UE Boom 4

The UE Boom 4 is the speaker built for outdoors and groups, and its trick is in the shape. It is a cylinder, so it throws sound a full 360 degrees rather than firing in one direction, which makes it the natural pick when people are spread around a backyard or a campsite. At $149, down from a $229 recommended retail price (RRP), it is keenly priced for what it does.

It is rugged by design, wrapped in tough fabric, rated IP67 for dust and water, and it floats, which is a genuinely useful party trick at the pool. Battery runs 16 hours, output is 24 watts of room-filling 360-degree sound, and the one-touch Bluetooth button plays and pauses straight from the speaker. There is a built-in microphone, though it is basic.

What the RefDat test lab found

The 360-degree sound is the real difference. At a backyard gathering, nobody was stuck behind the speaker, the sound was even all the way around, and it filled the space to around 85 decibels. The tuning is bass-forward and energetic, made for outdoor fun rather than critical listening, so acoustic and classical lose some nuance. Battery matched the 16-hour rating, and we splashed, dropped and floated it without a problem.

What owners actually report

Owners on Whirlpool and OzBargain rate it for durability and the outdoor sound, with the floating and ruggedness regularly called out as the reasons it survives real use. The recurring watch-outs are the bass-heavy tuning that is fun but not balanced, and a microphone owners describe as mediocre for calls. A few note it is not quite as solid as a Bose or JBL over years of abuse. For an outdoor party speaker, most are happy.

Who should skip it? If you want neutral, accurate sound or the toughest long-term build, look at the Bose SoundLink Flex or JBL Charge 5. For even, 360-degree sound at a barbecue or campsite, the Boom 4 is purpose-built.

You will find it at JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Officeworks. OzBargain catches discounts during tech sales.

Australian Consumer Law (ACL): a portable speaker at $149 should reasonably last 4 to 6 years, with the consumer guarantees realistically covering 2 to 3, beyond the usual 1-year warranty. If the battery fails, Bluetooth drops out or a driver stops working in that window, you have a claim. With its IP67 rating, water ingress is a genuine fault. Take it to your retailer.

Bottom line: a tough, floating, 360-degree party speaker that is highly recommended for outdoor use. Skip it if you want neutral sound or a top-tier microphone. RefDat score 4.4 out of 5.