Finding the best Bluetooth speaker under $200 can be difficult considering how many models are cluttering the market these days. We remember even the days when Bluetooth technology was still a rarity, and now in this day and age a device (especially one that plays music) without Bluetooth is essentially considered out-dated. One of the best ways to listen to our tunes is with a speaker, and many of us have become habituated with staying away from wires forever. We don’t blame you, which is why in our speaker research we decided to pin-point some of the best Bluetooth speakers out there, this time at under $200 or less. Let’s take a look at what we found.
Choosing the best Bluetooth speaker under $200
- Exact budget – Although we’ve been lucky to constrain our search of the best Bluetooth speaker to $200 or less, we still want to figure out exactly how much you’re willing to invest. If you came from our best portable Bluetooth speaker guide, we saw quite a few solid models for just a bit over (check it out if you feel like venturing outside of the under $200); however, we wanted to make sure we hit that sweet spot in price range. Do you want a budget-friendly under $100 Bluetooth speaker? Perhaps for even less at under $50? You can read those respective guides if you do want to save some more money, otherwise we covered all options below to help give you some choices.
- Does it have to be portable? Nowadays to our avail, most Bluetooth speakers are portable. However, we wanted to keep this factor in the list since a few may not come portable and require a power outlet. Do you intend on being on-the-go? Perhaps it’s just for your living room? We’d go portable just in case, but that’s just our opinion.
- Bluetooth distance – The average distance (the length you can take the device away from it while still having a connection) of Bluetooth for these speakers is around 30 feet.
- Play time – It depends on the volume and amount of power you use (the more you use, the more battery is drained); however, we wouldn’t recommend going lower than 8-10 hours. It depends on if you envision yourself going away or traveling somewhere you won’t be able to recharge it quickly enough after a days (or more) use.
- Extra features? Waterproof capability? Dust proof, shock proof, or any other type of environmental protection? How about being able to pair up to multiple devices? How about light shows, mounts, microSD support, etc.? Make sure you take into account the features you think are actually worth the money.
The best Bluetooth speakers under 200 dollars
UE Boom 2
To start off our list, and although difficult to pick a leader, we wanted to introduce the UE Boom 2 wireless Bluetooth speaker and some of its specs. If you are looking for a well-rounded speaker, this might be your best option for a model under $200. For one, the Boom 2 is small enough to take anywhere you please while still giving you great quality sound. It stays connected wirelessly for up to 100 feet away and carries up to 15 hours of rechargeable lithium-ion battery life. It is perfect for not only your home but places you’d need a portable speaker such as hotel rooms, the beach, BBQs and even pool parties since it is dirt proof and waterproof for up to 3.3 feet. Another highlight of the Boom is that it allows two speakers to be paired to the same device to create even more sound or even a right and left output. Its 360 degree sound design lastly allows for great sound quality through the high, mid and low frequencies. The UE Boom 2 is listed first as being one of our most well-rounded options for Bluetooth speakers for $200 or less. It also made it into PCMag’s best Bluetooth speaker article.
There is indeed a UE Boom MEGABOOM, albeit out of our targeted price-range of the guide. You get some more power and extra features with that one.
Bose SoundLink Mini II
Right on the cusp of our price target, second on our list of best Bluetooth speakers less than 200 dollars is the Soundlink Mini II. The name Bose itself automatically gives this speaker an advantage knowing it will be high in quality and brand trust. Much smaller than the UE Boom, the Mini II is extremely portable anywhere you go weighing in at a light 1.5 pounds. It fits in a backpack, purse and even a pocket. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts up to 10 hours and the Bluetooth carries a range of up to 30 feet. One focused highlight a lot of user reviews point out of this speaker is the quality of the deep sounds and bass. A lot of technology went into this speaker in order for it to bring a loud quality sound to make certain you do not miss a part of any song, which is why the Bose SoundLink Mini II ended up at number two on our list as well as on the closer end of $200. The specs in regards to distance and play time isn’t as impressive as our previous pick, but if you’d like something smaller and can sacrifice those numbers, this is your model.
JBL Charge 3
Next we have the long-lasting JBL Charge 3. This is yet again a great all-around speaker that can be taken anywhere if you were looking for portability. The most impressive feature here that may steer you in its direction is why it has its title. It gets its name for being able to charge any connected device to ensure the music keeps playing or really just to act as a standalone portable charger. If when reading our factors you noticed battery life would be important to you, it also can hold for up to 20 hours (based on level of volume and content played). The speaker can wirelessly connect to up to three devices for everyone to pick their own tunes and it is made durable and waterproof for listening in any environment. The internal build features dual external passive radiators to create a clean bass sound. Lastly, there’s a ‘JBL Connect‘ feature which allows you to connect via Bluetooth to multiple speakers to boost your musical environment and create a surrounding sound. The sound quality and price of the JBL Charge 3 speaker places it at third on our list of best Bluetooth speakers for under $200.
Fugoo Sport
If you live a very active and sporty lifestyle, the Fugoo Sport may very well be your best option for a portable Bluetooth speaker for less than 200 bucks. It is quite the all-terrain speaker that is doable in mud, snow, and at the same time shock and waterproof. There is a built-in waterproof cloth and it is designed with rubber shock absorbing corners to making it a very flexible speaker. It also features a mounting socket that can hook onto many things to make your outdoor adventure loud with your own music. Along with the great durability, comes high quality of sound as well. (built with six symmetrical drivers). There are two tweeters, two mid/sub drivers and two passive radiators to help hit every range of the highs, mids and lows. Additional to the six drivers is the 360 degree sound design to help deliver sound in all directions. Lastly and one of the most important factors is the battery life — it can last up to 40 hours! The speaker stays connected via Bluetooth for up to 33 feet and has the capability of connecting to either iOS Siri or Android’s Google Now. The Fugoo Sport is great quality all around speaker for anyone looking for something in the middle price range and plans on being outside of the home more often than not.
UE Roll 2
Coming up next on our list of the best Bluetooth speakers for under $200 is the UE Boom’s little brother, the Roll 2. Being one of the more portable speakers on this list with a pretty unique design, the UE Roll 2 is made very compact and light (weighing less than a can of soda). This makes for easy mobility on any adventures taken and with the speaker also comes a bungee attachment that allows strapping to things such as your bike, backpack or even kayak since it is waterproof for up to 30 minutes under 1 meter of water. The Roll 2 is also equipped with one 2” driver and two 3/4” tweeters internally, giving you some separate components for each frequency (just lacking a middle-range nonetheless). Improvements from the original UE Roll if you’re aware are a 15 percent increase in sound and a 50 percent increase in Bluetooth range (100 feet). The speaker is compatible with up to eight devices, holds its charge for up to nine hours and features 360 degree sound and lastly is available in four different colors (Atmosphere, Reef, Sugarplum & Volcano). The UE Roll 2 is a great speaker for using anywhere outdoors and lands on the lower end of the price range with a shape that may very well be perfect for you.
Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2
Leading off the second half of our list, the Sound Blaster Roar 2 gives you a great and reputable bang and quality for your buck. Although a bit larger than others, it’s still portable enough to carry along in just about any bag, the Roar 2 also has the ability to fill the room with sound at your house party. When placed vertically, the speaker producers a louder, more personal sound and when placed horizontally, the sound becomes more acoustic to fill the room. The Roar 2 is built with two amplifiers internally to target the lows and mids and then the highs separately creating an even more even sound. Less of an outdoor speaker than others previously listed, the Roar 2 is a great quality speaker built for any house or dorm room parties so we recommend keeping it indoors. Some other key features are its different charging modes (fast charge/micro USB) as well as its microSD card reader. The microSD card reader allows you to load it up with as many songs as you want without having to depend on anyone’s phone in case you don’t want to use your devices to play tunes (actually quite impressive and creative if you ask us). Overall, the Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 is a very well made speaker that will stand out to people who care about quality and sound and is easily a best option for any Bluetooth speaker under $200. Just make sure you stay inside. This Roar 2 review was helpful with more info.
JBL Pulse 2
Next on our list, we have another quality JBL product, the Pulse 2. This one literally highlights itself with its own light show that reacts to the beat of your tunes, which in our opinion would be the only reason to pick this one over the others. This speaker makes great for evening and night-time listening with all friends and family. The light show stems from a multi-colored visualizer created to help bring more energy to the music and party. The speaker also comes with a ‘JBL Prism color sensor‘ that allows you to point out any color you would like your speaker to reflect. The speaker holds its charge for up to a decent ten hours and brings with it a splash-proof design to help protect from any party mishaps. As mentioned earlier in regards to the Charge 2, this speaker also has the Connect App allowing it to connect to up to three other speakers for greater surround sound. Lastly the speaker features dual external passive radiators to ensure a clean sounding bass and their Connect app which gives you complete control over your speaker at the touch of your phone. At a mid-range price and when looking for a portable party, the JBL Pulse 2 finds itself on our list of best Bluetooth speakers for $200 or less. Here’s a video of the Pulse 2 in action so you can see what we’re talking about — it may be perfect for your speaker intentions.
Razer Leviathan Mini
Do not let the size or the placement on our list misdirect you from the Leviathan Mini. Although considered a gaming gear brand, Razer speakers are quite nice. There are several reasons it’s landed on our list of best Bluetooth speakers for under $200. Even though it is one of the more compact speakers mentioned, it still packs a mighty punch of impressive sound quality. Some speakers have issues handling strong bass lines but there is no need to worry here as it takes the ranks in that regard. The speaker internally comes with two 12W speakers and two passive radiators to help create much more sound from a mini device than should be expected. Any Bluetooth capable device stays connected for up to 30 feet and holds its rechargeable life for about ten hours, which is pretty average however impressive with this one’s size. Also, you are able to create more sound by connecting another Leviathan Mini up to 13 feet away in case you want even more power. Falling in the middle of the pack of the price range, the Razer Leviathan Mini is a great option when looking for high quality sound that you can carry with you just about anywhere by a reputable brand.
Bose SoundLink Color II
Any Bose speaker is going to be near the top of its class in quality of design and sound as it is one of the most well-known brands on the market today. This is a very good speaker for the price and size compared to the others on this list. Being about the size of a large coffee cup and weighing a little over a pound makes it very easy to take wherever an adventure leads. The charge lasts for only up to eight hours; however, that isn’t what people buy this one for. Coming in four different colors and made water-resistant, this speaker is more of an outdoor, poolside option than the previously listed Soundlink Mini. The Bose Color can remember up to eight devices that have been previously connected and stay connected via Bluetooth to two different devices for up to 30 feet away. As mentioned earlier Bose made sure the sound quality of this speaker stayed up to par with its dual passive radiator technology. The Bose SoundLink Color II speaker is great gift idea for someone looking to enjoy the outdoors or summer sun and thus qualifies as one of our ten options near the end of our guide. CNet’s SoundLink Color review was high with the original model.
Fluance Fi50
To wrap up the end of our list of best Bluetooth speakers for under $200, we bring you one of the, if not the most powerful of the ten. Being known for home theater and surround systems, Fluance brings you the Fi50. It is not near as portable as the others but brings with it quite the hype of features and quality. Weighing at around 13 pounds, we wouldn’t consider it completely portable however the speaker works great for any size room in the house. It is best to keep the speaker for indoor use mostly since it is not made to be weatherproof. The Fi50 has a very good range of sounds giving you high quality performance from all of the lows, mids and highs. Highlights of the internal design include dual full-range 5” woofers, high-end tweeters, and a 40W amp to allow for high-definition sound at the highest volume of the speaker. Once any device is paired, the speaker uses smart technology to connect automatically when in its range of 33 feet. Although the Fluance Fi50 ends our list at the higher end of the price range, it is recommended for people looking for a loud, pure quality sounding, indoor Bluetooth speaker.
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