom 3i | Bose Portable Smart Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $118.99 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #31 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #75 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX4 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (783 g) | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
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