The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is a bass-heavy Bluetooth speaker that I love for blasting party bangers

The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is more powerful, better-looking and sweeter-sounding than its standard-sized sibling, albeit far more expensive. The lack of a dustproof rating and slightly diminished battery life are a bit of a shame, but all in all, this model is well up to the task of being a booming party speaker. Booming bass. Upgraded looks. Customizable lights boost immersion. Still no dustproof rating.

Won’t provide the most detailed listen. Middling battery life. Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is a Bluetooth speaker that does exactly what it says on the tin. It blasts onto the scene with booming bass output, high volume levels and blaring LED lights – this thing is by no means subtle! And at $249.99 / £199.99 / AU$359.99 it’s by no means cheap, either – so let’s find out if the Boom 2 Plus is worth the cash.

It only seems right to start with the main attraction: bass. With BassUp 2.0 activated you’re going to get deep pumping low-end output, ideal for genres such as EDM or hip-hop, and for occasions such as house parties. Without it, you may find that bass is a touch underwhelming, so it’s worth toggling it on for when you really want to ramp up any low-frequency audio. Still, I didn’t find the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus could offer quite as ground-shaking bass as the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2.

All-round sound quality is up-to-scratch, too. I found mids and highs to be clear and free of tinniness – a big relief. On top of that, there’s a nine-band EQ so you can get a more neutral sound if that’s what you’re after. The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus isn’t going to supply the phenomenal attention to detail that some of the best Bluetooth speakers can offer, but it does include the AAC codec this time around, so it's a little better for Apple users in particular.

This speaker comes with a nice set of features, all of which can be accessed via the free-to-download Soundcore app. You can pick from preset or custom EQ calibrations, toggle BassUp, and alter light settings. The LED lights attached to the side of the speaker can sync up to audio output for a more immersive listening experience, and watching them rumble as the speaker pumps bass is highly satisfying.

The lights were one of many features already included in the original Anker Soundcore Boom 2. Now, don’t get me wrong, the standard-sized model is a decent budget option, but the Boom 2 Plus is an upgrade in almost every way. You get more power – as much as 140W for hitting high volumes – a more curved, quality-looking design, and a strap for carrying the speaker over long distances. But the Boom 2 Plus isn’t without its drawbacks. Of course, its far more expensive – yet still only has the IPX7 waterproof rating, meaning it still lacks a dustproof score. On top of that, the Boom 2 Plus actually offers less playtime than the standard Boom 2, with just 20 hours on offer. Now, that’s not too bad, but considering rivals like the Earfun UBoom X can muster 30 hours, you may be left wanting more.

But overall, the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is still an adept party speaker. You’re getting plenty of bass and plenty of ways to personalize both its sound and appearance. If you can grab it at a cut-price, I’d argue it's an option well-worth considering, but unfortunately there’s some really stiff competition in this price range. And if you’re able to stretch your budget a little bit further, I’d recommend going for the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 instead, which ultimately packs more of a punch and better protection against the elements.

The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is significantly pricier than the standard Boom 2 model, coming in with a list price of $249.99 / £199.99 / AU$359.99. That’s compared to the usual Boom 2’s launch price of $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$219.99. I’ve spotted it on sale for around $200 / £170, though, so keep your eyes peeled for a bargain. This 2024-issued model is available in a number of color options – all of which cost the same. The colorways available to you are: Adventure Green; Explorer Green; and the variant I tested, Phantom Black.

In terms of features, the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is almost identical to its standard-sized sibling. Button controls enable you to toggle on the low-end-boosting BassUp option, sift through light show settings and pair to a second speaker via PartyCast 2.0. And once again, there’s a USB-C port which enables the Boom 2 Plus to become a power bank. If you download the Soundcore app, however, you get access to even more features. The standout is EQ adjustment, which grants access to a nine band equalizer and a small selection of presets: Soundcore Signature, Voice, Treble Boost and Balanced (as well as BassUp). I would maybe have liked to see a few genre-specific options, but there’s still plenty of customizability here.