If you missed out on a Bluetooth speaker during the holidays, then there’s still plenty of opportunity to grab one at a reduced rate in 2025. Namely with my favorite one — the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 — being slashed in price by $40 at Verizon. It’s excellent value with good sound and is up for sale at $90. Now whether this will last past MLK weekend is yet to be seen, but I’d recommend taking advantage while you can.
I liked the original Soundcore Motion Boom, which made our list of the best Bluetooth speakers and was one of the better mini boom box Bluetooth speaker values over the last few years, selling for around $80. The 3.75-pound Boom 2 is priced a little higher but sounds substantially better, with more than double the power rating of the original, so it not only plays louder but kicks out more bass and offers better clarity at higher volumes (it’s equipped with two tweeters and one subwoofer). It also has a couple of built-in LED lights to help create that party vibe.
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Why I like the Anker speaker
The speaker’s design isn’t terribly sleek or eye-catching — you can choose between three color options — but it’s attractive enough and just the right size, neither too big nor too small. It also seems pretty durable, though it doesn’t have a dust-resistance rating. The Boom 2 is fully waterproof (IPX7-rated) and floats should it fall into a body of water. Additionally, there’s a USB-out port to charge your devices.
Battery life is also good. The speaker’s rated for up to 24 hours of playback at moderate volume levels (it charges via USB-C, which is good), and you can tweak the sound and customize the lighting with the Soundcore app for iOS and Android. Battery life does dip if you engage the bass boost or activate the LED lighting.
Read more: Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Review
Another Anker speaker to consider
If you’re looking for even more powerful sound, Anker makes the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus. A bigger speaker, it puts out more sound with similar features to the Boom 2. However, it costs around $180, and I don’t think it sounds twice as good as the Boom 2 (more like 25% to 30% better). Still, it’s also a good value and would make a decent gift.
Want to check out the competiton? We’ve tested and reviewed the best Bluetooth speakers for 2025 with Bose, Beats and Souncore all featuring.
Read the full article here
