5 Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers of 2023

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by Ethan Webster August 4, 2023, 2:14 pm

If you're reading this article, chances are you already know how awesome it is to have a Bluetooth speaker. Today's portable speakers can provide endless hours of entertainment in any situation thanks to their convenience and increasingly impressive sound quality.

In today's list, we discuss five of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy. All of these entries will allow you to immerse yourself, or even the whole room, in whatever kind of music you like, making your day just a little (or a lot) more enjoyable.

The number one spot goes to the UE Megaboom 3. This durable little device packs a surprisingly powerful punch at an impressive price point.

Get your hands on one of these Bluetooth speakers today, and you'll never want to go back to your phone speaker again!

SPECS

Portable, durable, and feature-rich. There are so many reasons to love the UE Megaboom 3.

Let's start with the durability. Nobody likes having to worry that their electronics will break. Good build quality is an important aspect of any device, but it is even more important for Bluetooth speakers because they are so likely to be passed around, tossed, dropped, or exposed to the elements.

Ultimate Ears (UE) doesn't just allow you to expose this speaker to water; it encourages you to. The UE Megaboom 3 is fully waterproof and resistant to drops and dirt. UE definitely achieved their goal of creating a speaker that is capable of withstanding just about anything that will come its way.

For a Bluetooth speaker in this price range, the UE Megaboom 3 also delivers impressive sound quality. It is equipped with dual passive radiators and custom-tuned drivers, which help produce deep and punchy bass for a rich audio experience.

The 360 speaker means this device will immerse the whole room no matter where you put it. The sound is also fully customizable; through the Ultimate Ears app, you can access an equalizer to adjust the sound according to your preferences and environment. What a versatile speaker!

Other reasons to love this portable speaker are its 20-hour battery life and PartyUp feature, which allows you to connect multiple speakers to one device for a true stereo sound.

Editors Note: I've had the original UE Boom for 10+ years and it still works perfectly after taking a beating over the years, and with great battery life - it's my favorite speaker ever! You can't beat UE for quality and durability.

SPECS

The Bose Soundlink Revolve II has impeccable sound quality, especially for a Bluetooth speaker at this price. It, too, delivers 360 sound that will immerse everyone in the room, in the car, or in the backyard.

The Bose Soundlink Revolve II gets the number two spot because it is slightly less durable than the UE Megaboom 3 and has a shorter battery life.

It is still water-resistant and able to withstand drops, but we would still recommend being a little more careful with this speaker.

Its battery life is 13 hours, which is still plenty of time, but it gets beaten out by the Megaboom on that front as well.

However, The Bose Sounlink Revolve II also comes at a slightly lower MSRP, so if you don't plan on throwing your speaker around or going 20 hours without charging it, then it might be worth the chunk of change you'll be saving.

Using Bose SimpleSync technology, you can achieve a stereo sound by connecting multiple speakers to one device.

As you'll hear if you use this Bluetooth speaker, the bass definition and clarity of the mid and high frequencies are all very impressive. You can feel the kick drum as you hold the speaker in your hand.

Unlike most other Bluetooth speakers, the Bose Soundlink Revolve II also has a 3.5mm aux jack, in case you are in a situation where you have an aux cord but no Bluetooth connectivity.

SPECS

The JBL Charge 5 is amazingly well-designed in just about every aspect.

The Charge 5 is engineered with JBL's proprietary sound technology to provide high-quality audio performance. Armed with drivers, tweeters, and passive radiators, the Charge 5 delivers clarity and impact in all areas of the audio spectrum. The sound quality is top-notch.

The passive radiators fluctuate and vibrate in time with the bass frequencies of your music. This adds a bit of extra impact for when you're holding or standing right next to the speaker.

It is also worth noting that the JBL Charge 5 is constructed a little differently than its competitors. It rests horizontally rather than vertically. This makes it more suited for resting on surfaces but perhaps less suited for certain niche uses like resting in your car's cup holder.

The built-in carabiner makes it easy to clip onto objects like backpacks for convenient transportation. This is just one of many examples of how JBL clearly puts a lot of thought into the overall user experience for their products.

The market offering for most Bluetooth speakers is essentially the same, and you can expect all speakers within a given price point to be of similar quality.

That said, the JBL Charge 5 does offer one feature that is not typical of most Bluetooth speakers. You can use it as a power bank to charge your smartphones and other devices. This feature is especially useful for outdoor excursions like hikes, where you will rarely have access to outlets.

Like its competitors, the JBL Charge 5 offers a long battery life (20 hours) and is resistant to water, dust, and drops. It is a remarkably sturdy Bluetooth speaker that comes with a trusted JBL brand reputation.

Due to its bulgy shape, it is slightly less convenient than other smaller speakers, but this won't be a problem for most listeners.

Set the JBL Charge 5 on the table and start jamming out with the whole group!

SPECS

What's the most defining aspect of a portable speaker? Arguably the portability.

The next entry on our list is the most portable, most convenient Bluetooth speaker you can find. Introducing the JBL Clip 4.

This device is marketed as an ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker, and it is more than worthy of that title.

Clip the JBL Clip 4 to your belt loop, your backpack, or just about anywhere! Imagine having your music on you wherever you go without even thinking about where it's coming from.

This mini speaker is perfect if you are commonly on the move and want the least hassle possible for your Bluetooth speaker.

Naturally, this conveniently portable design comes with a durable build to match. Waterproof and drop-resistant, the JBL Clip 4 can withstand whatever you throw at it.

If sound quality is your number one concern for your Bluetooth speaker, then we would recommend one of the other speakers on the list. The JBL Clip 4 comes at the lowest price point on the list, and its sound quality reflects that.

This speaker is certainly better and far louder than phone or computer speakers, but it is noticeably less rich and full than Bluetooth speakers, which are a bit pricier.

The frequency response of this highly portable speaker is 100 Hz to 20 kHz. A floor of 100 Hz is decent, but it means certain low-end bass frequencies will be distorted or not heard.

For comparison, the low end of phone speakers drops off around 600 Hz, and laptop speakers around 200 Hz. So this bluetooth speaker will still deliver much more bass than your mobile devices.

SPECS

In some sense, we've saved the best for last. The ION Audio Pickup is the biggest, baddest speaker on the list. If you pull up with this, you're bringing the party and you know it. Hell, everyone knows it.

The ION Audio Pickup is a 26 lb, 100-watt speaker that you can literally roll up to the function with.

The extendable handle and pair of wheels make transportation from your car to the campfire (or to anywhere else that needs awesome music) much easier. The speaker itself even has two cupholders on the top. Perfect for the kickback.

100 watts is insanely loud, considering this speaker's price point. The durable build quality helps sweeten the deal. Like most Bluetooth speakers these days, it is water resistant, so you don't have to worry about leaving it out in the rain or spilling a cup of water on it.

The ION Audio Pickup also has the best audio quality of any speaker listed. It truly is impressively clear and loud for a device this cheap.

It is suitable for outdoor hangouts and parties. You can even use it as a portable PA system or karaoke system since it has microphone inputs and comes with a microphone and cable.

On top of everything else, the ION Audio Pickup has an impressive battery life of 75 hours.

All of these huge upsides do, of course, come at the cost of some convenience. But this speaker isn't attempting to fill the role of a personal Bluetooth speaker. It is just a fantastic, durable speaker that also happens to be portable.

If the price tag, large size, and reduced portability don't bother you, then this may be the best portable speaker you can buy.

This list contains just a handful of the best Bluetooth speakers out there. There are plenty of other amazing Bluetooth speakers available, so why not have a guide that tells you the most important features to look out for?

This buyer's guide will tell you what to consider in your search for the best Bluetooth speaker.

Times are tough, especially after all the inflation that has come along recently. Most people don't have a huge chunk of change sitting around to drop on a Bluetooth speaker.

Fortunately, bluetooth speakers have become more and more budget-friendly over the years, so there are many speakers on the market that are a great value for the money.

For a great-sounding speaker that is portable and durable, you can expect to pay between $100 and $200. If you're looking at a speaker that is over $300, you can probably find something nearly as good for considerably cheaper.

Likewise, if you aim to spend less than $50 on your Bluetooth speaker, then you can certainly find one that gets the job done, but you will most likely be compromising some sound quality or durability.

Once your budget has been established, your next job is to find the speaker with the best sound quality within your price point.

Crisp, clear, and defined audio is perhaps the most important aspect of a Bluetooth speaker. After all, if you don't care about sound quality, then why not just use the speakers on your phone or laptop?

Pay attention to the frequency response of the speaker you're considering buying. A wider frequency response means more frequencies will be heard more clearly through the speaker.

A Bluetooth speaker with a low cut frequency of 30 Hz will have all the bass you need, whereas a Bluetooth speaker with a low cut frequency of 200 Hz will not play much bass.

Dynamic range refers to the difference between the loudest noise a speaker can make and the quietest. So essentially, how loud is your Bluetooth speaker capable of playing its music?

This is an important question to consider when looking for a Bluetooth speaker, especially if you plan to use your speaker to throw parties or host outdoor events.

The ION Audio Pickup is the loudest on this list, while the JBL Clip 4 is the quietest. If you're looking for a speaker that is adequately loud and also convenient, then the UE Megaboom 3, Bose Soundlink Revolve II, and JBL Charge 5 are all good options.

What sets portable speakers apart from other speakers is that they're, well... portable!

You have the opportunity to find a speaker that is exactly as portable and convenient as you want it to be so that you always have the option of bringing your music with you.

Be sure to look at the sizing dimensions of the Bluetooth speaker in question to make sure it isn't too large (or too small) for your needs.

If you want a speaker that will last an entire road trip without having to be charged, then you'll probably want a speaker with at least 8 hours of battery life.

Most Bluetooth speakers on the market these days have impressive batteries. The UE Megaboom 3, for example, packs a formidable punch with 20 hours of battery life.

Some speakers come with extra features to sweeten the deal. These features can include hands-free phone call capabilities, a party mode that allows multiple people to connect to one speaker, or a sync mode allowing for multiple speakers to be connected to one device.

Determine if these extra features are important to you in your search for the best Bluetooth speaker.

As with any piece of gear, the brand reputation is something to be aware of.

Bose, Sony, JBL, and Ultimate Ears; all of these are trusted brands that produce quality wireless Bluetooth speakers.

Be wary of buying from cheap off-brand companies, as you may be disappointed with the overall quality of your product.

The average range of Bluetooth pairing for Bluetooth speakers is about 33 feet.

Most portable Bluetooth speakers are compatible with smart home assistants.

Generally speaking, any device with Bluetooth capabilities can be paired with your Bluetooth speaker. This includes smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers, smart watches, smart TVs, and Bluetooth transmitters/adapters.

Whether a speaker uses Bluetooth or not has no impact on the sound quality. A Bluetooth speaker can have comparable or better sound quality than a wired speaker.

Most portable Bluetooth speakers have rechargeable batteries that are compatible with USB-C cables or other common input types. Therefore, most portable Bluetooth speakers do not require external batteries like AA or AAA.

So there you have it! If you are considering getting a Bluetooth speaker but just aren't sure whether to pull the trigger, our recommendation is you go for it.

Among the products we've reviewed, the UE Megaboom 3 stands out as the number one pick with its exceptional sound quality, rugged design, impressive battery life, and intuitive features that deliver an unparalleled music experience wherever you go.

Use this article to find the best Bluetooth speaker for you. Soon there will be nothing standing between you and all your favorite music wherever you go!

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