TechRadar Verdict
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 was already one of our favorite mug-sized Bluetooth speakers.
In case you wanted further confirmation, throw it in the drink and it also floats.
Sonically, the Wonderboom 4 is identical to theWonderboom 3.
Only when you push up the decibels is there a noticeable loss of detail.
Oh, and Ultimate Ears has finally made the switch to USB-C on the Wonderboom as well hurrah!
Thats the same as the Wonderboom 3 cost at launch, putting it firmly in the affordable category.
Otherwise, the Wonderboom 4s feature set remains very much the same as its predecessor.
Theres no built-in mic, either, so the Wonderboom 4 cant function as a speakerphone.
Nor does it benefit from the app support of more premium Ultimate Ears speakers, such as theHyperboom.
Wireless pairing is by Bluetooth 5.2.
But it can host multiple connections simultaneously, in case youre sharing DJ duties.
Where the Wonderboom 4 continues to excel is battery life.
Rated at 14 hours from a full charge, we routinely achieved better than this during testing.
On a single stint, this is a speaker that simply goes and goes.
It remains a compact, tidily designed Bluetooth speaker thats put together very well.
Its all very familiar and all the better for it.
Despite its lightweight construction, its reassuringly solid in the hand.
All of which adds up to a speaker thats genuinely adventure-proof and made for the great outdoors.
Besides those unmissable volume buttons, youll find three controls on top of the Wonderboom 4 and one beneath.
Bass is bold, yet it doesnt overwhelm the mids and trebles.
The soundstage is nicely balanced, too.
Crank the volume beyond reasonable levels and you will encounter distortion, with harsh treble creeping in.
That said, we were impressed with how well the Wonderboom 4 handled complex tracks even at higher volumes.
If youre listening outdoors, the Outdoor Boost setting reduces the bass and amps up the treble.
This produces audio that carries better outside, but it also comes with a clear loss in quality.
Its a useful setting for picnic playlists, but not one to use at home.
New for the Wonderboom 4 is a Podcast mode, which tweaks the EQ to suit spoken vocals.
Otherwise, we think the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 represents fantastic value for a Bluetooth speaker in 2024.
Should I buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4?
At $109 / 99 / AU$169, it’s our favorite mid-range Bluetooth speaker.
Yet it also works with the Bose Connect app, supports stereo pairing and has a built-in microphone.
Despite featuring just a single 40mm driver, sound quality is as good as you’d expect from Bose.
Read more about how we test
