VUOPAX 140W Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Mic Input: A Full Review

Most budget speakers sound like a smartphone trapped inside a tin can, especially outdoors where bass just evaporates into the open air. I picked up the VUOPAX 140W speaker because I was tired of dragging expensive, fragile audio gear to backyard barbecues and hoping nobody spilled a drink on it. For the price, this thing pushes a surprising amount of air. The dual 3-inch woofers and passive radiators actually give kick drums some physical thump, and hitting the bass boost button helps a lot if you are listening to EDM or hip-hop outside. It is heavy, largely due to the massive 12000mAh battery inside, but that weight translates to a legitimate 20-plus hours of playtime if you keep the volume reasonable.

If you are searching for the best portable bluetooth speaker under $100, this is a very strong contender, though it leans more toward a party boombox than a sleek travel speaker. The IP65 rating means it survives rain and pool splashes fine, but it is not fully submersible like some other models. The built-in RGB lights and 6.35mm microphone input make it feel like a mini PA system. The lights are a bit flashy for my taste, but they do sync to the music if you are into that. Audio purists might find the mid-range slightly muddy when the bass boost is engaged, but for loud, durable outdoor sound, it easily punches above its weight class.