As a critic, I naturally judge every product harshly, and Anker seems to win most of the time; this case is no exception. This portable speaker is pretty much everything you would want in a compact Bluetooth speaker. Until a few days ago, I did not realize I needed this portable speaker, though it has recently become a part of my life. I find myself using it for my showers (IPX5 rating – water resistant), and the kids love to jam with it around the house and it has withstood quite a few drops already. Though, I found it funny that the kids kept yelling at it “Alexa,” as I kept explaining to them that it does not have any voice control; perhaps, that is a feature to consider adding. The sound quality is great, though the bass can sound muffled when the volume is maxed out. The range as well is quite decent, as I can walk quite a distance from my phone before the Bluetooth disconnects. I also noticed the battery lasts quite a while, as I have used it multiple days without charging it. I am glad the speaker is offered in various colors, such as black, blue and red, as I have grown tired of being restricted to black or white options. My only negatives would be, 1- the built-in microphone, as it seems to reverberate my surroundings, though, I did not personally get the speaker for its microphone, 2- there is no button to click to the previous or next track, which I believe is a design flaw, and 3- the bass gets muffled when maxed out, though remains crisp at 60-70%, so this is not a deal breaker for me. Despite such, after owning this speaker for several days, this speaker is worth it and I strongly recommend it, especially at its $40 price tag, and I know Anker always stands by their products whenever I have any issues.
Pros:
- Quality and durability: the speaker is built well, seems quite rugged and has an IPX5 rating.
- Ease-of-use: the Bluetooth button on the speaker makes pairing a breeze, and the additional buttons on the speaker, which include a play and volume increase and decrease button make controlling tracks easier, though not to perfection; I would have liked to see a next/previous track button.
- Performance: the Bluetooth pairs well with my phone and does not stutter, and its range is exceptional.
- Sound quality: the sound reproduction is great, though the bass seems to suffer when you surpass 60-70% volume.
- Battery life: the speaker lasts multiple days without the need to charge it.
- Color availability: the speaker is offered in black, blue and red.
- Warranty: like all Anker products, this speaker is backed by an 18-month warranty, and in my experience, Anker has always stood by their products with amazing support.
Cons:
- Microphone quality - Anker advertises a built-in microphone to make calling a breeze, yet per my testing, I found the microphone quality to be subpar. However, I would not even deduct a star for this, as I only intended to use this speaker to play music.
- Missing essential controls – I find the lack of previous/next track buttons to be a major design flaw, as I am required to grab my phone (or device) to switch songs.
- Sound quality when max volume – I find when the volume surpasses 60-70% the bass begins to sound muffled. Though, this is not a deal breaker for me.