New Year's — the speaker that goes outside

Anker Soundcore Boom 2

The verdict

If the PartyBox is the house-party speaker, the Boom 2 is the take-it-anywhere speaker: 80 watts with a dedicated subwoofer, 24 hours of playtime at moderate volume, and an IPX7 waterproof, floatable body that survives a pool drop instead of dying from it. For a blind shopper, the outdoor logic is what matters — one speaker that goes from the kitchen to the patio to the park without a second thought about rain, and a built-in power bank so a dying phone at an all-day event charges off the speaker instead of ending the music.

Anker Soundcore Boom 2 — about $99.99 (list $129.99) · ≈4.6/5 from ~9,000 reviews on Amazon · the 80-watt outdoor speaker that floats, lasts all day, and doubles as a phone charger.

The controls are physical buttons on top, pairing is standard Bluetooth from any phone, and two Boom 2s pair in stereo if you ever want a wider soundstage.

What to listen for in reviews: the bass is the recurring surprise — buyers expect a thin portable sound and get room-shaking low end, which is why the 'too much speaker for a small office' comment shows up more than once. That also sets the buying rule: this is a backyard, beach, and gathering speaker, and for a bedroom or desk it is overkill, where a smaller Soundcore at a third of the price makes more sense. At maximum volume, expect closer to 12–15 hours rather than the rated 24, which is still longer than any event you are hosting.

Honest caveats: the Soundcore app adds EQ and firmware updates but is not required for daily use — good, because its screen-reader quality is unverified — and the speaker has no voice assistant built in beyond what your phone provides. It is also bigger and heavier than it looks in photos, so check the dimensions if you plan to carry it far. As of October 2026, the price was $99.99 against a $129.99 list, with sale prices occasionally dipping to about $85.

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Last reviewed: October 2026.