Good Housekeeping UK85est.
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) is a highly versatile and portable speaker that offers excellent adaptive sound quality and useful app-based controls, making it a top choice despite its tendency to attract dust.
Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
8 expert reviews#4 in bluetooth speakersChecked 1 Nov 2026
Quick answer
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) has a critic score of 80 out of 100 from 8 professional reviews, and 7 of them recommend it. It ranks #4 of 5 bluetooth speakers we score. Critics praise its sound quality and design. The most common complaint is few upgrades.
Reviews checked 1 Nov 2026
Image: BoseMost balanced sound
Our verdict
8 professional reviewers tested the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen), and 7 recommend it. Critics praise its sound quality and design. The most common complaint: few upgrades.
The catch: The silicone shell attracts dust.
Critic agreement: High
Scores run from 73 to 85
4 of these 8 outlets print no score. We estimated theirs from the review text and corrected for the known tendency of estimates to run high.
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What do critics say about the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)?
Android Central85est.
The reviewer identifies the SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen as the best overall choice in the lineup, praising its balance of portability, rugged design, and sound quality.
TechRadar80
The Bose SoundLink Flex Gen 2 is a highly recommended, stylish, and durable portable speaker that delivers balanced audio, though it lacks significant upgrades over its predecessor and has average battery life.
How-To Geek80
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) is a highly capable and durable portable speaker that delivers impressive sound quality for its size.
T380
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) is a highly capable, durable, and great-sounding portable speaker, though it is held back by mediocre battery life and offers too few improvements to justify an upgrade for existing owners.
RTINGS.com79est.
The speaker offers a solid, portable design with good sound quality for its size, though it faces stiff competition in the portable Bluetooth market.
Which?79est.
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) is a solid, well-tested portable speaker that performs reliably in lab conditions, though full access to the detailed performance breakdown is gated behind a subscription.
TechGearLab73
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) is a highly recommended, compact, and durable speaker that offers impressive sound quality for its size.
Scores are converted to 0–100. "est." means the outlet gave no number, so we estimated one from its verdict. How we score
What critics praise most
Sound quality6 of 8
Design5 of 8
Portability5 of 8
What critics dislike most
Few upgrades4 of 8
Battery life3 of 8
Software and app2 of 8
Alternatives
Not sure about the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)?
Common questions
Is the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) worth it?
Most critics think so: 7 of 8 recommend it. The silicone shell attracts dust.
What do critics dislike about the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)?
Few upgrades (4 of 8 reviews), Battery life (3 of 8 reviews), Software and app (2 of 8 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)?
The JBL Flip 7 (critic score 86), best overall.