Award winner · Bluetooth Speakers
Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus
A portable Bluetooth speaker that meets every expectation of its price class and floats when it lands in the water: 81 of 100 points.
- Award ID
- EPEI-BVA-2026-000022
- Reference price
- €199.99
- Price class
- Upper mid-range
- Assessment date
- 2026-07-25
Editorial award
Assessed on our own initiative
The manufacturer was not involved in this assessment, was not contacted about it, and paid nothing for it. The European Product Evaluation Institute selected this product itself and assessed it against the published category benchmark using publicly documented evidence only.
The verdict
The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is a portable, battery-powered Bluetooth speaker, assessed against the benchmark for Bluetooth Speakers in its European price class. It scored 81 of 100 points, well clear of the 70-point award threshold, which is the single threshold this scheme applies. The result rests on a complete set of fulfilled class expectations, three awarded bonus features and a favourable position within its verified price class.
All four expectations the benchmark defines for this class were documented: a manufacturer-stated battery life of up to 20 hours, IPX7 water protection, an app offering a full 10-band custom equaliser as well as firmware updates, and multi-speaker grouping far beyond two devices through PartyCast 2.0. No expectation was left unverified, so no deduction applied, and no negative characteristics were recorded during the assessment.
The evidence base is unusually solid for this category. Battery life, water protection and the multi-speaker system were each confirmed by four to six independent sources, the remaining points by manufacturer datasheet and independent review. Compliance as radio equipment under RED 2014/53/EU is treated as given for a product demonstrably distributed in the EU, in line with the benchmark's own assumption, with no evidence to the contrary.
Why it won
Waterproof and floatable
The benchmark expects at least approximately IPX6 in this class. The speaker is documented as IPX7 waterproof and floatable, so it survives immersion and drifts on the surface of a pool or lake rather than sinking. That floatability is credited separately as a bonus feature worth two points.
Transparent power figures
Instead of peak or P.M.P.O. marketing values, the datasheet and independent testing document usable output: two subwoofers rising from 35 to 50 watts each and two one-inch tweeters from 15 to 20 watts in BassUP mode, 140 watts in total. Verifiable figures earn two bonus points.
Grouping beyond two units
The class expects multi-speaker operation past a simple stereo pair. PartyCast 2.0 links well over one hundred speakers into a single playback group, confirmed by four independent sources. This satisfies the expectation with a wide margin rather than only just meeting it.
App control and calls
The app supplies four EQ presets plus a full 10-band custom equaliser, and is also the route for firmware updates, keeping the product maintainable after purchase. A built-in microphone allows hands-free calls while connected, credited as a further two-point bonus feature.
Price and value
The verified reference price is €199.99, confirmed by the manufacturer's EU-DE shop at €199.99 and Saturn.de at €207.66. That places the speaker in the upper price class of €150 to €300, where buyers may expect roughly 20 hours of battery life, IPX6-grade water protection, an app with adjustable EQ, and multi-speaker grouping. The Boom 2 Plus delivers all four and adds three bonus features, earning a five-point price-position credit within its class.
What the evidence shows
Above-class features
- Floats on the water surface (pool/lake)T2
- Built-in microphone for speakerphone/callsT3
- Verifiable output figures in the datasheet: continuous power (RMS) and/or maximum sound pressure in dB instead of peak/PMPO marketing onlyT3
Class expectations met
- Battery life of at least approx. 20 hours per manufacturer spec (datasheet)T2
- Water protection of at least approx. IPX6 (IP67 common in this class)T2
- App with customizable equalizer and firmware updates via the appT3
- Multi-speaker grouping beyond 2 devices (Auracast or proprietary system)T2
Measured against the published category benchmark: Bluetooth Speakers (portable, battery-powered — mini speakers to party boxes) · 2026.07-4
What to consider
Warranty terms could not be verified from documented sources, so no warranty bonus was awarded; buyers should check the applicable terms themselves. No negative characteristics were recorded. Beyond that, the assessment deliberately covers documented, verifiable product characteristics only. It does not judge long-term durability, subjective sound preference, or the quality of after-sales service, none of which can be established from documentation.