Bose SoundLink Max Review

The Bose SoundLink Max is the largest speaker in Bose's portable range, priced from around £299, and it aims to pair Bose's signature refined sound with go-anywhere toughness. It is a big, rugged Bluetooth speaker with an IP67-rated body, a detachable carrying handle and enough volume to fill a garden — the premium alternative to the party-first speakers from JBL and others. Independent laboratory testing rates it great for outdoor use, with only one minor caveat.

Sound is where the SoundLink Max earns its place above cheaper rivals. It delivers the balanced, full-bodied sound Bose is known for, and the test found it gets pretty loud with minimal compression even near maximum volume — a genuine advantage over speakers whose bass softens when pushed hard. It also manages decent directivity for its class, spreading sound reasonably evenly, and the companion app adds an adjustable equaliser if you want to fine-tune the balance. For a portable that prioritises audio quality over sheer bombast, it is excellent.

This is a properly rugged speaker. The test praised its sturdy, portable design with a detachable carrying handle that makes it easy to grab and go, and its IP67 rating means it is not just splash-proof but fully submergible — it will survive a drop in the pool as well as a dusty campsite. It is not pocketable like Bose's smaller SoundLink Flex, but it is built to be thrown in a bag and taken anywhere without a second thought.

The test measured over 15 hours of continuous battery life, comfortably covering a long day out, and the USB-C port doubles as a power bank so you can top up a phone in a pinch. It supports Bose's SimpleSync and party-mode pairing to link with other Bose speakers for a bigger sound, and Bluetooth multipoint keeps two devices connected at once. It is a well-rounded feature set that suits the premium positioning, even if the 15-hour battery trails the marathon runtimes of some rivals.

There is only one real limitation. The test noted the directivity isn't the best — the sound is not perfectly consistent from every angle, so it pays to point it towards your listening spot for the fullest effect. It is a minor point that most people will never notice, and it does not detract from an otherwise excellent outdoor speaker.

The Bose SoundLink Max is a premium large-portable pick in our best Bluetooth speakers guide. It sits above Bose's own compact SoundLink Flex, trading pocketability for far more volume and a bigger sound. Its closest rival is the JBL Xtreme 4, which counters with a much longer 27-hour battery and a swappable cell, though the Bose edges it on refinement and composure at high volume. Anyone wanting 360-degree sound should consider the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4, while the party-scale JBL Boombox 4 goes louder still. Check the price on Amazon

The Bose SoundLink Max is one of the best premium portable speakers you can buy: a refined, powerful sound that holds together when you crank it, a genuinely rugged and submergible build, a handy carrying handle and a useful 15-hour battery with a built-in power bank. The slightly uneven directivity is the only real quibble, and an easy one to work around. If you want Bose sound quality in a speaker you can take to the beach, the park or the pool, it is a superb — if pricey — choice.

This review is based on independent laboratory testing rather than our own hands-on trial.