Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Speaker (2nd Gen)

By Bose · Portable Bluetooth Speakers · Audio & Electronics

  • IP67 dust and waterproof rating
  • Up to 12 hours of battery life
  • Bluetooth 5.3 with 30 ft wireless range
  • Weighs 1.3 lbs

Lowest price seen
~$159.00 (approx.)
from $159.00 at Amazon

Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Summary

A small, waterproof Bluetooth speaker built for pools, beaches and bags, with Bose’s warm bass-forward sound and a built-in carry loop. Check the fine print before you buy: it is mono, there is no analog input, and no wall charger is in the box.

Strengths

  • A genuinely waterproof IP67 build that floats and can be rinsed after salt or chlorinated water.
  • Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint and a real 3-band EQ in the free Bose Connect app.
  • Rugged, pocketable design with a built-in carry loop.
  • Speakerphone and PositionIQ orientation-aware tuning work without extra gear.
  • SimpleSync links it to compatible Bose home speakers and TVs.
  • Low ownership cost: no dock, no subscription and no consumables.

Weaknesses

  • Mono output; you need a second Bose speaker and Stereo Mode for true stereo.
  • Tom’s Guide calls the soundstage narrow and says the in-app EQ helps.
  • No 3.5 mm input and no USB audio; USB-C is for charging only.
  • No wall adapter in the box, so budget for a USB charger.
  • The soft silicone surface attracts lint.
  • The battery is not user-replaceable, and the 1-year warranty is short.

Verified specifications

ModelSoundLink Flex Portable Speaker (2nd Gen), part SLFLXII-SPEAKERWIRELESS.
ProtectionIP67 dust- and water-resistant; it floats, can be rinsed after salt or chlorinated water, and Bose says it withstands drops.
Batteryup to 12 hours of playback at 50% volume; about 4 hours to charge over USB-C (5 V / 1.5 A).
WirelessBluetooth 5.3, working range about 30 ft (9 m), with multipoint for two simultaneous source devices.
Driverone shielded full-range driver with passive radiators; Bose does not publish wattage or frequency range.
FeaturesPositionIQ orientation-aware tuning, SimpleSync with compatible Bose home speakers and TVs, a built-in speakerphone, and Party Mode / Stereo Mode linking.
Controlspower, volume, a multifunction play/pause and track-skip button, Bluetooth pairing, and a programmable shortcut button.
AppBose Connect, for firmware updates, voice-prompt and auto-off settings, multi-speaker linking and a 3-band EQ.
Dimensions7.93 × 3.56 × 2.06 in (W × H × D); about 1.29 lb.
Materialsaluminum grille and body elements with silicone, fabric, nylon, plastic and steel.
In the boxthe speaker, a USB-C to USB-A charging cable, and a safety and quick-start sheet. No wall adapter, carabiner or audio cable.
Warranty1-year limited; BoseCare protection is a paid extension.
Full research notes and sources

Sound and tuning

Bose tunes this speaker for warmth, not accuracy, and the design goal is a rugged everyday speaker rather than a neutral one. The closest lab-style review of this chassis is PCMag’s take on the original 1st-gen Flex: it praised the power and bass depth for the size, with strong low-frequency response but no true sub-bass, and noted that the bass can flirt with distortion at top volume before the DSP reins it in. PCMag also found the upper-mids slightly dialed back against the highs for a bright, bass-forward signature, clear speakerphone intelligibility, and mono imaging. Tom’s Guide’s 2nd Gen hands-on praised the sound, the app and the looks but flagged a narrow soundstage that benefits from the in-app EQ. No measured frequency response, max SPL or distortion figures for the exact 2nd Gen were readable, so treat any third-party numbers as estimates rather than specs.

Battery and charging

Bose rates the battery at up to 12 hours at 50% volume. Turn it up and runtime shortens, and Bose does not publish a range. Charging runs over USB-C at 5 V / 1.5 A and takes about 4 hours. No wall adapter is included, so plan on your own USB charger. The battery is sealed in, not user-replaceable, so aging cells mean warranty or replacement rather than a swap.

Durability and care

The IP67 rating covers dust and water immersion, and Bose says the speaker floats and survives drops. Bose’s own care instruction is the tell: rinse it after salt or chlorinated water and keep the USB-C port dry before charging. That points to the seal and gasket area as the part to watch over years of pool and beach use. There are no documented serviceable parts, so water ingress in the seal or battery aging is a replacement, not a repair. Warranty is 1 year, with BoseCare as a paid extension.

Which model this is

This is the SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Speaker (2nd Gen), part SLFLXII-SPEAKERWIRELESS, the late-2024 update to the 2021 SoundLink Flex. The 2nd Gen adds Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint pairing and a 3-band app EQ over the original, which was Bluetooth 4.2 with SBC only and no user-adjustable EQ. Keep it separate from the SoundLink Micro, the SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) and the larger SoundLink Max. The Amazon listing for this model is ASIN B0D6WD2QSQ.

Is it worth it?

Bose listed the 2nd Gen at $99 during its Fall Sale against a $159 reference price (Bose, October 2026). At launch in late 2024 Tom’s Guide saw it at $149 to $159, with street pricing around $99. The original 2021 Flex launched at $149, and PCMag called about $150 fair for that generation. Up to $100 the 2nd Gen is a reasonable buy, with the IP67 floating build, multipoint Bluetooth, app EQ and speakerphone doing the work. From $100 to $130 it is fair, and above $130 it is weak to fair, since the soundstage is narrow and rivals at that money are better documented. PCMag named the JBL Charge 5 and Sony SRS-XB33 as key rivals for the family. Budget for a USB wall charger, since none is in the box.

Sources

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Independent reviews:

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