Short answer: the older Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3. It ranks #108 of 175 medium speakers at $191.99, well ahead of the newer Megaboom 4 at #170 for $200, essentially the same price.
This is an unusual case where the newer model is the worse buy for sound. The Megaboom 3’s max volume is rated at 98dB against just 91dB for the Megaboom 4, and the 4’s own cons call out a lot of distortion at higher volumes, rolled-off treble, and being not very loud, closing with a blunt “they really screwed this up.” The Megaboom 3 has its own real flaws too: it is not stereo, has barely any bass, and its Micro USB port reflects genuinely dated hardware for a product released in 2018.
Where the Megaboom 4 does move forward is convenience, not sound. It finally switches to USB-C charging instead of Micro USB, adds an app with EQ control, and includes TWS pairing, none of which the Megaboom 3 offers. Both share the same PartyUp party mode for syncing up to 50 UE speakers and identical 20-hour battery life.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 for meaningfully louder, less distorted sound at essentially the same price, and accept the outdated Micro USB port as the tradeoff.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 only if USB-C charging and app-based EQ matter more to you than raw volume and distortion control.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $191.99 | $200 |
| Ranked | #108 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #170 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2 lbs (925 g) | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 3.4” x 8.9” x 3.4” (87 x 225 x 87 mm) | 3.4” x 3.4” x 8.9” (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | Yes (UE | BOOM app) | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (via app) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
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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
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: $191.99 Amazon $191.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life: about double most speakers this size. Measured bass extension of 70Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. 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 2018. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (UE | BOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4” x 8.9” x 3.4” (87 x 225 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2 lbs (925 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4: $200 Amazon $200 eBay
Older model: the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 (ranked higher, rated 3/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 (smaller model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 (smaller model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together.
Cons: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4” x 3.4” x 8.9” (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs Sony ULT Field 1 😧 $200 vs $128 Cylinder Bluetooth Speaker Matchup More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs W-King D320 🔋Does Paying More Get You Less? 😧
- Smart Home Sounds: UE Everboom Review PLUS All-New Wonderboom 4, Boom 4 & Megaboom 4 More from Smart Home Sounds →
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