Short answer: the Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini. It ranks #37 of 47 small speakers by sound quality at $21.99; the Sony SRS-XB12 ranks #39 and costs $79, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini side: IP67 waterproof, TWS stereo pairing, 10-hour battery life, Bluetooth 5.0, compact 185g design, bass boost equalizer, dual drivers with passive radiator, built-in microphone, USB-C charging, affordable price. Set against that: Not much bass, treble rolled off.
What the Sony SRS-XB12 offers: Aux in. 16 hour battery life. IP67 rated, palm-sized with a detachable strap for hanging on a bag or belt. The tradeoff: Muddy, not much bass, peaky treble.
Buy the Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB12 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 47 small speakers instead.
If battery life is a priority, the Sony SRS-XB12 is rated for 16 hours versus 10 hours for the Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini.
Specifications Side By Side
| Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini | Sony SRS-XB12 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $21.99 | $79 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #37 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #39 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | No |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Battery Capacity | 2000mAh | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| EQ | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs / 185 g | 0.5 lbs / 243 g |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Output Power | Not published | 7W |
| Drivers | 2x drivers (rare-earth magnet, long-fibre diaphragm) + passive radiator | 46mm |
| Frequency Response | 200Hz - 15kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 3.4" x 1.8" (86 x 86 x 45 mm) | 2.9" x 3.6"H (74 x 92 mm) (diameter) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 97Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 240ms |
| Max Volume | - | 93dB |
| Charging Time | - | 4.5 hours |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Clip vs JBL Clip 3
- Hopestar H54 vs JBL Go 3
- Hopestar H54 vs JBL Go 5
- Sony SRS-XB12 vs Xiaomi Sound Pocket
- Tribit PocketGo vs Sony SRS-XB12
The Two Speakers In Full
Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini: $21.99
Pros: IP67 waterproof, TWS stereo pairing, 10-hour battery life, Bluetooth 5.0, compact 185g design, bass boost equalizer, dual drivers with passive radiator, built-in microphone, USB-C charging, affordable price
Cons: Not much bass, treble rolled off
Full Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Capacity | 2000mAh |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 3.4" x 1.8" (86 x 86 x 45 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x drivers (rare-earth magnet, long-fibre diaphragm) + passive radiator |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 200Hz - 15kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | Not published |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs / 185 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini vs JBL Clip 3
- Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini vs JBL Clip
- Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini vs Sony SRS-XB13
- Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini vs Sony SRS-XB100
- Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini vs Boat Stone 190/193
- Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini vs Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2
- Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini vs Monster Bluetooth Speaker
- Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini vs Harman Kardon Neo
- See all 23 comparisons
Sony SRS-XB12: $79 Discontinued
Pros: Aux in. 16 hour battery life. IP67 rated, palm-sized with a detachable strap for hanging on a bag or belt.
Cons: Muddy, not much bass, peaky treble. Discontinued.
Full Sony SRS-XB12 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 97Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 240ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 4.5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.9" x 3.6"H (74 x 92 mm) (diameter) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 46mm |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 93dB |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 7W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs / 243 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony SRS-XB12 vs Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2
- Sony SRS-XB12 vs JBL Clip 3
- Sony SRS-XB12 vs Harman Kardon Neo
- Sony SRS-XB12 vs JBL Clip
- Sony SRS-XB12 vs Lenovo 700 Ultraportable Bluetooth Speaker
- Sony SRS-XB12 vs Sony SRS-XB13
- Sony SRS-XB12 vs Sony SRS-XB100
- Sony SRS-XB12 vs Xiaomi Sound Pocket
- See all 14 comparisons