Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3, if you are buying new. The Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 ranks higher than it (#5 vs #114 of 175 medium speakers, 4.4/5 vs 2.9/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is still sold new at $134.99.
The Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 is the better-sounding, deeper-bass pick. A very neutral good sounding inexpensive small speaker with quite deep bass for the size. Its bass reaches about 56Hz before falling 10dB, against 91Hz for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. Watch for: Slight DSP tuning issue which makes bass get lighter at times at very low volumes, examples in oluv’s video.
Why pick the Ultimate Ears Boom 3: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. It links with other speakers (PartyUp up to 50 speakers), which the Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 cannot. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3, since the Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $60 Discontinued | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #5 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #114 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (9 band) | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 150ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (590 g) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8” x 2.8” x 2.7” (204 x 72 x 69 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 1.75” (44mm) x 2 active drivers and one passive radiator | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 20W (10W × 2) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | - | Yes (built-in loop) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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 Boost “upgraded” 2021: $60 Discontinued eBay
Older model: the Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 (ranked lower, rated 4.2/5). See every Soundcore Boost generation.
Pros: A very neutral good sounding inexpensive small speaker with quite deep bass for the size. This upgraded version has a usb-c port while the old one has micro usb. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Slight DSP tuning issue which makes bass get lighter at times at very low volumes, examples in oluv’s video. Discontinued and no longer sold new.
Full Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 20W (10W × 2) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 150ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8” x 2.8” x 2.7” (204 x 72 x 69 mm) |
| Drivers | 1.75” (44mm) x 2 active drivers and one passive radiator |
| EQ | Yes (9 band) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (590 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Soundcore Motion+
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- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs B&O Beosound A1
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Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon $134.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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