Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #27 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $110; the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 ranks #55 and costs $184, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Soundcore Boom 3i offers: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the Charge 5. Watch for: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App
What the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 offers: Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. ~10 hour battery life; can pair to two devices at once and remembers up to 8. Watch for: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers. Upper treble rolled off. Bass is 2db less boosted than the Mini. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others. Failures of the mainboard are common.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Battery life favors the Soundcore Boom 3i: rated for 16 hours against 10 hours for the Bose Soundlink Mini 2.
If water resistance matters to you, the Soundcore Boom 3i at IP68 (extended submersion) holds up far better than the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | Bose Soundlink Mini 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $184.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #27 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #55 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Connect) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | IP68 | None |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Proprietary connector |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 7.1" x 2" x 2.3" (180 x 51 x 58 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 2x 33mm fullrange |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g | 1.5 lbs / 680 g |
| Output Power | 50W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- JBL Charge 5 vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Charge 5 vs Marshall Emberton II
- JBL Charge 5 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Sony XB33
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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
Soundcore Boom 3i: $110 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the Charge 5.
Cons: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App
Full Soundcore Boom 3i review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
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- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
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Bose Soundlink Mini 2: $184.00 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. ~10 hour battery life; can pair to two devices at once and remembers up to 8.
Cons: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers. Upper treble rolled off. Bass is 2db less boosted than the Mini. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others. Failures of the mainboard are common. Discontinued.
Full Bose Soundlink Mini 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2" x 2.3" (180 x 51 x 58 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 33mm fullrange |
| IP Rating | None |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary connector |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 680 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross: Hall of Fame classic vs latest Bose tech! More from alanrossreviews →
- Patricio Benadon: Bose SoundLink Flex vs. Mini 2 SE. Music audio quality sound test. Listen 4 different genres!
- techkiste.net: Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs the world ;) (Denon Envaya DSB250, Vifa Reykjavik, iRoar Go)
- Reddit Search for Bose Soundlink Mini 2 Review
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