What is the Best Bluetooth Speaker Under 200? Awesome Sounding Device in a Portable Package (2023)

The sound quality of a Bluetooth speakers under 200 is questionable, but does that mean you can’t get good sound quality without paying through the nose? To help you in your search, our experts have reviewed a few of the best Bluetooth speakers under 200.

Best Overall
JBL Charge 3
Best Premium Choice
Bose Soundlink Revolve
Best for Sound
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4
JBL Charge 3
Bose Soundlink Revolve
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4
As a portable Bluetooth speaker, the JBL Charge 3 offers a lot of versatility. The IPX7 waterproof rating makes it the best choice for on-the-go individuals and those who live in more humid environments.
The Bose Soundlink Revolve is the premium choice for build and sound performance as a whole. Due to the design, the Soundlink Revolve has true 360-degree coverage and is one of the best wireless Bluetooth speakers.
The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 delivers such amazing audio quality with accurate highs and mids punctuated with reverberating bass tones. You won’t believe it’s a Bluetooth speaker and not a full sound system.
Best Overall
JBL Charge 3
JBL Charge 3
As a portable Bluetooth speaker, the JBL Charge 3 offers a lot of versatility. The IPX7 waterproof rating makes it the best choice for on-the-go individuals and those who live in more humid environments.
Best Premium Choice
Bose Soundlink Revolve
Bose Soundlink Revolve
The Bose Soundlink Revolve is the premium choice for build and sound performance as a whole. Due to the design, the Soundlink Revolve has true 360-degree coverage and is one of the best wireless Bluetooth speakers.
Best for Sound
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4
The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 delivers such amazing audio quality with accurate highs and mids punctuated with reverberating bass tones. You won’t believe it’s a Bluetooth speaker and not a full sound system.

Reviews of the Best Bluetooth Speakers Under 200

1. JBL Charge 3

JBL Charge three is a speaker unit that can simultaneously connect up to 3 smartphones or tablets. You can also easily integrate it into your JBL system to amplify the sound. The smart speaker comes in a wide array of eye-catching colors rather than just black and white.

Charge 3 is waterproof and finest Bluetooth speakers under 200 in the market today and make it easy to use. You won’t have to worry about spillage or weather conditions when you take your portable speaker with you. Charge your smartphone and tablet from built in USB port which makes it easy.

You can also pick up calls in between and take full advantage of the echo-cancelling built-in microphone. All it takes is a push of a button that allows you to connect or hang up. 

What We Like

What We Don't Like

2. Bose Soundlink Revolve

Bose Soundlink Revolve, like the Bose Soundlink Mini and Bose Soundlink Color speaker unit, has a very luxurious and high end design. It comes in at just under our limit and has two color choices.

Due to the design, the Soundlink Revolve can produce true all surround  sound to fill the room with expansive quality sound. You can hear your content clearly from any corner. It even has a built-in microphone that allows you to take calls with well balanced sound.

The Bluetooth connection is strong and steady anywhere within 30 feet. Thanks to Bluetooth pairing, you can access your voice assistant in your phone easily and give voice commands completely hands-free.

What We Like

What We Don't Like

3. Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4

Perhaps the most impressive in terms of sound is the Harman Onyx 4. Aside from great sound, it also works with Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant with the touch of a button.

The Studio 4 features a unique round design that isn’t seen in many wireless speakers. What is also unseen in many portable speakers is the amazing bass it is capable of.

Other than the bass, this high quality speaker also blends the other quality sound of the spectrum together flawlessly for a very enjoyable listening experience.

What We Like

What We Don't Like

Bluetooth Speakers Under $200 Buyer’s Guide

Let’s take a closer look at what to consider when buying the best speakers under 200. In each section, our experts have broken down the important traits to look for. From sound quality to weather resistance – this is most in-depth review you’ll ever read.

Sound Quality

Bluetooth speakers are only as good as their sound quality. Ideally, your wireless speaker will deliver enveloping better sound across large spaces and not lose the precision and clarity.

Because portable Bluetooth speakers under 200 such as UE Boom 2 vs JBL FLIP 4 are smaller, their drivers will only measure 3-4 inches at most. This means their sound quality won’t be quite as loud as regular-sized speakers, but it can still hold its own and produce thrilling audio. Passive radiators will also help with sound production for balanced acoustics.

Other than the ones on our list, some other models that round out the top 10 speakers under 200 include the JBL Pulse and the Charge 4, the Ultimate Ears Boom also known as the UE Boom, the jbl flip series, and the Bose Soundlink Color Bluetooth Speaker ii.

Frequency and Response

Look for a speaker with superb quality of sound and has a wide frequency response range. 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz can all be found on the market, but for wireless speakers, you won’t be getting up to 20,000. The wider the frequency range, the more notes and tones your speaker can produce. This will result in even better audio quality and more precise relays.

Design and Build

Our experts were careful to choose very different speakers together that are under 200 to give you variety. We have a horizontal option, a standing speaker and one with a unique shape. JBL models like Flip 4 and Flip 5 are distinct for their cylindrical shapesThe shape only pertains to how easy it is to integrate it into your home and little to do with the audio quality.

However, the shape does impact whether or not your speaker can fit a control panel on the surface and how large the batteries and drivers are, which can affect the usability of the device.

All of our wireless speaker options above are very well-built with strong housing and an attractive grille. However, they do come in different sizes. To choose the right size for your home, consider where the placement will be to find the right shape and dimensions.

Portability

The definition of portability on these wireless speakers choices rests on the battery life, charging and durability, which we will get to a bit later,  and also the weight. Look for a high quality speaker that is not only small in size, but also lightweight such as the JBL Flip, JBL Xtreme, and Bose Soundlink 3.

How do you control the speaker? One that has a compatible app will be very easy to use. You can set everything with your phone, which accompanies you wherever you go. For example, the JBL Connect + can link your wireless speaker quickly and efficiently to other devices.

All the options on our list are easily portable. Other ones that also meet this criteria are the JBL Charge 4, JBL Flip series and more.

Wireless Connectivity

While some of these speakers work with Wi Fi, the most common form of connection is Bluetooth for speakers. Bluetooth gives incredible versatility and options for connecting your external devices. You can pair them to multiple Bluetooth speakers for an increased audio system. 

The wireless connectivity also allows you to pair voice assistant devices or to accent these virtual helpers such as Siri and Google Assistant directly from your phone. One thing our experts will advise is to keep your external device close to your speaker. While they don’t have to be directly next to each other, anywhere within 30 feet will offer the most stable connection.

Weather-Resistance

Almost all of the best bluetooth speakers in the market today are weather-proof.

How waterproof and weatherproof your device  also impacts the sound quality, usability, portability and durability. There will be a figure on the IP rating scale [1] that refers to how waterproof or water-resistant your wireless Bluetooth speaker is.

Take heed that waterproof and water-resistance are two different terms. It’s important to differentiate the two when purchasing your speaker. A waterproof bluetooth speaker can be full-on submerged in water and come out just fine. Even so, our experts do not advise doing this for long periods and frequently. 

A speaker that is water-resistant means it can handle splashes and the rain well, but again, our team does not advise leaving them out in stormy weather for long periods. With both definitions, you won’t need to worry about spillage when using your speakers at a party, outdoors or by the pool.

USB Charging and Battery Life

To be a portable speakers, it will need to have a rechargeable battery. This means you can charge your battery and use the speaker without a power source for a certain length of time. How many hours of battery life your device offers is a huge consideration to be the best Bluetooth speakers. This is how most of the best Bluetooth speakers work at the optimum. We see lots of speakers that can offer 12 hours to 15 hours or more, so that has set the standard.

A 12 hour battery will function better than just an 10 hour battery life. For the price range, our experts wouldn’t expect too much in terms of these features, but the ones we have suggested above can perform well for at least 10hours without recharging.

FAQ

What is the best Bluetooth speakers under $200?

The best option is the 3rd version of the JBL charge. Not only is it a very nice speaker to look at, it’s also one of the most durable on the market with a very high IP waterproof rating and the sound quality is just remarkable. The battery can function for 20 hours without a recharge and the audio from the speaker itself is powerful and expansive.

You can also check other JBL flip series, Charge 4, and Ultimate ears Boom

Our Top Pick For a Bluetooth Speaker Under $200: JBL Charge 3

For our top pick, our experts chose the JBL Charge three. The appealing aesthetics aside, the speaker has good sound quality and is a very durable one that ranks high on the IP waterproof rating scale. You won’t have to worry about liquids around this wireless speaker. 

Perhaps one of the most appealing traits about the Charge 3 is the battery life. It goes above and beyond 10 hours and sometimes even 12 hours where you can play your favorite tunes away from the power source.

The speaker is lightweight, attractive, has bluetooth connectivity, easily portable and can even allow you to take calls with a noise cancelling mic built-in. The highs, mids and lows are clear and accurate.

Want to know which better sound quality between JBL Charge three and JBL Pulse 2? Check our comparison of JBL Charge three and Pulse 2 here

Writer

Willie Greer
Willie Greer
Willie Greer is the founder of The Product Analyst. A cinephile, he has made it a personal quest to achieve the awesomest home theater possible. He now shares what he has learned through the years on the site, and has enlisted the help of tech-savvy colleagues in providing more insight about today’s most sought-after gadgets.