The Bose Soundlink Flex (2nd Gen) is the follow-up to the Bose SoundLink Flex. The sequel has a very similar design to its predecessor; it's still a small, portable, lightweight speaker that can accompany you on picnics or soundtrack kitchen dance parties, but there are a few notable changes. The control strip has been redesigned: it now has an easier-to-find Power button and a new Play/Pause button. And, unlike the predecessor, the speaker's companion app now has a graphic EQ so you can customize its sound. But does it have the same well-balanced sound out of the box? Read on to find out.
Our Verdict
The Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen is acceptable for listening to music. This is a small speaker, so it lacks low-end thump, but its mid-range is well-balanced, presenting instruments and vocals with plenty of detail. However, the elevated treble range can make higher-frequency details, like hi-hats, sound a touch piercing. Still, its companion app offers a 3-band graphic EQ for sound tweaking, and you can pair it with other second-generation SoundLink Flexes for stereo sound, which can feel more immersive.
Companion app has a graphic EQ.
Needs a second unit to produce stereo audio.
The Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen is disappointing for watching videos and movies, but as a lightweight, portable speaker, it's not designed for this purpose. It isn't large enough to reproduce the low rumbles of sound effects like explosions, and it only works in mono, so it doesn't produce audio that feels immersive or enveloping. That said, you can link two of these together via the companion app to get stereo sound. The balanced mid-range reproduces dialogue clearly, so it'll work for this usage in a pinch, but its elevated treble range can make some higher-frequency effects sound a bit sharp. You might also be bothered by the lip-sync issues between your audio and video.
Uses Bose SimpleSync to connect with other Bose Smart Speakers or Smart Soundbars.
Needs a second unit to produce stereo audio.
Mono, front-facing speaker results in poor directivity.
The Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen is decent for podcasts. It has a well-balanced mid-range that renders dialogue accurately and clearly. It's also portable enough to take with you from room to room, but it doesn't produce enough volume to fill larger rooms or gardens. You can place it either lying down or standing up, and it'll work well in the average kitchen so long as you ensure it faces you most of the time, since it isn't a 360-degree speaker.
Companion app has a graphic EQ.
Mono, front-facing speaker results in poor directivity.
The Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen is mediocre as a voice assistant because it doesn't have built-in voice-assistant capabilities. However, you can use it with your phone's Siri or Google Assistant, and it'll do an acceptable job; it will pick up your voice from far away and register what you're saying even in a noisy room.
Excellent far-field performance.
No built-in voice assistants.
The Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen is decent for the outdoors. It's remarkably portable and has excellent build quality, making it a good choice for park hangs or hikes, especially since its IP67 rating means it'll survive accidental drops into a shallow puddle. You can place it either standing up or lying down, and it will adjust its sound accordingly. If you're on a stroll, you can even attach the side strap to your backpack. Its battery life of roughly six to seven hours will get you through all but the longest hangs and hikes. Nonetheless, this small speaker doesn't get super loud, and its front-facing speakers don't produce 360-degree audio.
IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.
Needs a second unit to produce stereo audio.
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.
- 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 Feb 05, 2026:
We mentioned the Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) in the Portability section of this review.
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Updated Aug 26, 2025:
The Style section was updated to mention the Bose SoundLink Plus.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen comes in six color variants: 'Black,' 'Alpine Sage,' 'Sandstone,' 'Blue Dusk,' 'Citrus Yellow,' and 'Petal Pink.' We tested the 'Black' variant, and this is its label. We expect our results to be consistent between variants.
If you encounter any other variants of this speaker, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review accordingly.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen is the sequel to the Bose SoundLink Flex. The two generations have very similar designs, but the 2nd Generation features a redesigned control strip, a companion app with a graphic EQ, and support for AAC and aptX codecs.
Both generations of SoundLink Flex have front-facing speakers that produce a very directional sound. If you're looking for speakers that sound the same no matter what angle you're listening from, the 360-degree design of the Ultimate Ears BOOM 4 makes it a good alternative. While the SoundLink Flexes also both work with your phone's built-in voice assistants, if hands-free control is important to you, the Sonos Roam 2 is an excellent choice, as it has Amazon Alexa and Sono's own voice assistant built in.
Check out our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best waterproof speakers, and the best speakers under $100.
The JBL Charge 6 and the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) are both portable speakers designed for everyday and outdoor use, but they have different strengths. The JBL is larger and has a longer battery life. It also supports Auracast multi-speaker pairing with other Auracast-enabled JBL speakers, making it ideal for bigger spaces or group listening if you have a suite of compatible models. On the other hand, the Bose is smaller, lighter, and easier to carry. However, it only pairs with other 2nd Gen SoundLink Flexes.
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) and the JBL Charge 5 are very comparable portable speakers with different strengths. Both speakers have IP67 ratings for dust and water resistance, but in our tests, the JBL's battery lasted a lot longer than the Bose's. If voice assistants are important to you, you'll want the Bose, as it does an excellent job of supporting them on your smartphone.
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) is a smaller, more portable option compared to the Bose SoundLink Plus. You can adjust both their sound profiles via the graphic EQ and presets in the app, though both speakers are limited to mono-only playback. The SoundLink Plus has a longer battery life of almost 20 hours. While the SoundLink Flex's battery life is only a third of this, you're faced with a less daunting 2.4-hour charge time (as opposed to 4.6 with the larger speaker). If you're a voice assistant user, you'll likely favor the SoundLink Flex, though, which can work with compatible voice assistants on your phone and has an excellent microphone.
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) and the Marshall Emberton II have different strengths, but on balance, the Marshall is the better speaker. The main benefit of the Bose is that it supports your smartphone's voice assistant and is amazing at hearing what you're saying, even when you're far away or in a noisy room. On the other hand, the Marshall has a longer battery life and can play stereo content.
Test Results
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