Bose Portable Smart Speaker Review

Name: Bose Portable Smart Speaker
Brand: Bose

Kenn Muguna

October 12, 2023

True Score Methodology v1.0

TRUE SCORE

73^%

Mixed Reviews

#

36

/

152

Where does this product score?

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.

Product Awards

GR Certified

$399.00

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

78

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

86.666666666667

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

73^%

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

Table of Contents

Expert Score Breakdown_

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight

?
Cat Trust Score
70
The $349 Bose Portable Home Speaker is designed for mobility,… read more
F
Cat Trust Score
75
The Bose Portable Home Speaker is incredible for voice assistants…. read more
?
Cat Trust Score
80
“It’s never been easier to take room-filling sound with you,… read more
?
Cat Trust Score
70
The Bose Portable Home Speaker delivers Amazon Alexa and Google… read more

Customer Score Breakdown_

NR
(
NR
)
Ratings

Product Snapshot

Expert Rankings

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.

Best For

Consensus_

Reason 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

Key Specs_

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Product Comparison_

	Bose Portable Smart Speaker Review
True Score	73^%	NR	NR	NR
Ranking	# 36 / 152	# /	# /	# /
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.
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Dig Deeper

All Stores_

Updated Oct 12, 2023 2:29 PM

$399.00
Availability
In Stock
Free Shipping
No
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Price History_

Score Card

E

Expert Score

78

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

86.666666666667

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

73^%

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

Expert Score Breakdown_

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight

A
Trust Score
?
Cat Trust Score
70
The $349 Bose Portable Home Speaker is designed for mobility, and it packs substantial sound… read more
F
Trust Score
F
Cat Trust Score
75
The Bose Portable Home Speaker is incredible for voice assistants. It has Alexa and Google… read more
?
Trust Score
?
Cat Trust Score
80
“It’s never been easier to take room-filling sound with you, without sacrificing smart speaker features.” read more
?
Trust Score
?
Cat Trust Score
70
The Bose Portable Home Speaker delivers Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control with powerful… read more
?
Trust Score
?
Cat Trust Score
75
Bose’s Portable Smart Speaker isn’t for everybody. At $400, it’s really expensive, and while its… read more
?
Trust Score
?
Cat Trust Score
NR
Filling an average space with rich, 360-degree audio, Music, podcasts, audiobooks or hands-free calls, Streaming… read more