Short answer: the Soundcore Glow. It ranks #43 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $80; the Bose Soundlink Mini ranks #56 and costs $125, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Soundcore Glow offers: Nice light show. Treble boosted 7db. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Watch for: Bass falls off quickly at louder volumes, leaving mostly treble; distortion on bass-heavy tracks at full volume. Light effects and bass-boost noticeably shorten battery life. USB-C port doesn’t support power-bank charging.
What the Bose Soundlink Mini offers: Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. Comes with a charging cradle. Watch for: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers. Upper treble rolled off. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others. Failures of the mainboard are common.
Buy the Soundcore Glow. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose Soundlink Mini and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Soundcore Glow is rated for 18 hours, the Bose Soundlink Mini only 10 hours.
If water resistance matters to you, the Soundcore Glow at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Bose Soundlink Mini at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Glow | Bose Soundlink Mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 | $125.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #43 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #56 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz | ~58Hz |
| Max Volume | 100dB | - |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Connect) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Dimensions | 11.4" x 4.7" x 4.3" (290 x 120 x 110 mm) | 7.1" x 2" x 2.3" (180 x 51 x 58 mm) |
| Drivers | 63.5mm full-range driver + 2x passive radiators | 50mm full-range driver with passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Proprietary connector |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 800 g | 1.5 lbs / 680 g |
| Output Power | 30W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Charge 5 vs W-King D320
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Zealot S61
- W-King D320 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs JBL Charge 3
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Soundcore Glow: $80 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Nice light show. Treble boosted 7db. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Cons: Bass falls off quickly at louder volumes, leaving mostly treble; distortion on bass-heavy tracks at full volume. Light effects and bass-boost noticeably shorten battery life. USB-C port doesn’t support power-bank charging.
Full Soundcore Glow review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.4" x 4.7" x 4.3" (290 x 120 x 110 mm) |
| Drivers | 63.5mm full-range driver + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 100dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Output Power | 30W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 800 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Glow vs JBL Pulse 5
- Soundcore Glow vs W-King D320
- Soundcore Glow vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- Soundcore Glow vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- Soundcore Glow vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- Soundcore Glow vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+
- Soundcore Glow vs Soundcore Motion 100
- Soundcore Glow vs Bose Soundlink Revolve
- See all 70 comparisons
Bose Soundlink Mini: $125.00 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. Comes with a charging cradle.
Cons: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers. Upper treble rolled off. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others. Failures of the mainboard are common. Discontinued.
Full Bose Soundlink Mini review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| 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 | 50mm full-range driver with passive radiators |
| IP Rating | None |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary connector |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 680 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Sony XB33
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Turtlebox Ranger
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Beats Pill 2024
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs JBL Charge 4
- See all 75 comparisons