Bose's excellent Bluetooth speaker is on sale today
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AmazonThe weather’s warming up, which means it’s time to blast music where people can hear it. You need a portable Bluetooth speaker to make that happen, though, and today Amazon has a solid deal on one of the better ones, marking the Bose SoundLink Mini II down to $180. That’s $20 off its usual going rate — not the biggest discount around, but a rare one, and one that brings the device down to its lowest price on the site to date.
Performance-wise, the SoundLink Mini II is cleaner and fuller than most of its portable peers. Its sound is bigger than its size suggests, and it’s capable of getting genuine bass response, which isn’t common with these things. It’s still a small Bluetooth speaker, so it can’t resolve and separate fine details too well, but if you value sound quality, it doesn’t feel like you’re wasting money paying more for this over (good) cheaper options like the JBL Flip 3 or UE Roll.
The speaker’s well-made, too. It’s got that understated, handsome look most Bose products tend to go for, and its aluminum finish feels much less toyish than many of the device you’d find here. It’s mature. Battery life is around 10 hours, which is fine, and there’s a speakerphone function, if you ever need to take a call. The only major downside is that it’s neither rugged nor water-resistant, so it’s better off indoors or at the park than by the pool. (Though Bose does sell a handful of soft covers if you want a little more protection from scuffs.)
Feedback on the SoundLink Mini II has been positive. It’s got a 4.7 rating after nearly 1,700 user reviews on Amazon, and it’s earned recommendations from CNET, PCMag, The Wirecutter, and enthusiast blogs like Oluv’s Gadgets. If you want to keep your speaker portable, it should satisfy.
Bose SoundLink Mini II, $179 (normally $199), available at Amazon. [10% off]