Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #31 of 177 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $118.99; the Sonos Play ranks #56, rated 3.5/5, and costs $299, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The Soundcore Boom 3i is the better-sounding, lighter choice. A warm, punchy waterproof speaker that sounds great and is a strong value. At 1.7 lbs (783 g) it weighs much less than the Sonos Play at 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg). It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Sonos Play lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Sonos Play lacks. The catch: 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 Sonos Play is the longer-running pick. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 16 for the Soundcore Boom 3i. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Soundcore Boom 3i lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Soundcore Boom 3i. 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 Soundcore Boom 3i. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sonos Play and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
A warm, punchy waterproof speaker that sounds great and is a strong value.
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 October 31, 2026 at 7:11 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
| Soundcore Boom 3i | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $118.99 | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #31 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #56 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (783 g) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | - |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
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