Should you buy the Wonderboom or Wonderboom 2?

Ultimate Ears' Wonderboom is one of the best portable speakers on the market thanks to its affordable price and robust sound. Now, the Wonderboom 2 has arrived with even more features. Here are all the major differences.

Improved overall

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2

$99 at Amazon

Pros

  • Improved battery life
  • Water and dust resistant
  • Louder, fuller sound
  • Lightweight, compact design

Cons

  • Still uses Micro-USB

The Wonderboom 2 features improved battery life, a more thoughtful design, and richer sound. It's also IP67 rated, so it'll survive a few splashes while you're hanging out by the river.

The original

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom

$65 at Amazon

Pros

  • Sleek, compact design
  • Rich sound for its size
  • Water resistant
  • Comes in a huge variety of colors

Cons

  • Still uses Micro-USB
  • Lesser battery life
  • No dust resistance

The original Wonderboom introduced big sound in a tiny package. Unfortunately, the original has inferior battery life, a stiffer design, and isn't dustproof.

If you plan to spend time outdoors this summer, you'll need a portable speaker. The Wonderboom and Wonderboom 2 are both small and lightweight, making them easy to carry. But don't be fooled by their size; these speakers offer big, robust sound, too.

Let's break it down

With the Wonderboom 2, Ultimate Ears introduced some important improvements that make the new speaker a big upgrade over the original. And it still comes at an affordable price, making the Wonderboom 2 a great companion for the great outdoors.

Category Wonderboom Wonderboom 2
Battery life 10 hours 13 hours
Water and dust proof IPX7 IP67
Design Single-tone fabrics Athleisure-inspired two-tone fabrics
Size 102 mm x 93.5 mm
425 g
104 mm x 95.3 mm
420 g
Port MicroUSB MicroUSB
Colors Lilac
Subzero
Concrete
Patches
Avocado
Unicorn
Raspberry
Radical Red
Deep Space Black
Crushed Ice Grey
Bermuda Blue

More features and improved sound

The original Wonderboom was already great because of its small size, large sound, and affordable price. But the Wonderboom 2 is better in every way, including battery life and durability. These two features are very important if you plan to use the Wonderboom 2 outdoors.

The Wonderboom 2 features a battery that can last up to 13 hours, as opposed to the Wonderboom's 10. That's a big difference, especially if you're away from a power source. After all, the Wonderboom 2 is designed to be used outdoors, so chances are electricity won't be readily available.

Speaking of the outdoors, the Wonderboom 2 will survive the elements thanks to its IP67 rating, which means it's water and dustproof. The original Wonderboom, by contrast, isn't dust resistant, so taking it to the beach is a dangerous proposition. It's an important difference, because it means you'll have greater peace of mind knowing the Wonderboom 2 won't be defeated by the elements.

The Wonderboom 2 also features richer sound, thanks to an Outdoor Boost mode. According to Ultimate Ears, Outdoor Boost specially tunes the speaker for outside listening, providing bigger bass, louder audio, and a 360-degree sound. The original Wonderboom has no such boost mode, so its sound doesn't fill spaces as well.

Bottom line

The Wonderboom 2 features several key upgrades over the original model, while still offering a compact design at an affordable price.

Importantly, the Wonderboom 2 features 30 percent better battery and water and dust resistance. The speaker can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes and still come out unscathed. I'd say Ultimate Ears has learned some survival skills.

While you're enjoying the great outdoors this summer, the Wonderboom 2 will fill adventures with your favorite music.

However, if you absolutely need an Ultimate Ears speaker and need to save some money, the Wonderboom isn't a bad option. It's just not the best you can do.

Improved overall

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2

Better in every way

The Wonderboom 2 features improved battery life, a more thoughtful design, and richer sound. It's also IP67 rated, so it'll survive a few splashes while you're hanging out by the river.

$99 at Amazon

The original

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom

Doesn't live up to the Wonderboom 2

The original Wonderboom introduced big sound in a tiny package. Unfortunately, the original has inferior battery life, a stiffer design, and isn't dust proof.

$65 at Amazon