UE Boom VS Anker Soundcore Flare: Different Priorities, Different Accomplishments
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In a world where technology has so many choices, it has become increasingly harder to make an educated decision, and in the realm of speakers, this is just as applicable. With offerings ranging from a dozen to thousands of dollars, just how much should one sacrifice in order to obtain respectable audio performance? After testing the UE Boom (Priced at 109 CAD) and the Anker Soundcore Flare(Priced at 79.99 CAD), we found that for a surprisingly low amount of compromises, the answer to this question may lie at a respectable budget price-point.
Initial Impressions
The initial unboxing and setting up can be a magical moment of a device’s lifespan, if done right. Sadly, while both devices offer a decent unboxing experience, packing all the cables and instruction manuals that you would need to get started, it is in the initial pairing experience that your milage may vary.
On the UE Boom end, its more expensive price-tag shows, offering a very comprehensible and easy to use app that has you going within a few minutes at best. The Anker on the other hand, took us a few tries in order to get started, and could prove an issue to consumers who are not all that experienced with technology.
Once through with the pairing process, both devices are ready to shine. Surprisingly, despite the price differences, we found that most won’t be able to tell a difference between the UE Boom and Anker Soundcore Flare, as both offer rich and vibrant sound that easy fills an entire room. One difference that may be noticeable, is that the Anker Soundcore Flare provides a more bass focused experience, being optimum for pop and electronic songs, while the UE Boom, while still having a hard bass, offers the more natural sound of the two.
Where design is concerned, we feel as if the two companies are aiming at completely different demographics. The UE Boom has a sporty look, making it feel like it belongs in the bag of a professional skater that just wants to listen to a few tunes after practicing their latest tricks. The Anker Soundcore Flare on the other hand, has a more minimal take on aesthetic, making it the perfect companion to your living room TV.
Usability & Features
When using a speaker, ease of use is especially important - afterall, nobody wants to have their music-listening experience inconveniently interrupted. Thankfully, both of these speakers provide a hassle-free experience, but pack little quirks that may increase one’s appeal towards these products.
With a simple bluetooth paring mechanism, both speakers get ready for the action with a few taps. It is once you start using it however, that the more subtle differences between the two devices become more evident.
If you’re one to like protection, the UE Boom is one to get. As mentioned preciously, not only is its design rugged, but the big and sturdier volume buttons create an overall feeling that you are getting a resistant product. To add on this benefit, the UE Boom packs the safer IP rating, boasting a IPX rating over the IP67 rating that the Anker provides, allowing for splashes and full on submersion to be a worry of the past.
Yet with its minimalistic, furniture-fitting design, the Anker Soundcore Flare has a few features that may please the at-home listener. With its on-board LED strip, you can fully customise your speaker to give it the extra flare you think it may need, making it great for themed parties or to enhance the living room mood during those romantic dinners. Even better is the device’s extra bass mode, which with a simple turn of a switch allows for more stereo audio that in our testing sounded sometimes cleaner and more detailed than that of the UE Boom, depending on your music choice of course.
One negative that both of these products share is the inclusion of a micro USB port for charging. With designs and sound profiles that are so outstanding in 2019, it is a shame to see a charging port that is long outdone in the age that even most budget smartphones come to include the faster, more powerful USB C port.
Nevertheless, throughout our testing we found that despite taking long to charge, both units provide a very similar battery resistance of about 15 hours. This means that needless of your choice, refueling the device’s juice will be one of your last priorities.
Which One Should You Buy?
Whilst the non-speaker enthusiast may be quick to dismiss the difference between these two products, it is almost undeniable that they are each made to fit a special type of consumer. With its rugged look and less bass-heavy (Ironically) sound, the UE Boom is an outdoor sports fanatic’s greatest companion, being as well constructed as its rugged looks may make it seem.
On the opposite spectrum however, the Anker Soundcore Flare, despite being the far cheaper option, almost feels like a work of art, featuring a more polished design that - alongside its bass-inspired sound outlook - make it a perfect addition to any modern household.