Kenn is a writer that’s fascinated by all things tech. Having been born curious about how everything works, he spends his time taking things apart to put them back together, and shares what he finds out through writing.
The Sonos Roam delighted expert testers with its suitability for outdoor use since it was incredibly portable and had dust and water resistance. Experts were also satisfied with its build quality and ability to pick up voice commands, but they were unimpressed with its limited bass response and lack of speakerphone functionality.
We’re reader-supported. Commissions finance our mission. Our ‘True Score‘ system independently powers ratings. Learn more
Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
The Sonos Roam is a mid-tier Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in early 2021. The speaker allows for Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, and since it weighs only 0.9 pounds and is dust and water-resistant, it is one of the top speakers to get for outdoor use. The Sonos Roam comes with support for both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built-in, and through its Sonos S2 app, owners will also be able to make bass and treble adjustments.
The speaker’s 334 ft Bluetooth range is also great, and its AirPlay latency of -2ms is low enough for watching videos and movies without lag. The best Bluetooth speakers support both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and so does the Sonos Roam. This dual connectivity is something that the portable speaker also has in common with the Sonos Roam SL, which we’ve covered in our Sonos Roam SL review.
Consensus
our Verdict
The Sonos Roam was hailed by expert testers for its lightweight design, portability, and dust and water resistance, making it ideal for outdoor use. Product analysts from Sound Guys were delighted that the Sonos Roam could last for 10 hours when listening to music or streaming movie content at moderate volumes, but if this isn’t enough, check out our Pohoba EF B210G review for an even longer playback time. Specialists from Rtings lauded the speaker’s build quality, and after their tests, they were happy to observe that the speaker could pick up voice commands at a distance or in noisy environments.
However, testers were a bit disappointed with the lack of bass on the Sonos Roam. The Sonos One SL offers a much better bass response, while the Ultimate Ears MEGABLAST gets much louder, so feel free to check them out in our Sonos One SL review and our Ultimate Ears MEGABLAST review. Testers also didn’t like the lack of speakerphone functionality, and for that, we’d recommend checking out our Google Nest Mini review.
ReasonS to Buy
Supports Google Assistant and Alexa
Great build quality
Supports Bluetooth and WiFi
Easy-to-use companion app
Dust and Water resistant
Reason to Avoid
Underwhelming bass response
No speakerphone functionality
Sonos Roam Specs
Battery Charge Time
2 hrs
Battery Life
10 hrs
Built In Microphone
Yes
Charge Time
2 hrs
Depth
2.44"
Height
6.6"
Smart App
Amazon Alexa app, Google Assistant, Sonos app
Speaker Pairing
Yes
Water Resistant
Yes
Wattage
10W
Width
2.3"
Wireless Range
40 m
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Speakers based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
Battery Life (Hours)
9.6
Volume Output (dB)
86.6
Low End Roll Off (Hz)
0
High End Roll Off (Hz)
0
Like what you’re reading? Get trustworthy, transparent product reviews and the latest tech news delivered to your inbox every morning.
The Sonos Roam is a mid-tier Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in early 2021. The speaker allows for Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, and since…
The Sonos Roam is a mid-tier Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in early 2021. The speaker allows for Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, and since it weighs only 0.9 pounds and is dust and water-resistant, it is one of the top speakers to get for outdoor use. The Sonos Roam comes with support for both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built-in, and through its Sonos S2 app, owners will also be able to make bass and treble adjustments.
The speaker’s 334 ft Bluetooth range is also great, and its AirPlay latency of -2ms is low enough for watching videos and movies without lag. The best Bluetooth speakers support both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and so does the Sonos Roam. This dual connectivity is something that the portable speaker also has in common with the Sonos Roam SL, which we’ve covered in our Sonos Roam SL review.
Buyers might be attracted to the Sonos Roam since it is smaller than the Sonos Move and, therefore, more portable, but the Sonos Move delivers…
Buyers might be attracted to the Sonos Roam since it is smaller than the Sonos Move and, therefore, more portable, but the Sonos Move delivers a more profound bass response and gets slightly louder. The Sonos Move also has a longer-lasting 10.1-hour battery compared to the 5.1-hour battery life of the Sonos Roam, but the Roam has a much lower AirPlay latency.
The Sonos Roam offers Bluetooth connectivity while the Bose SoundLink Revolve II does not; however, the Revolve II has speakerphone functionality while the Sonos Roam…
The Sonos Roam offers Bluetooth connectivity while the Bose SoundLink Revolve II does not; however, the Revolve II has speakerphone functionality while the Sonos Roam does not. The Sonos Roam is lighter than the Revolve II and allows for both bass and treble adjustments, while the Revolve II does not. Still, the Revolve II has a longer 9.5-hour battery life compared to the Sonos Roam, which lasts up to 5.1 hours.
The Sonos Roam is smaller and more lightweight than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker, and its AirPlay latency is much lower than that of the…
The Sonos Roam is smaller and more lightweight than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker, and its AirPlay latency is much lower than that of the Bose Speaker. However, the Bose Speaker has a lower bass response.
