Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Assistant support: Amazon Alexa, Sonos voice control | Maximum power: 10 W | Battery life: 10 o'clock | Height: 6.6 inches | Width: 2.3 inches
While many people will be happy with having a few speakers strategically placed throughout the house, you may need something that works both outside and inside. Luckily, you can find speakers that combine voice control and high-performance music playback in a portable, weatherproof form factor. For my money it's hard to beat Sonos Room for absolute versatility, not to mention sound quality.
When used at home, the Roam works just like any other Sonos speaker. It fits into your existing Sonos multi-room setup, or you can purchase a pair for stereo playback. Like most other Sonos speakers, it works with Sonos Voice Assistant or Amazon Alexa and supports almost every major music service available. Sounds pretty good considering its tiny size; It's quieter and not as clear as the Sonos One or Era 100, but still has amazing bass and crisp treble.
Because it was designed with on-the-go use in mind, the Roam has a rechargeable battery and Bluetooth so you can take it anywhere and use it away from a Wi-Fi network. And its miniature size makes it easy to take it with you anywhere, both at home and outside. It's also the first Sonos speaker to be completely waterproof, as well as dust and drop resistant, so you don't have to worry about taking it to the pool or beach.
The Roam offers about 10 hours of battery life whether you're using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. There are other portable speakers that last longer, so if you're really going to use the battery, you'll be better off with another option.
Another option for a wireless portable speaker is $449. Sonos move 2. It's much larger and louder than the Roam, which isn't surprising considering how much more expensive it is. It's a nice upgrade over the previous Move, with dual tweeters for more detailed sound, a battery that lasts a day, and updated touch controls on top. It also has a line-in over USB-C, so you can connect a player when you're using it inside. If you're willing to sacrifice portability for power and better sound quality (and can afford it), the Move 2 is better for you than the Roam.
A better choice than the Move if you don't already have other Sonos products is the $399 price tag. Bose portable smart speaker. It supports Alexa and Google Assistant commands, and since it can connect to Wi-Fi, you can ask your favorite assistant to play music from Spotify, Amazon Music, and other services. Additionally, it produces well-balanced sound, has an IPX4 design, an easy-to-carry handle, and lasts up to 12 hours on a single charge.
Bose also has a good alternative to Roam. $149 SoundLink Flex It supports Siri and Google Assistant commands, and is IP67 and is about the size of a small clutch. It produces bright, dynamic sound and can also be paired with other speakers for stereo sound – it's excellent and a little cheaper than the Roam.
While this guide is all about smart speakers, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention all the rugged portable speakers out there that either have limited or no smart features at all. We have complete guide to the best portable Bluetooth speakers, so if you're purely interested in portability and not the ecosystem of connected speakers, there are plenty of options worth exploring.