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Expert Score (From 3 Experts)77/100
Customer Score (From 4341 Reviews)4.1/5
The Sonos Roam is a mid-tier Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in early 2021. The lightweight speaker allows for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and since it weighs only 0.9 pounds and is dust and water-resistant, it is one of the top speakers to get for outdoor use.
The Sonos Roam comes with support for both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built-in, and through its Sonos S2 app, owners will also be able to make bass and treble adjustments. The wireless speaker’s 334 ft Bluetooth range is also great, and its AirPlay latency of -2ms is low enough for watching videos and movies without lag. You also have the option to purchase a wireless charging dock for the Roam if you prefer that charging method. In addition to voice assistant control, there are physical buttons on the top. There is a Play/Pause button, track control buttons that double as volume control, and a mute button for the microphone. Check out the sound quality on this Bose Smart Soundbar 300 for another smart speaker.
The best Bluetooth speakers support both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and so does the Sonos Roam. This dual connectivity is something that the portable speaker also has in common with the Sonos Roam SL, which we’ve covered in our Sonos Roam SL review.
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Not
Compared to the same brand’s similar models: Buyers might be attracted to the Sonos Roam since it is smaller than the Sonos Move and, therefore, has a more portable design, but the Sonos Move delivers a more profound bass response and gets slightly louder. The Sonos Move also has a longer-lasting 10.1-hour battery compared to the 5.1-hour battery life of the Sonos Roam, but the Roam has a much lower AirPlay latency. Although, compare it to other speakers, like the OontZ Angle 3 ULTRA, before making a buying decision.
Compared to other brand’s similar models: The Sonos Roam offers Bluetooth connectivity while the Bose SoundLink Revolve II does not; however, the Revolve II has speakerphone functionality while the Sonos Roam does not. The Sonos Roam is lighter than the Revolve II and allows for both bass and treble adjustments, while the Revolve II does not. Still, the Revolve II has a longer 9.5-hour battery life compared to the Sonos Roam, which lasts up to 5.1 hours.
The Sonos Roam is smaller, more lightweight, and more portable design than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker, and its AirPlay latency is much lower than that of the Bose Speaker. However, the Bose Speaker has a lower bass response.
The Sonos Roam was hailed by expert testers for its lightweight design, portability, and dust and water resistance, making it ideal for outdoor use. Product analysts from Sound Guys were delighted that the Sonos Roam could last for 10 hours when listening to music or streaming movie content at moderate volume levels, but if this isn’t enough, check out our Pohoba EF B210G review for an even longer playback time. Specialists from Rtings lauded the speaker’s build quality, and after their tests, they were happy to observe that the speaker could pick up voice commands at a distance or in noisy environments.
However, testers were a bit disappointed with the lack of bass on the Sonos Roam. The Sonos One SL offers a much better bass response, while the Ultimate Ears MEGABLAST gets much louder, so feel free to check them out in our Sonos One SL review and our Ultimate Ears MEGABLAST review. Testers also didn’t like the lack of speakerphone functionality, and for that, we’d recommend checking out our Google Nest Mini review.