Short answer: the Marshall Emberton III, if you are buying new. The Xiaomi Mi Portable ranks higher than it (#75 vs #122 of 164 medium speakers, 3.4/5 vs 2.7/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Marshall Emberton III is still sold new at $129.99.
The Xiaomi Mi Portable is the better-sounding, lighter choice. Good battery life for a 16W speaker: around 12 hours at moderate volume. At 0.8 lbs (373 g) it weighs much less than the Marshall Emberton III at 1.5 lbs (673 g). It keeps a wired aux input, which the Marshall Emberton III lacks. The tradeoff: A bit of a sharp treble.
The Marshall Emberton III is the longer-running option. 30 hour battery life: among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. It is rated for 32 hours of battery against 13 for the Xiaomi Mi Portable. Watch for: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors.
Buy the Marshall Emberton III, since the Xiaomi Mi Portable is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Xiaomi Mi Portable | Marshall Emberton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $55 Discontinued | $129.99 |
| Ranked | #75 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #122 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (373 g) | 1.5 lbs (673 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 8.4” x 2.9” x 2.9” (213 x 74 x 74 mm) | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 16W | 20W |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/1A) | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Drivers | 2x 57mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| App | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 62Hz |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Xiaomi Mi Portable compares with other leading options:
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
- Minirig 4 vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
- B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
- JBL Charge 6 vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
- JBL Flip 6 vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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
Xiaomi Mi Portable: $55 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Good battery life for a 16W speaker: around 12 hours at moderate volume. USB-C charging, stereo pairing support.
Cons: A bit of a sharp treble. Discontinued.
Full Xiaomi Mi Portable review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Battery Life | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4” x 2.9” x 2.9” (213 x 74 x 74 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 57mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/1A) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (373 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Sony XB33
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Bose Soundlink Mini
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs JBL Flip 5
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs JBL Flip Essential 2
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Soundcore 3
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs JBL Flip 4
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Marshall Emberton III: $129.99 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Marshall Emberton II (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5).
Smaller model: the Marshall Willen II (rated 4/5).
Larger model: the Marshall Middleton (rated 4/5).
Pros: 30 hour battery life: among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. IP67 rated, durable rubbery build using 50% recycled plastic. Measured bass extension of 62Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Not very loud. Not really any different from the Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit.
Full Marshall Emberton III review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (673 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Emberton III vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Marshall Emberton II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Marshall Emberton III vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Marshall Emberton III vs Tribit Stormbox
- Marshall Emberton III vs Soundcore Flare 2
- See all 140 comparisons