Eight years after the first SoundLink Micro, Bose shipped a second version that fixes the parts people actually complained about. The SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen), priced at $99 (was $129), still sits in a palm, still clips to a strap, and still looks like a rubberized river stone with a metal grille. Size is about 4.1 by 4.1 by 1.7 inches and the weight is just over 11 ounces. That is a little larger and heavier than the 2017 original, and you feel the extra bulk only if you compare them side by side.

Bose SoundLink Plus landed last summer as the middle size in the current portable family, listed at $269 and frequently closer to $199 (now). About 9.1 inches wide, 3.9 inches tall, and 3.4 inches deep, the speaker weighs 3.3 pounds and includes a nylon rope loop for hanging from a chair, bag strap, or hook.

Smartphone and laptop speakers often leave music sounding thin and uninspiring, especially when you want to share a track or enjoy it outdoors. The JBL Go 3, priced at $29.95 (was $40), offers a straightforward fix that fits easily into daily routines or weekend escapes. Compact enough to slip into a jacket pocket or clip onto a backpack strap, the speaker measures about 3.4 inches long, 2.7 inches tall, and 1.6 inches deep. It weighs just 0.46 pounds. A sturdy fabric loop on one end turns carrying into a simple clip-on task.

Looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker that will not disappoint in terms of performance? The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4, priced at $51.44 (was $100), is an ideal fit. It fits neatly into daypacks or backpacks without adding weight, yet produces music that penetrates through even small spaces and outdoor gatherings with startling power.

People prefer to bring this portable speaker with them on weekend treks or to backyard gatherings, and before long, they’re using it almost daily. For $90 (was $140), it punches far below what many people expect to pay for portable audio. Anker engineered the Boom 2 to endure whatever life throws at it and still create a sound that’s a lot greater than you’d expect from a speaker of this size.

Engineers have managed to compress an incredible amount of audio power into a speaker that is small enough to be held with one hand. Listeners who attach the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen, priced at $119 (was $149), to a backpack or throw it in a beach bag are in for a surprise: sound that fills a patio or campsite so convincingly that you forget it’s a compact device, with no distortion or muddiness to worry about.