Speaker Comparison Chart

The Bose Portable Speaker includes the incredible sound quality you would expect from Bose, along with Alexa and Google voice assistants and Apple AirPlay 2. With up to 12 hours of music playback on a single charge, this speaker can be taken along with you and function as a regular Bluetooth speaker when WiFi is not available.

The JBL Link 20 is an excellent speaker based on sound quality alone, but the built-in Google Assistant feature makes it even more of an excellent value. It lasts up to 10 hours on a single charge and can play music directly from Pandora, Spotify and Google Play Music via WiFi by using voice commands.

The Soundcore Motion X600 provides a great sound experience with its spatial audio feature, which expands the sound stage all around you. The X600 features strong bass and crystal clear mids and highs, especially with the spatial audio feature enabled.

Sony's new SRS-XB30 speaker features great sound, a multi-color LED light ring and easy pairing for NFC-equipped phones. The optional "Extra Bass" setting does a great job of kicking it up a notch if you're all about the bass.

The SoundCore Boost builds upon the great sound quality of the SoundCore 2 with louder drivers and surprisingly strong bass performance with the BassUp feature enabled. The Boost can also last up to 12 hours on a single charge and includes a USB port for charging your smartphone.

Sony's new SRS-XB31 speaker features great sound, party lights and (finally) Micro USB charging! The optional "Extra Bass" setting does a great job of kicking it up a notch if you're all about the bass and it can be paired with other Sony speakers if you want to get loud.

The SoundCore Trance provides great sound and can get really loud for large gatherings or outdoor events. The SoundCore app unlocks some additional features and games, such as Light DJ where you can control the LEDs on the front. Long battery life and IPX7 water resistance make it ideal for all party situations.

The Soundcore Flare 2 gets louder and has stronger bass than the Flare 1, making it an all-around crowd pleaser -- literally -- with it's 360 degree sound. The built-in light show is also enhanced with a new light ring on the top in addition to the light ring on the bottom.

Overall, the Sony SRS-XB32 delivers great sound along with a great light show. If you already have last year's model (the XB31), then there is really no reason to upgrade as the changes seem to be cosmetic only. There is also no stereo pairing compatibility between the XB32 and XB31, although you can link the two models together to play non-stereo sound ("Wireless Party Change").

The Sonos Roam speaker is a strong performer and sounds great as a standalone speaker or when integrated into an existing Sonos system. With water resistance and drop protection, you can simply enjoy your music without worrying about babying the speaker. The built-in Alexa/Google Assistant integration is also a nice touch as you can queue up music without using your phone.