Which Sonos Portable Speaker Should You Buy?

We break down the key similarities and differences between the Move 2 and Roam 2, as well as Sonos’s previous (now-discontinued) portable speakers.

By Tucker Bowe

Published July 8, 2024

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Updated July 8, 2024

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These days, Sonos sells two different portable speakers: the Move 2 and Roam 2. It has discontinued the original Move, the Roam and the Roam SL, although you can still buy each from third-party sellers like Amazon.

If you’re looking to buy a portable Sonos speaker and wondering what the actual differences (and similarities) are, here’s what you need to know.

All Sonos’s — current and discontinued — portable speakers have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity; they can work as a traditional portable Bluetooth speaker or, when connected to Wi-Fi, be grouped with other Sonos speakers in a multi-room speaker system.

They all support AirPlay 2 and are compatible with two voice assistants: Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Control. They all (except Roam SL) have Automatic Trueplay, meaning they automatically tune themselves to sound best for the space they’re in.

Ultimately, Sonos’s larger Move 2 (and Move) is the bigger, better-sounding and pricer option, while the Roam 2 (and Roam) is more affordable and portable beyond compare. The Roam SL is the cheapest option, and currently on sale, but notably sacrifices sound quality and voice control.

sonos speakers how we tested collage — The Move 2 (*left*) is roughly four times the size of Sonos’s Roam (*right*) and Roam 2 speakers.

Sonos’s Current Portable Speakers

Sonos Move 2

Specs

Size	6.6 pounds
Water-Resistance	IP56
Voice Assistant	Yes (Alexa, Sonos Voice Control)
Battery Life	Up to 24 hours

Pros

The all-day battery life is the killer feature
Stereo sound is a big upgrade
It's Sonos's most versatile portable speaker to date
New look, controls and now comes in an olive color

Cons

Costs $50 more than the original Move
No Google Assistant is a buzzkill, again

$336 at Sonos

$449.00 (25% off)
$336 at Amazon

$449 (25% off)

Release date: September 2023

The Move 2 is a new-and-improved version of Sonos’s 2019-released Move. It’s pretty much the same size and works very similarly, but the Move 2 has been upgraded in several key ways. It has an extra tweeter and can play true stereo sound (instead of just mono). It has over double the battery life. It supports USB-C line-in so that, when used with Sonos’s special adapter, you can connect the Move 2 directly to an analog source such as a turntable or CD player.

The Move 2 also supports reverse charging, meaning you can use its USB-C port and a USB-C cable to charge other devices — like your smartphone. Plus the Move 2 has a more refined look and new controls (similar to Sonos’s newer Era speakers), and it comes in anew olive finish as well as the tradition white or black. The two main downsides with the Move 2 are that it’s pricey and it doesn’t support Google Assistant.

Sonos Roam 2

Released in June 2024, the Roam 2 is Sonos’s ultra-portable speaker. It supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can use it as a traditional portable Bluetooth speaker or bring it inside and group it with your other Sonos multi-room speakers.

Specs

Size	0.95 pounds
Water-Resistance	IP67
Voice Assistant	Yes (Alexa, Sonos Voice Control)
Battery Life	Up to 10 hours

Pros

Much more affordable than the Move 2
Super portable, less than 1 pound
Works as a smart speaker
Available in more colors, including green, orange and blue
Extra button makes pairing and setup process easier than original Roam

Cons

The wireless charger is sold separately
Smaller size means it can't match the Move in sound quality
No Google Assistant is a buzzkill

$134 at Amazon

$179 (25% off)
$134 at Sonos

$179 (25% off)

Release date: June 2024

The second-generation Roam is identical to the original Roam in almost every way. It looks, sounds, and costs. It’s the same size, making it the smallest and most portable speaker that Sonos sells. Like its predecessor, the Roam 2 has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can use it in or outside the home. And it comes in several different finishes, including olive, wave (light blue), and sunset (orange).

The biggest difference is that the Roam 2 has a dedicated pairing button to make the setup process easier — it’s a much-welcome improvement. Unfortunately, like all of Sonos’s most recent smart speakers, the Roam 2 lacks support for Google Assistant. Also, Sonos has fixed the battery issue that was common in the original Roam.

(Note: Aside from the extra button on the back, an easy way to tell the difference between Roam 2 and Roam is that the “Sonos” logo is the same color as the speaker on the Roam 2, while the logo is always white on the Roam.)

Sonos Roam and Roam 2 speakers — The Roam 2 (left) and Roam (right) are identical in most ways. One way to tell the difference is that inside of white, the “Sonos” logo is the same color as the newer Roam 2 speaker.

Sonos’s Discontinued Portable Speakers

Sonos Roam (Discontinued)

Specs

Size	0.95 pounds
Water-Resistance	IP67
Voice Assistant	Yes (Google Assistant, Alexa, Sonos Voice Control)
Battery Life	Up to 10 hours

Pros

You can get a great deal on this older speaker
Super portable, less than 1 pound
Is compatible with voice assistants, even Google Assistant
Available in more colors, including green orange and blue

Cons

Sonos no longer sells and thus is difficult to buy
Battery issues are a common problem
The wireless charger costs extra

$143 at Amazon

$179 (20% off)

Release date: April 2021

The Roam is Sonos’s original ultra-portable smart speaker — which Sonos has stopped selling with the introduction of the Roam 2. It’s virtually identical to the Roam 2 and works pretty much the same, too. It weighs less than a pound, can function as a smart speaker (when connected to Wi-Fi), supports Auto Trueplay, and is available in blue, green and orange.

Once reason to maybe buy the Roam instead of the Roam 2 is that the former supports Google Assistant. That said, I’d strongly caution again buying the original Roam. It lacks a dedicated pairing button so the setup process isn’t as smooth. And, most importantly, battery issues have been a pretty common problem with this speaker.

Sonos Roam SL (Discontinued)

Sonos Roam SL (Discontinued)

Specs

Size	0.95 pounds
Water-Resistance	IP67
Voice Assistant	No
Battery Life	Up to 10 hours

Pros

Super portable and lightweight design
Sounds just like the Roam

Cons

Sonos no longer sells it
Lacks smart speaker functionality
Not available in all the same colors as the Roam
No Trueplay means it can't quite match the Roam's sound quality

$159.99 at Best Buy

Release date: March 2022

The Roam SL is very similar to the Roam, but lacks built-in microphones so it can’t do two things. First, it can’t function as a smart speaker — so no voice commands. And second, it doesn’t support Trueplay and thus won’t sound quite as good as the Roam does. The Roam SL is also only available in white or black, while the regular Roam now comes in three other colorful finishes.

The big advantage of the Roam SL was that people who didn’t want smart speaker functionality could get Sonos’s versatile portable speaker for less — at $159, it was $20 cheaper than the Roam. However, Sonos has discontinued this speaker and doesn’t offer a Roam SL “2” just yet.

Sonos Roam compared — Like the original Roam, the Roam SL lacks the dedicated pairing button that’s on the Roam 2.

Sonos Move (Discontinued)

Sonos Move

Specs

Size	6.6 pounds
Water-Resistance	IP56
Voice Assistant	Yes (Google Assistant, Alexa, Sonos Voice Control)
Battery life	Up to 10 hours

Pros

One of the best-sounding portable speakers you can buy
Supports Alexa, Google Assistant and Sonos Voice Control
More affordable than the Move 2

Cons

Sonos no longer sells it
Lacks the sound quality and some of the fancier features of the Move 2

$299 at Amazon

$399 (25% off)

Release date: September 2019

The Move, Sonos’s original portable speaker, is the same general size and shape as the Move 2. It works in much the same way, too. It lacks the modern look and versatility of the Move 2; it doesn’t have a USB-C line-in connection, for example, and thus, you can’t hook it up to your turntable or computer. It can only play mono sound, while the Move 2 supports stereo. And, maybe most significantly, it has nowhere near the Move 2’s “up to 24-hour” battery life.

Sonos no longer sells its original Move speaker, but you can get a pretty awesome deal on one from a third-party seller. In addition to the heavily discounted price, the Move is one of the few Sonos smart speakers that still supports Google Assistant.