Who it’s for:
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is not a must-have upgrade for anyone who owns the Wonderboom 3, but like the former version, it’s a powerhouse for its size and price. This speaker’s small (and rugged enough) to take along for a hike, while traveling, and for tossing next to the pool. Plus, it’s so easy to find on sale that it’s often available at a cheaper price than the older Wonderboom 3.
In the weeks leading up to Black Friday, we’ve already seen this speaker drop down to its record low of $79.99. Again, it falls in price relatively often, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed that Black Friday proper might bring even more savings, but as this speaker is so new, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it stick to that $79.99 sale price.
Why we picked this:
The Wonderboom 4 is basically the same exact speaker as the Wonderboom 3, visually and internally. Like the Wonderboom 3, you can drop it from heights of up to five feet without worrying about destroying it. It’s also waterproof with an IP67 rating. If you drop it in water, it can float for up to 30 minutes and come out the other side working completely fine. It also features a healthy 14 hours of battery life, which is more than other speakers of a similar size.
So what’s different? On the sound front, the Wonderboom 4 has less muddiness than its predecessor, especially at higher volumes. In addition to the Outdoor Boost mode, you’ll also get a Podcast Mode. We will say that we’re not necessarily fans of the new addition — hosts’ voices came through compressed, while background static felt more pronounced. Generally, this mode shone much better on the brand’s Everboom speaker.
However, the standard audio is good enough for listening to podcasts and music, so ignoring the new EQ feels like a fine concession. As with the Wonderboom 3, we found that overall, the sound profile is well-rounded and can get loud. We do wish that this speaker had been updated with a companion app for more customization.
On the bright side, it’s very easy to plug, play, and now charge, thanks to the addition of a USB-C charging port. While it’s not all that different from the Wonderboom 3, anyone who wants a no-frills speaker that sounds good will be happy with this one. The Wonderboom 4 is easy to find in stock and on sale, making it our updated pick for the best speaker under $100.