A portable Bluetooth speaker is one of the best investments you can make. It’s an awesome way to bring and play your favorite music anywhere, whether it’s small gatherings in the house, outside in the park or in the privacy of your own cubicle when the office is dead. Some of us even take it into the shower when getting our Ferris Bueller on. No one’s judging.
I’ve tested many portable speakers and can say that having one on hand for business trips makes a huge difference. But since a new baby and the pandemic hasn’t allowed for much travel, I’ve just settled into my new place looking for something to liven up the atmosphere during work hours. A few weeks back, I did some online shopping and discovered the Anker Soundcore Mini, an inexpensive speaker that does way more than its appearance and price suggest.
If you’re a bass fanatic who wants emphatic audio performance in a tiny, affordable package, you can’t go wrong purchasing the Anker Soundcore Mini.
While falling slightly short of our budget pick for best portable Bluetooth speakers, Anker’s mini sound blaster is a fantastic option for budget-conscious shoppers who want loud, satisfying sound in a portable design.
How I found the Anker Soundcore Mini
Adding a mini Bluetooth speaker to my office setup has been on my mind for a while. I can only wear headphones and earbuds for so long before fatigue sets in. More importantly, I’ve noticed how flawed music sounds on MacBook Pro speakers; it lacks oomph.
A quick Google search for cheap portable speakers sent me down a rabbit hole of content, so I said “screw it” and just went on Amazon. Not one to chance it on no-name brands, I sought out some familiar names and stumbled upon this Anker product. More than 78,000 reviews with a 4.5-star rating seemed convincing enough to add to my cart.
Past experiences with Anker also influenced my decision. I’ve tested many Soundcore speakers and always found them to be of quality. The Soundcore Mini somehow flew under my radar, but I’m grateful it popped up now.
Why it’s a score
This speaker delivers surprisingly good sound for its size and hardware limitations. The Soundcore Mini only has a 5W driver, but it comes paired with a passive subwoofer that amps up bass and fills an entire room with sound. Listening to hard rock and hip-hop songs had me pumped when keyboard crunching at the desk. Anker’s reputation for overpowering bass has always preceded it, but I was shocked to hear how well balanced the Soundcore Mini sounded. Mids were crisp, allowing for clearer instrumental separation and vocal output. Highs weren’t as transparent, but I could still hear them.
The Soundcore Mini projects sound at reasonable volume levels, though it doesn’t match the loudness or robust audio performance of our top travel speaker pick in the $48 Sony XB13. Sony has been in the game longer and knows its way around engineering portable speakers, and the XB13 just happens to produce clearer and richer sound. Still, none of that takes away from the Soundcore Mini’s sonic achievements.
The amount of functionality Anker squeezed into this tiny cylinder is also stunning when factoring in price. Having 15 hours of playtime on a single charge is impressive; I got 10 days of use before recharging.
Like most speakers, the Soundcore Mini comes with aux capability to connect to other media devices. This came in clutch when the battery died and I needed some entertainment to get me through the day. Music sounded better than it did coming out of the MacBook Pro’s speakers, though I still preferred listening over Bluetooth since mid- and high-range tones were emphasized.
Plus, what other speakers under $25 come with a microSD slot? Yes, the Soundcore Mini doubles as a media player, letting you play music files directly on the speaker, which is serviceable when your iPhone or Android phone runs low on battery life.
Another surprise is the FM tuner; pressing the M button turns it on. You’ll hear a static noise at first, but it turns out that the bundled Micro USB cable acts as an antenna, so plugging the speaker into a power source will play radio stations clearly. I saw one YouTuber say the feature also worked well as a white noise machine, but you’ll find more pleasant soundscapes via third-party apps.
Wireless performance is another positive for this speaker. Despite running on Bluetooth 4.0, I enjoyed stable connectivity in multiple settings. It carries an estimated range of 35 feet in closed-door settings and up to 60 feet in open spaces.
I’d say the only two things missing are USB-C charging and a felt carry bag to take on the go, but otherwise, Anker’s Soundcore Mini is a little-engine-that-could product that proves great sound doesn’t always come at a premium.