Which Sonos Portable Speaker is Right for Me?
Sonos Roam 2 vs Play vs Move 2: Which Portable Speaker Is Right for You?
Having been a Sonos approved reseller since 2008, we've sold and recommended a huge number of Sonos products, and the portable range is one we get asked about a lot. With three options at very different price points, it can be tricky to know which one suits your life.
All three are on demo in our Fleet showroom, so if you'd rather hear the difference for yourself, just walk in.
Quick answer
Roam 2: for travel, days out and the smallest budget.
Play: the all-rounder for kitchen, living room and garden.
Move 2: the biggest sound, for large gardens and open-plan rooms.
Published April 2026 · Updated October 2026
The Three Sonos Portable Speakers
Sonos offers three battery-powered portable speakers, each designed with a different listener in mind. Prices shown are SRP; check each product page for our latest offer, or browse the full Sonos speaker range.
How Portable Do You Need It to Be?
Size is probably the first thing to consider. The Roam 2 is genuinely pocket-friendly at 168mm tall and 430g, so it slips into a jacket pocket or day bag. The Play is roughly twice the size at around 1.3kg, with a removable carry strap. The Move 2 is the big one: 240mm tall and around 3kg, with a built-in handle. It's more of a "move it between rooms and out to the garden" size than a "take it hiking" size.
Our Take: if you're heading to the beach or a festival, or travelling light, the Roam 2 is the one. If you want something that lives in the kitchen but comes out to the garden at weekends, the Play is the sweet spot. If you want to fill a large outdoor space or open-plan room, the Move 2 is hard to beat.
Weather Resistance
All three are built to handle the great British outdoors, but there's a meaningful difference in their ratings. The Roam 2 and Play are IP67: fully dustproof and able to be submerged in up to 1m of water for 30 minutes. Drop one in a paddling pool or leave it out in heavy rain, and it'll be fine.
The Move 2 is IP56: excellent protection against splashes, rain and dust, but not designed to be submerged. For most garden use, this won't matter at all.
Battery Life
The Roam 2 gives around 10 hours on a single charge, which is respectable for its size. The Play and Move 2 both offer around 24 hours, and both come with a charging base in the box, so they can sit on the kitchen counter like a regular home speaker.
Worth noting: the Play and Move 2 both have a replaceable battery, a thoughtful touch for long-term ownership.
How Do They Sound?
Roam 2
Powered by two Class-H digital amplifiers with a single tweeter. Don't let the size fool you: it delivers a warm, full sound with impressive bass for something you can hold in one hand. Designed for on-the-go listening, and it does that job very well.
Shop Roam 2 →Play
A step up in performance, with one mid-woofer, two angled tweeters and two side-mounted bass radiators, each driven by its own Class-H amplifier. The result is genuine stereo, with noticeably more depth and low-end than the Roam 2. It sounds at home in a kitchen, a living room or outside on a summer afternoon.
Shop Play →Move 2
The flagship portable, and it sounds like it. Two angled tweeters and a mid-woofer in a sealed enclosure, powered by three Class-D amplifiers, deliver true stereo with real weight and scale. The one to choose for a big garden, a kitchen-diner or an open-plan living area.
Shop Move 2 →
All three support Automatic Trueplay, which continuously tunes the sound to the acoustics of wherever the speaker is.
Connectivity
All three offer Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay 2, work with Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Control, and join a wider Sonos multi-room system.
One key difference: the Roam 2 works as a Bluetooth speaker straight out of the box, with no app setup. The Play and Move 2 need to be added to Wi-Fi through the Sonos app before Bluetooth will work. Worth knowing if you're buying one as a gift.
The Play and Move 2 also support USB-C line-in with the optional Sonos Line-In Adapter, so you can connect a turntable or other analogue source. Great for vinyl fans.
Use Play or Move 2 as Surround Speakers
Since the Sonos 27 update in September 2026, the Play and Move 2 can be used as portable surround speakers with a Sonos soundbar. Add them for film night, then pick them up and take them out to the garden the next day.
If you already have a Sonos soundbar, or are planning one, this makes the Play or Move 2 an even better buy than the Roam 2.
Sonos Portable Speaker Comparison
| Compact & lightweightRoam 2 | Most popularPlay | Maximum performanceMove 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| SRP | £179 | £299 | £449 |
| Design & Size | |||
| Height | 168 mm | 192.3 mm | 240 mm |
| Weight | 430 g | 1.3 kg | 3 kg |
| Carry handle / strap | ✕ | Utility strap | Built-in handle |
| Charging base | Optional extra | Included | Included |
| Durability & Battery | |||
| Water & dust rating | IP67 | IP67 | IP56 |
| Submersible (up to 1m) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Battery life | 10 hrs | 24 hrs | 24 hrs |
| Replaceable battery | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Audio | |||
| Amplifiers | 2× Class-H | 3× Class-H | 3× Class-D |
| Tweeters | 1 | 2 (angled) | 2 (angled) |
| Bass | Mid-woofer | Mid-woofer + 2 side bass radiators | Mid-woofer (sealed enclosure) |
| Stereo sound | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automatic Trueplay | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Portable surrounds (Sonos 27) | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connectivity | |||
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Wi-Fi | 2.4 / 5 GHz | Wi-Fi 6 | 2.4 / 5 GHz |
| Apple AirPlay 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth out of the box | ✓ | Wi-Fi setup first | Wi-Fi setup first |
| Line-in (optional adapter) | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Smart Features | |||
| Voice control | Alexa, Sonos VC | Alexa, Sonos VC | Alexa, Sonos VC |
| Mic on/off switch | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sonos multi-room | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stereo pair (two units) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shop Roam 2 → | Shop Play → | Shop Move 2 → | |
Hearing Is Believing
Still not sure? It's a personal decision, and reading about audio only gets you so far. All three speakers are on demo in our Fleet showroom.
Walk in Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday, 12pm–5pm. No appointment needed, though you're welcome to call ahead to check a particular model or colour is out.
As an authorised Sonos dealer we offer competitive prices, price matching and free local delivery on orders over £100. Own an older Sonos? You could get 30% off with Sonos Trade Up.
Sonos Portable Speaker FAQs
Which Sonos portable speaker should I buy?
Choose the Roam 2 for travel and days out, the Play as an all-rounder for the kitchen, living room and garden, and the Move 2 if you want the biggest sound for large gardens and open-plan rooms.
Which Sonos portable speakers are waterproof?
The Roam 2 and Play are rated IP67, so they're dustproof and can be submerged in up to 1m of water for 30 minutes. The Move 2 is rated IP56, which protects against rain, splashes and dust but isn't designed for submersion.
Which has the longest battery life?
The Play and Move 2 both offer around 24 hours of battery life, compared with around 10 hours for the Roam 2. Both also have replaceable batteries.
Can I use them over Bluetooth without Wi-Fi?
The Roam 2 works over Bluetooth straight out of the box. The Play and Move 2 need to be set up on Wi-Fi through the Sonos app first, then Bluetooth works whenever you need it.
Can I use a Sonos portable speaker as surround speakers?
Yes, with the Play or Move 2. Since the Sonos 27 update in September 2026, they can be used as portable surround speakers with a Sonos soundbar, then picked up and used elsewhere. The Roam 2 doesn't support this.
Can I hear them before I buy?
Yes. All three are on demo in our showroom at 185 Fleet Road, Fleet. Walk in during opening hours, or call 01252 811800 to check a particular model is out.