If you are in a hurry! here is a quick comparison to Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 and Boom 3
Model |
UE Boom 3 |
UE Wonderboom 2 |
---|---|---|
Dimensions |
7.2 x 2.8 inches |
3.75 x 4.09 inches |
Weight |
1.34 lbs |
0.92 lbs |
Wireless pairing |
Ultimate Ears (UE) |
Ultimate Ears (UE) |
Water resistance |
IP67 |
IP67 |
Frequency range |
90Hz – 20kHz |
75Hz – 20kHz |
Charging Time |
2.75h |
2.6h |
USB Port |
Micro USB |
Micro USB |
Battery Life |
Around 15 hours |
Around 13 hours |
Drivers |
Two 2-inch |
Two 1.57-inch |
Bluetooth |
Bluetooth 5.0 |
Bluetooth 5.0 |
Rating |
||
Price |
Choosing a Bluetooth speaker depends on personal preference and what prioritizing the features that you need. Ultimate Ears has different categories of Bluetooth speakers, from small ones that are very portable to large ones that can start a massive party.
In this case, Wonderboom 2 is a smaller Bluetooth speaker that can produce outstanding sound quality and, at the same time,, maintain its portability.
On the other hand, we have the Boom 3, a larger and more powerful Bluetooth speaker with better battery life.
In this comparison test, we will go through their specifications and find out which is better than the UE Wonderboom 2 or Boom3.
About Ultimate Ears
Ultimate Ears is an American based company owned by Logitech, and it took the world by the storm. They are mostly known for their unique and eye-pleasing designs that are very durable and have many features to offer for the money.
They’ve improved quite a lot over the years, and now they are capable of rivaling some of the best Bluetooth speaker manufacturers like JBL. In fact, most of their Bluetooth speakers have better features than JBL in every category.
UE Wonderboom 2
Since the original Wonderboom had an enormous success, Ultimate Ears decided to reborn their greatest hit.
UE Wonderboom 2 is a compact and small Bluetooth speaker rugged and louder than you expected. With its smaller dimensions of 3.75 x 4.09 inches, it’s one of the best-sized speakers on the market.
It is covered in high-quality fabric just like every other Ultimate Ears speaker making it very durable and water-resistant with IP67 certificate.
It has the signature Ultimate Ears design with the oversized plus and minus signs and comes in many different colors.
The thing that surprises the most is the sound quality, which given its size, is very loud, especially with its Outdoor Boos feature enabled.
Pros
- Smaller size making it very portable
- Surprisingly good sound
- Water-resistant
- Many color options
Cons
- Lack of bass
UE Boom 3
In contrast, we have the UE Boom 3, which is slightly larger and firs in the mid-sized category. Just as you would expect from Ultimate Ears, the Boom 3 produces high-quality sound.
Given its size, the Boom 3 has long-lasting battery life, and two 2-inch drivers combined with passive radiators capable lighting up every party.
When it comes to the design, the Boom 3 is covered in very durable fabric and has a two-tone design which looks incredible.
Since Boom 3 has a decent amount of bass, the sound is sharp, as you would expect. Basically, the bass is pushing back some of the mids and highs.
Just like the Wonderboom 2, the Boom 3 is waterproof and dustproof with IP67 certificate.
Pros
- Great design
- Very durable Bluetooth speaker
- Loud
- Wireless Charging available for an additional cost
- IP67 Certificate (floats on water)
Cons
- Sound quality is not brilliant
- There is no AUX port
Face-to-Face
Which is Better UE Wonderboom 3 vs. Boom 3?
Since the same company manufactures both Bluetooth speakers, we have to run a comparison test to find out which is better.
Design
Let’s get one thing straight from the start; both Bluetooth speakers look outstanding. If you buy each of them, you will definitely receive a lot of compliments.
In terms of esthetics, they look very similar. In fact, almost every Bluetooth speaker from Ultimate Ears has the same cylindrical design that sits vertically. Both speakers have the same oversized plus and minus signs.
The only significant difference in terms of design is the size. The Wonderboom 2 comes at 3.75 x 4.09 inches, whereas the Boom 3 is slightly taller and tinner coming at 2.8 x 7.2 inches.
Given the difference in size, the Boom 3 is 188 grams heavier, which is not very noticeable.
The Wonderboom 2 design looks like a squashed Boom 3.
Apart from the oversized buttons, the Wonderboom 2 has a carrying strap on the top, which accents the speaker’s portability. There are also buttons on the top of the speaker for turning it off/on, pairing, and playback.
On the bottom of the Wonderboom 2, the Outdoor Boost button dials up the volume much higher.
More: Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3: Which Is the Better Bluetooth Speaker
There is a plastic door on the backside of the Wonderboom 2 that seals the speaker’s MicroUSB charging port.
The Wonderboom 2 comes in four different colors (radical red, black, ice gray and blue), the best thing is that there are many customized designs with hand-drawn graphics on the market, but they are more expensive than the standard colors.
On the other hand, Boom 3 has the same design, only a bit bigger. Plus, there is no Outdoor Boost button on the bottom since the Boom 3 can we charged Wirelessly.
The Boom 3 comes in seven colors (blue, night-black, red, purple, cloud, denim, storm), unfortunately there no customized designs for the Boom 3.
Winner: Wonderboom 2
Sound Quality
In terms of sound quality, you will definitely be surprised by Wonderboom 2. Although it is a small Bluetooth speaker, it produces a very clear and loud sound, especially when you enable the Outdoor Boost feature.
However, there is a bit of distortion if you push the Wonderboom 2 to the max volume, but if you keep it below 80%, the music sounds excellent.
The Wonderboom 2 has surprisingly clear sound quality and compared to the Boom 3, it sounds more precise at a lower level. However, if you enable the Outdoor Boost, the sound quality experiences a significant drop in quality.
More: Ultimate Ears Megablast vs Megaboom 3: Which Bluetooth Speaker is Better
The Wonderboom 2 has two 1.57 inch drivers compared to the Boom 3 that has two 2-inch drivers, and both of them have two passive radiators.
Another surprise is that the Wonderboom 2 has a lower frequency response from 75Hz to 20kHz, whereas Boom 3 can reach from 90Hz to 20kHz.
The Wonderboom 2 is also an active speaker, which means an amplifier fits into the device for pumping up the sound.
Both speakers have a 360-degree angle for sound dispersing, which is great since you can place them in the middle of the room and turn on the party.
The Boom 3 has more bass kick than the Wonderboom 2, but the mids and highs are a bit pushed back.
Winner: Wonderboom 2
Connectivity
Since you are interested in buying a Bluetooth speaker, you need to pay close attention to connectivity features.
In terms of Bluetooth connectivity, Ultimate Ears are widely known for making the strongest and long-distance connections on their devices. Both of these devices are no exception.
The Boom 3 has an incredible 45 meters range, and the Wonderboom 2 has slightly smaller but still decent 30 meters of range. In the real world, it is hard to reach such range since there will be objects that block the signal, but they are still providing the best range in the Bluetooth speaker industry.
More: Comparing Ultimate Ears Boom 3 with JBL Flip 5 -Which is The Better Bluetooth Speaker?
Unfortunately, they don’t have an NFC connection, which allows you to connect a device only by tapping them together.
Also, they don’t have a built-in mic, which means there is no option for answering calls through your Bluetooth speaker.
In terms of shared play, the Wonderboom 2 can connect with another Wonderboom speaker for stereo play, whereas the Boom 3 can connect with two speakers for stereo or with over 150 other speakers for a huge party.
Winner: Boom 3
Battery Life
To get the most out of your Bluetooth speaker, you need to have a long-lasting battery. If the battery life is your main concern, you should definitely go with Boom 3 since it has a battery life of 15 hours compared to the Wonderboom 2 that only has 13 hours of playtime.
However, the Wonderboom 2 has a slightly shorted charge tie of 2.6 hours compared to the Boom 3 that is fully charged in 2.75 hours.
The best feature that comes with the Boom 3 is wireless Charging. Although the wireless dock is sold separately, it is still a great feature to have.
Winner: Boom 3
What Is The Difference Between the Wonderboom 2 and Boom 3?
Sound Quality
Although both of these speakers are similar, the sound quality is the main difference that will pull you to one or another. Mainly, the Wonderboom 2 has more precise sound, but with its smaller drivers, it cannot reach the same loudness as the Boom 3.
Plus, if you push the Wonderboom 2 to its limits, the sound can get distorted, compared to the Boom 3, which maintains the same audio quality on every sound level. Plus, Boom 3 has a stronger bass.
More: Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs 2: Does it Worth the Upgrade?
Customizable Equilizer
Another important difference is the lack of equalizer settings on the Wonderboom 2. Usually, Ultimate Ears Bluetooth speakers come with an app that allows you to turn the speaker off or on, or play with the equalizer settings.
Unfortunately, Wonderboom 2 doesn’t have this feature. On the other hand, Boom 3 comes with an app that allows you to choose from four presets or make your own.
More: Bose SoundLink 3 VS. Bose Revolve+: What Will Speak-er Better
Customized Color Options
The best thing about Wonderboom 3 is that it comes in customized color options. Many different eye-pleasing designs make the speaker pop. For instance, you can choose a cartoon design or camouflage.
On the other hand, the Boom 3 comes only with solid color options.
Verdict
Choose the UE Boom 3 if:
- You want harder bass.
- You want longer battery life.
- You want a stable Bluetooth connection.
- You want EQ settings.
- You want Wireless Charging.
Choose the UE Wonderboom 2 if:
- You want a more portable Bluetooth speaker.
- You want precise sound.
- You want customized colors.
- You want a lower frequency range.
They are both great-performing Bluetooth speakers. The Wonderboom 2 is more for casual play and to keep you entertained while you travel, and on the other hand, Boom 3 is more powerful speaker that can start a party.
The only way to choose between both of them is to decide your top priorities for your Bluetooth speaker.