The Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go is a small, portable speaker that can accompany you almost anywhere. While it might not fit inside every coat pocket, its handy carrying loop means it can be attached to your bag with ease. As a mono speaker on its own, you can pair it with another unit for stereo playback and tweak its sound using its companion app. That all sounds very nice on paper, but is this speaker worth picking up? Read on to find out.
Our Verdict
The Anker Select 4 Go is middling for listening to music. However, the main issue for music fans will be its lack of bass, but that's to be expected given its small size. Tiny drivers simply can't reproduce low-bass thump, so your favorite EDM tracks will sound thin. On the plus side, the mid-range is mostly well-balanced, so voices and instruments are reproduced clearly. The treble range is more uneven, with a noticeable boost in the low-to-mid treble that can make higher-frequency details sound bright and a bit sharp. Happily, its companion app has a 9-band EQ that lets you tweak the speaker's sound to your liking, and you can use the dedicated Bluetooth button to pair it with another unit for stereo playback.
10 hours of continuous battery life.
Companion app has a graphic EQ.
Directivity isn't very good.
Needs a second unit to produce stereo audio.
The Anker Select 4 Go is disappointing for watching videos, but it's not really meant for this use. This small, portable speaker is designed to be easy to use on the go or outdoors. Its single driver isn't large enough to produce cinematic low-end thump, and it also can't reproduce stereo soundscapes unless you pair it with another unit. That said, the mostly well-balanced mid-range keeps dialogue clear, and its low-to-mid treble boost can also help with vocal clarity. However, you might run into lip-sync issues between your audio and video.
Companion app has a graphic EQ.
Directivity isn't very good.
Small size means it can't get very loud.
Needs a second unit to produce stereo audio.
The Anker Select 4 Go is good for podcasts. Its mid-range is mostly well-balanced, so voices sound natural and clear, and its low-to-mid treble boost helps with vocal clarity. Its tiny size also makes it super easy to take with you from room to room, and you can even attach its built-in loop to your bag. You'll want to make sure the speaker is facing you most of the time, as its single driver only faces forward, and its mini proportions mean it doesn't get loud enough to fill more than a smaller room. That said, for most podcast-listening situations, it will work well.
Extremely portable design.
10 hours of continuous battery life.
Small size means it can't get very loud.
The Soundcore Select 4 Go has no microphone, so you can't directly access your voice assistant through the speaker.
The Anker Select 4 Go is decent for outdoor use. It's remarkably portable and has a built-in hook, making it easy to take with you on the go or attach to your bag. Although it doesn't have an impact protection rating, it has excellent build quality, so it should withstand the rough-and-tumble of a camping trip. Its IP67 rating means it can be dropped in a puddle without damage, and dust won't get inside it. Unfortunately, its forward-facing mono speaker doesn't produce very immersive audio, and you need to be sitting in front of it to hear the best sound. However, its 10-hour battery life should see you through a long park hang or evening at a campsite.
IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.
Extremely portable design.
10 hours of continuous battery life.
Directivity isn't very good.
Small size means it can't get very loud.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 28, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 1.0.1. This includes the Test Bench 1.0 updates to all of our Sound tests: Frequency Response Accuracy, Raw Frequency Response, Directivity, and Loudness, as well as the revised Low-Frequency Extension calculation and related DRC updates introduced in Test Bench 1.0.1. There have also been text changes throughout the review, including to the usages and product comparisons, where applicable, to match these results. You can read more about these changes in our Test Bench 1.0 changelog and Test Bench 1.0.1 changelog.
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Updated Jul 21, 2026:
We've added a comparison to the JBL Go 5 in the Wired box of this review.
- Updated Jul 13, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 1.0, which includes new results for all of our Sound tests: Frequency Response Accuracy, Raw Frequency Response, Directivity, and Loudness. There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to the usages and product comparisons, to match these results. You can read more about these changes in our changelog.
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Updated May 07, 2025:
We mentioned the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 in the Voice Assistant section of this review.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Anker Select 4 Go comes in six different color variants: 'Black,' 'White,' 'Blue,' 'Green,' 'Electric Purple,' and 'Red.' We expect all these to perform the same as the 'Blue' variant we tested. Here is our unit's label.
If you come across another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go is a portable, outdoors-friendly speaker. It's IP67-rated and comes with a built-in carrying hook, like the JBL Go 4 and JBL Clip 5. That said, the Go 4 is a little smaller than the Anker but doesn't have as long a battery life. By contrast, the Clip 5 is a little bigger than the Select 4 Go, but its battery also doesn't last as long as the Anker speaker's. The Sony SRS-XB100 features a 360-degree design, so you don't have to sit directly in front of it to hear your audio perfectly. Unfortunately, you can't customize its sound via a companion app like you can with the Anker.
If you're planning some outdoor adventures, check out our recommendations for the best portable Bluetooth speakers and the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers. If you just want to keep costs down, our article on the best Bluetooth speakers under $100 will have you covered.
The Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go is slightly larger than the JBL Go 4. If tiny is what you need, the JBL is the way to go. But the Anker has a longer battery life than the JBL and is still very portable.
The JBL Clip 5 is a little bigger than the Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go, and it doesn't last as long off a single charge. The Anker lasts four hours longer, so it's the better choice if battery life matters most. However, the JBL is more flexible if you want to pair more than two speakers together using Party Mode. Its giant built-in carabiner is also easier to attach directly to bags and lines, while the Anker's loop needs an external clip or tie.
The Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go and the JBL Go 5 are highly portable speakers with similar strengths. Both can fit in the palm of your hand or be easily stowed in a tote bag or pocket. Both have front-facing designs that limit their directivity and can get similarly loud. However, there are some small differences that set them apart. The JBL has a sturdier build quality, with a higher IP68 rating for full water submersion, and allows for easy stereo pairing with another Go 5 speaker via the AirTouch feature. That said, the Anker has a slightly longer battery life, making it a better choice for all-day excursions.
The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 and the Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go are comparable speakers with different strengths. They're both tiny enough to fit in coat pockets and have built-in carrying hooks, making them easy to take on a hike. Since they're both so small, don't expect these to do justice to your favorite techno tracks, but they'll pack a bit more punch than your phone's built-in speaker. Of the two, only the Tribit has a built-in microphone for use with your device's voice assistant, and it can also serve as a battery pack to charge your phone. That said, the Anker is cheaper.
Test Results
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