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Bose Portable Smart Speaker Review

Kenn Muguna Avatar
Updated Jan 25, 2024 6:26 PM

True Score

78
76
14

Experts

86
3,449

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker satisfied testers with its built-in support for voice assistants and its portability. They liked that it was easy to set up and had a good bass response when well positioned. However, its short battery life, low max volume, and lack of a stereo output were disappointing.

$399.00

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is an upmarket Bluetooth speaker that is available in two color trims and was first released in late 2019. Setting it up is pretty easy, and like most highly rated speakers, it has a companion app (Bose Music) that allows owners to adjust its bass or treble. The best Bluetooth speakers have excellent connectivity, and so does the Bose Portable Smart Speaker.

Its Bluetooth connection has a range of up to 334.6ft, and with built-in support for voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Alexa, owners can also issue voice commands through it. The speaker has good build quality, but most owners might opt to restrict it to their homes. A more compact and durable alternative for outdoor use is the Beosound Explore, which we’ve covered in our Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore review.

Consensus

our Verdict

Product testers felt good about the Bose Portable Smart Speaker thanks to its impressive voice assistant capabilities and portability. Reviewers from T3 liked its tower-shaped design and had an easy time setting it up.

Testers from Sound Guys adjusted its bass and treble through the Bose App, and during their tests, they confirmed that placing it in a corner results in a robust bass response. They also liked that it could be used as a speakerphone, while others felt it was just okay to watch movies and music since its vocals were clear and its soundstage was wide.

Still, its 5-hour battery life didn’t impress testers. Our Bose S1 Pro System review might interest users who would appreciate a longer battery life, but those who don’t mind a wired speaker ought to check out our Google Home Max review. Reviewers also didn’t like its low max volume and missing stereo output.

ReasonS to Buy

  • Great portability
  • Good bass response
  • Easy to set up
  • Great with voice assistants
  • Both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity

Reason to Avoid

  • Short battery life
  • Low max volume
  • No stereo output

Bose Portable Smart Speaker Specs

Battery Charge TimeBattery Charge Time4 hrs
Battery LifeBattery Life12 hrs
Built In MicrophoneBuilt In MicrophoneYes
Charge TimeCharge Time4 hrs
DepthDepth4.1"
HeightHeight7.5"
IPX RatingIPX RatingIPX4
Smart AppSmart AppApple AirPlay 2, Bose Connect, Spotify
Speaker PairingSpeaker PairingYes
Water ResistantWater ResistantYes
WattageWattage5W
WidthWidth4.69"
Wireless RangeWireless Range30 ft

All Specs

Test Results

Battery Life (Hours)7.8433
Volume Output (dB)95.5
Low End Roll Off (Hz)63.496
High End Roll Off (Hz)18,245.605

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Product Comparison

Bose Portable Smart Speaker Review

True Score

78
84
NR
86

Ranking

#

89

/

109

#

23

/

109

#

/

#

7

/

109

Market Context

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is an upmarket Bluetooth speaker that is available in two color trims and was first released in late 2019. Setting…

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is an upmarket Bluetooth speaker that is available in two color trims and was first released in late 2019. Setting it up is pretty easy, and like most highly rated speakers, it has a companion app (Bose Music) that allows owners to adjust its bass or treble. The best Bluetooth speakers have excellent connectivity, and so does the Bose Portable Smart Speaker.

Its Bluetooth connection has a range of up to 334.6ft, and with built-in support for voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Alexa, owners can also issue voice commands through it. The speaker has good build quality, but most owners might opt to restrict it to their homes. A more compact and durable alternative for outdoor use is the Beosound Explore, which we’ve covered in our Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore review.

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker has WiFi connectivity while the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II does not, but the Revolve+ II has speakerphone functionality while the…

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker has WiFi connectivity while the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II does not, but the Revolve+ II has speakerphone functionality while the Smart Speaker does not. The Smart Speaker also has a Bass and Treble EQ adjustment, while the Revolve+ II does not, but the latter has a longer 8.5-hour battery life than the Smart Speaker.

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is battery-powered while the Bose Home Speaker 500 is not, but the Speaker 500 can play stereo content while the…

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is battery-powered while the Bose Home Speaker 500 is not, but the Speaker 500 can play stereo content while the Smart Speaker cannot. The Smart Speaker is also lightweight and smaller than the Speaker 500. Check out our Bose Home Speaker 500 review for more insight on what else it has to offer.

Buyers choosing between the Bose Portable Smart Speaker and the Sonos Move must consider several differences before purchasing. For example, the Smart Speaker is both…

Buyers choosing between the Bose Portable Smart Speaker and the Sonos Move must consider several differences before purchasing. For example, the Smart Speaker is both smaller and lighter than the Sonos Move, but the Sonos has a longer 10.1-hour battery life compared to Bose’s 5.3-hour capacity. The Sonos speaker also has a stereo pairing mode, while the Bose speaker does not.

Battery Charge Time

4 hrs

3 hrs

Battery Life

12 hrs

17 hrs

11 hrs

Built In Microphone

Yes

Yes

Yes

Charge Time

4 hrs

4 hrs

2 hrs

Depth

4.1"

3.2"

6.24"

Height

7.5"

9.44"

IPX Rating

IPX4

IP55

IP56

Smart App

Apple AirPlay 2, Bose Connect, Spotify

Amazon Alexa app, Bose Connect, Google Assistant, Yes

Sonos app

Dig Deeper

Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II Review →

Sonos Move Review →

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  • $399.00

    Availability

    In Stock

    Free Shipping

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

76

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

86

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

78

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Scores

  • Rtings
    100.6

    Category Trust Rating

    75
    The Bose Portable Home Speaker is a personable, user-friendly, voice-activated smart speaker that’s easy to… Read More

    By:

    Olivia Tambini
  • Sound Guys
    81.17

    Category Trust Rating

    NR
    The Bose Portable Smart Speaker works well and has impressive bass for such a small… Read More

    By:

    Zak Khan
  • PC Mag
    43.6

    Category Trust Rating

    70
    There’s a lot to like about the Bose Portable Home Speaker; it’s super smart, and… Read More

    By:

    John Panoryios
  • Tom’s Guide
    65.58

    Category Trust Rating

    70
    The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is a crowd-pleaser – the sound is excellent, the design… Read More

    By:

    Mike Lowe
  • Techradar
    43

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    The Bose Portable Home Speaker is incredible for voice assistants. It has Alexa and Google… Read More

    By:

    Jonathan Takiff
  • Digital Trends
    53.1

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    There’s no getting around that the Bose Portable Home Speaker has a rather large asking… Read More

    By:

    Tim Gideon