5 Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers 2023

The first one on our list is Anker Soundcore Motion X600. The Motion X600, priced at under $200, is a strikingly designed audio device with unique features and qualities.

First and foremost, its aesthetic appeal stands out. The speaker gives off a premium vibe with its mostly metal construction, including an aluminum handle and a stainless steel front grille. Despite its slim profile, the Motion X600 has substantial weight due to its metal components and internal battery, weighing in at 4.2 pounds. Surprisingly, it’s IPX7-rated for water resistance and even floats when submerged in water, making it suitable for poolside use.

The speaker’s controls are protected by a rubber membrane and include power, Bluetooth pairing, play/pause, volume adjustment, and two sound mode buttons for “BassUp” and spatial sound. 

Internally, the speaker boasts five drivers, including a top-firing full-range driver and two tweeters and two woofers concealed behind the grille. These are powered by three separate amplifiers, resulting in a total output of 50 watts. While it may not be suitable for large outdoor gatherings, it offers impressive sound quality indoors with minimal distortion.

The out-of-the-box sound in standard stereo mode can be lackluster, with an emphasis on highs, weak bass, and underwhelming midranges. However, enabling the bass boost and spatial mode dramatically improves the sound quality, enhancing dynamics, and midrange presence, and expanding the soundstage. 

Regarding battery life, the Motion X600 provides approximately 12 hours of playback at 50% volume with spatial and bass boost features turned off. However, playing at higher volumes with these features enabled will reduce battery life significantly, possibly to as low as five hours. 

In summary, the Soundcore Motion X600 impresses with its striking design, water resistance, and sound quality improvements through its unique features like bass boost and spatial mode. 

Next up we have the Ultimate Ears Epicboom. The Ultimate Ears Epicboom is the company’s largest and best-sounding Bluetooth speaker that still maintains portability. It’s super rugged and offers impressive sound quality for its size, along with the signature feel that UE fans appreciate. The Epicboom is available in black and white colors.

In terms of durability, the Epicboom is highly rated with an IP67 water-and-dust-resistant certification, making it suitable for various environments. It can even be submerged up to three feet and float, making it ideal for use in the shower, by the pool, or for hosing down.

With its larger size compared to other UE portable Bluetooth speakers, the Epicboom delivers better sound quality and higher volume. It outperforms models like the Boom 3 and Wonderboom 3, offering a wider soundstage and deeper bass, especially with the Outdoor Boost feature.

One standout feature is its true 360-degree sound, ensuring consistent audio quality from any direction, unlike many other portable Bluetooth speakers that have directional audio. A notable improvement is the inclusion of USB-C charging, eliminating the need for a micro-USB cable. This aligns with modern gadgets and reduces cable clutter.

In terms of battery life, the Epicboom provides up to 17 hours of playtime, surpassing the Wonderboom 3 and Boom 3 but falling short of the Megaboom 3, which offers 20 hours of playback. The Epicboom is compatible with UE’s Boom app, which offers advanced features like Party-Up, allowing you to group multiple Boom speakers.

 Its primary drawback is its relatively high price, especially when compared to similar options on the market. Nonetheless, it offers a great audio experience, USB-C charging, and compatibility with UE’s Boom app for added functionality.

The JBL Flip 6 is on our list as well. The Flip 6 Bluetooth speaker by JBL has received a noticeable makeover, featuring a prominent JBL logo on the woven cloth grille that surrounds the cylindrical speaker. The carry strap has also been redesigned to be a seamless loop, eliminating the need for a fancy knot.

In terms of size, the Flip 6 maintains the dimensions of its predecessor, the Flip 5, and it weighs 1.2 pounds. One notable improvement is its increased dust and waterproof rating, now at IP67, meaning it’s protected from dust and can withstand being submerged in up to 3 feet of water.

The Flip 6 offers physical controls for play/pause, volume adjustment, and PartyBoost, which allows you to connect it to another JBL speaker. The back of the speaker houses a power button, Bluetooth pairing, and a USB-C port for charging. An LED strip indicates the battery level.

Sound quality is a highlight, with the Flip 6 delivering impressive bass for its size, thanks in part to the passive bass radiators at each end. While it may not sound as expansive as some competitors, its sound balance is rich and refined. It handles complex tracks well, allowing listeners to discern individual instruments and layers. It also offers PartyBoost functionality, allowing you to pair the Flip 6 with another JBL speaker for stereo sound. JBL claims you can pair up to 100 of its speakers.

The Flip 6 offers a battery life of up to 12 hours, but we noted that it exceeded this estimate, lasting for over 5 hours at low volume and still displaying 75% battery life. Recharging takes 2.5 hours with the provided USB-C cable.

In conclusion, the JBL Flip 6 builds on the legacy of its predecessors and remains a top-rated Bluetooth speaker. It combines portability, impressive sound quality, and improved durability with a moderate price increase. 

Next up we have the Sonos Move 2. The Sonos Move 2 closely resembles the original model with some notable improvements. It is available in a new Olive color in addition to the black and white options. The design includes a ruggedized matte finish exterior and a rubberized base and top, with a solid metal frame and an exterior grill that wraps around the speaker. It also has a large weighted base for stability and is drop-resistant.

On the top of the speaker, you’ll find touch controls for play/pause, track navigation, and volume adjustment. There’s also a mute/unmute control when voice assistants are active, but it’s advised to disable these controls when the speaker might come into contact with water to avoid accidental activation.

One of the notable features of the Move 2 is the built-in handle on the back, which can also be used as a mounting point for Sonos’ wall mounts. Despite the robust design, the weight remains the same as the original at 6.61 lbs.

In terms of sound quality, the Move 2 offers a significant upgrade over the original model. This improvement is attributed to the addition of a second tweeter and increased physical distance between the tweeters, which enhances soundstage separation. While the original Move was already known for its excellent sound, the Move 2 comes close to matching its quality when configured as a stereo pair.

Durability is another strong point of the Move 2. The Move 2 maintains the same exterior design and IP56 rating, indicating it should withstand outdoor exposure just as well. The Move 2 offers an impressive 24 hours of uninterrupted playback on a single charge, effectively doubling the battery life compared to its previous version.

Overall, the Sonos Move 2 builds upon the success of the original Move, offering improved sound quality, durability, and convenience features. 

Last but not least, the Bose Soundlink Flex is on our list as well. The Bose SoundLink Flex is a remarkable portable speaker designed for outdoor enthusiasts who crave high-quality music on the go. Crafted from soft-touch silicone and featuring a powder-coated steel grille and a fabric loop for easy handling or hanging, this speaker combines rugged durability with style. It also has an IP67 rating which makes it waterproof and dustproof. And if you accidentally drop it in water – don’t worry – it floats.

The controls along the top edge, including the power button, volume, and Bluetooth, are intuitively placed for quick and easy access. The Bose SoundLink Flex also offers the convenience of pairing with other compatible Bose speakers through SimpleSync, allowing you to create a larger, synchronized sound experience both at home and outdoors.

One of the standout features of this speaker is its exceptional sound quality. Bose’s custom-designed transducer and digital signal processing deliver a nuanced and crisp sound with just the right amount of bass. What truly impressed us was its adaptability to different placements and orientations. Thanks to Position IQ, the speaker adjusts and optimizes sound based on how it’s positioned, ensuring a consistently clear and immersive audio experience.

Durability is another strong suit of the Bose SoundLink Flex. Despite an accidental drop from standing height onto a tiled floor, the speaker showed no signs of damage, continuing to play flawlessly. While the battery life didn’t quite reach the advertised 12 hours during our test at near-full volume, it still provided an impressive 10 hours of playback time. Lowering the volume should help users approach the 12-hour mark, making it a reliable companion for extended outdoor adventures.

The only minor improvement we’d suggest is adding LED lights to easily view the battery level. Overall, the Bose SoundLink Flex is an outstanding outdoor speaker that combines robust construction, exceptional sound quality, and versatility, making it an excellent choice for music lovers on the move.