RS Recommends: The Best Portable Speakers for Your Dorm Room

Amazon

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

When we think of dorm rooms, things like shower caddies, bedsheets and desk fans all immediately spring to mind. But one thing that no dorm room can be considered complete without is a great portable speaker. Headphones are great, but there’s nothing quite like the feeling of turning the music up just a little louder than normal on a night where you have the room to yourself, or for a night when you’re hanging with friends. Below, we found some of the best speakers for dorm rooms worth buying this semester.

Buying Guide: Best Speaker for Dorm Rooms

We looked at the following criteria when compiling our list of the best speakers for dorm rooms:

Size and Weight: Space can be limited when it comes to dorm living, especially if you have roommates, so you don’t want a massive speaker. Additionally, dorm life isn’t forever so ideally your speaker is lightweight and isn’t a headache to transport.

Battery Life: Outlets can be few and far between depending on your individual dorm’s floor plan; you don’t want a speaker that is always plugged in. Look for a wireless speaker with a suitable amount of battery life so you’re not bogged down by charge time.

Sound Quality: It all comes back to how it sounds, and there’s nothing worse than terrible audio quality. You want a clear, crisp sound that doesn’t need the volume cranked up to the maximum level to immerse you in your favorite songs. A speaker with around 15 watts of power is perfectly adequate for your dorm room.

The Best Portable Speakers for Dorm Rooms

From affordable Bluetooth speakers to water-resistant picks, these are our top recommendations for any dorm.

1. Oontz Enhanced 3 Bluetooth Speaker

This portable speaker boasts crystal-clear sound quality, delivering a full-range sound despite its smaller size. You can stick this on your desk, end table, shelf or even a windowsill without it eating into precious space. And thanks to its impressive 14 hours of play time, you won’t need to worry about constantly having to recharge the battery. Available in a variety of colors and designs.

2. JBL Pulse 4 Bluetooth Speaker

Want a speaker that’s a little more fun and interesting? This portable Bluetooth speaker from reliable brand JBL brings a lava lamp-like style to your space. Captivating LED lights change along with the music you’re streaming. You can even customize your own color combination on the JBL Connect App to fit an even more specific mood. Its sound capabilities are every bit as efficient as its mood setting, thanks to the powerful 360-degree speaker. This speaker can support up to 12 hours of play time on a single charge.

3. Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 Bluetooth Speaker 

This Bluetooth speaker is about the size of a water bottle, which makes storing and transporting it a breeze. It can fit comfortably in your designated bag or backpack and sit on your desk without taking up much space. But don’t let its small size deceive you — this speaker packs a punch with a powerfully clear and immersive sound. You clearly can hear every lyric and beat without having to jack up the volume. Our favorite feature, however, is the battery which can be wirelessly charged and support up to 20 hours of activity.

The Megaboom 3 is every bit as durable as it is compact and powerful; it was put through 25 rigorous durability tests (including drops and repeated button pushes) and came out unscathed. Even if you’re the clumsiest person in the world, you’ll have a hard time seriously damaging this speaker.

4. Harmon Kardon Onyx Studio 4 Bluetooth Speaker 

The circular Onyx Studio 4 speaker looks more like a desk clock than the rest of the speakers on our list, but it’s just as powerful. In fact, you can connect up to two smart devices at the same time with clear audio, which is ideal if your friends want to add a song to the queue. This speaker is also compatible with Siri and Google, you need only to configure this feature on the HK Connect app on your smart phone.

5. Doss SoundBox Bluetooth Speaker

This portable speaker offers up to 20 hours of room-filling stereo sound, as well as touch control that allows you to easily control everything from your fingertips. It’s also available in a wide variety of striking colors; from icy blue to a fiery red, though our favorite is the minty green. Bonus points: It automatically reconnects to the last device used, so you don’t have to spend time pairing it again to your different devices.

6. Doss E-Go II Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Accidents happen, which is why sometimes it’s nice to have an extra line of defense. In this case, we’re referring to waterproof electronics. Picture it: You’re engrossed in studying and completely forgot about that glass of water you kept within arm’s reach on your desk. Without even realizing it, you’ve just spilled your drink all over your speaker.

If you had the E-Go II, however, this wouldn’t be a huge issue because it’s waterpoof (in addition to being crashpoof and dustproof). With an enhanced bass and no distortion at any volume, this Bluetooth speaker is capable of delivering impeccable sound. It’s also incredibly compact, and features a convenient strap that can be attached to your bag via a clip or hook. The rechargeable battery can support up to 12 hours of play time, and charges quickly.