107

Sonos Roam SL Review

Kenn Muguna Avatar
Updated Jan 25, 2024 6:28 PM

True Score

62
62
4

Experts

72
0

Consumers

Expert Rankings

Product specialists praised the Sonos Roam SL for its high build quality and easy-to-use companion app. They lauded its connectivity and were happy with its wide soundstage. Still, they were disappointed with its lack of speakerphone functionality and its missing voice assistant support.

Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The Sonos Roam SL is a top-end Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in early 2022. Available in either black or white, the speaker is designed for outdoor use since it is dust- and water-resistant. Weighing only 0.9 pounds, the speaker is also quite portable, and the manufacturer claims that its battery can keep the music playing for up to 10 hours. A day-long battery life is pretty standard for the best speakers in the market, and although the Roam SL doesn’t quite get to that, it is still great for listening to music while on the go. The speaker’s connectivity options are also quite good since it offers both Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. Its Bluetooth range of up to 334 ft compares well to that of the highest-rated Bluetooth speakers around, and with support for Apple AirPlay over WiFi, it remains a solid choice for Apple and iOS users.

Consensus

our Verdict

Expert testers hailed the Sonos Roam SL as a well-built outdoor speaker that features both water and dust resistance, as well as a companion app. Product analysts from PC Mag liked how simple the Sonos app was to use and also liked that it could be integrated with Pandora, Spotify, and Apple Music. They lauded its clear vocals, while testers from Rtings agreed that the speaker’s low latency over Bluetooth and WiFi connections was great for watching movies and listening to music. They also liked how light and portable it was, and during their tests, they were satisfied with its wide soundstage. The Sonos Playbar Soundbar also delivers a wide soundstage, but it is designed for indoor use. See our Sonos Playbar Soundbar review for more info.

However, testers were disappointed with the Sonos Roam SL, as it did not have speakerphone functionality or voice assistant support. These are features that the Sony SRS XB13 has, so if you cannot compromise on such features, check out our Sony SRS XB13 review.

ReasonS to Buy

  • Great build quality
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Good battery life
  • WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity
  • Wide soundstage

Reason to Avoid

  • No speakerphone functionality
  • No voice assistant support

Sonos Roam SL Specs

Battery LifeBattery Life10 hrs
Built In MicrophoneBuilt In MicrophoneYes
Charge TimeCharge Time2 hrs
SizeSize168 mm (w) x 62 mm (h) x 60 mm (d)
Smart AppSmart AppYes
Speaker PairingSpeaker PairingYes
Water ResistantWater ResistantYes
WattageWattage10W
Wireless RangeWireless Range40 m

All Specs

Test Results

Min Frequency Response (Hz)87.2
Max Frequency Response (Hz)18,500
Battery Life (Hours)4.9
Volume Output (dB)85.6

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Product Comparison

Sonos Roam SL Review

True Score

62
80
84
84

Ranking

#

107

/

260

#

52

/

260

#

11

/

260

#

5

/

260

Market Context

The Sonos Roam SL is a top-end Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in early 2022. Available in either black or white, the speaker is…

The Sonos Roam SL is a top-end Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in early 2022. Available in either black or white, the speaker is designed for outdoor use since it is dust- and water-resistant. Weighing only 0.9 pounds, the speaker is also quite portable, and the manufacturer claims that its battery can keep the music playing for up to 10 hours. A day-long battery life is pretty standard for the best speakers in the market, and although the Roam SL doesn’t quite get to that, it is still great for listening to music while on the go. The speaker’s connectivity options are also quite good since it offers both Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. Its Bluetooth range of up to 334 ft compares well to that of the highest-rated Bluetooth speakers around, and with support for Apple AirPlay over WiFi, it remains a solid choice for Apple and iOS users.

The Sonos Roam SL and the Sonos Roam are identical-looking speakers that buyers may have a hard time differentiating between. Still, the Roam SL has…

The Sonos Roam SL and the Sonos Roam are identical-looking speakers that buyers may have a hard time differentiating between. Still, the Roam SL has a microphone that is missing on the Roam and has built-in support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The Roam SL also gets slightly louder than the Roam. We’ve gone ahead and delved into it in our Sonos Roam review.

The Sonos Roam SL is a lot smaller and therefore lighter than the Sonos Move, but the Sonos Move has a microphone and also features…

The Sonos Roam SL is a lot smaller and therefore lighter than the Sonos Move, but the Sonos Move has a microphone and also features voice assistant support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The battery life on the Sonos Move is also longer, lasting up to 10.1 hours compared to 4.9 hours on the Sonos Roam SL.

The Sonos Roam SL is capable of WiFi connectivity while the JBL Charge 5 is not, but the JBL Charge 5 offers a longer-lasting battery…

The Sonos Roam SL is capable of WiFi connectivity while the JBL Charge 5 is not, but the JBL Charge 5 offers a longer-lasting battery life of up to 14.5 hours compared to the Sonos Roam SL, which lasts up to 4.9 hours. The Charge 5 also supports multi-device pairing, while the Sonos Roam SL does not.

Battery Life

10 hrs

10 hrs

11 hrs

20+ hrs

Built In Microphone

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Charge Time

2 hrs

2 hrs

2 hrs

4 hrs

Size

168 mm (w) x 62 mm (h) x 60 mm (d)

Smart App

Yes

Amazon Alexa app, Google Assistant, Sonos app

Sonos app

JBL Portable

Speaker Pairing

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Water Resistant

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Wattage

10W

10W

25W

30W

Dig Deeper

Sonos Roam Review →

Sonos Move Review →

JBL Charge 5 Review →

Score Card

E

Expert Score

62

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

72

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

62

Any product with a True Score above 60 is a Meh

Expert Scores

  • Rtings
    100.6

    Category Trust Rating

    67
    The Sonos Roam SL is alright for music. It has a neutral sound profile out… Read More

    By:

    Tim Gideon
  • PC Mag
    43.6

    Category Trust Rating

    70
    The portable Sonos Roam SL is the exact same speaker as the non-SL model for… Read More

    By:

    John Panoryios
  • Which?
    55.2

    Category Trust Rating

    NR
    he Sonos Roam SL marks Sonos’ first truly portable Bluetooth speaker range that you can… Read More

    By:

    Unknown
  • Consumer Reports
    15.6

    Category Trust Rating

    NR
    “No bottom line found for this product” Read More

    By:

    Unknown