Soundcore’s new $24.99 waterproof speaker is almost an impulse purchase

Soundcore has launched another ultralight wireless speaker called the Select 4 Go. It’s priced at $24.99, making it the most affordable option in Soundcore’s current lineup of Bluetooth speakers and much cheaper than similarly sized options such as Ultimate Ears’ recently launched $79.99 Miniroll.

The Select 4 Go pairs a 1.75-inch 5W full-range speaker driver with a passive radiator to help bolster the intensity of lower frequencies. That’s only a slightly smaller speaker than you’ll find inside the pricier Miniroll, which has a claimed 12 hours of battery life. Soundcore says the Select 4 Go has up to 20 hours of playtime on a full charge with the volume set at 40 percent and when using its standard EQ mode.

It has a waterproof IPX67 rating and will even float when used in a pool, but Soundcore warns that you’ll want to make sure the waterproof cover for its USB-C charging port is tightly secured before using the speaker near water.

The Bluetooth range is rated at 30 meters, and two of the Select 4 Go speakers can be paired to produce stereo sound. Other Soundcore products, including the even lighter $40.99 Soundcore Mini 3, allow for over 100 speakers to be paired and all play in sync at the same time. If that’s an important feature to you, you’ll need to spend a bit more.

We haven’t tested the speaker and can’t vouch for its sound quality, but for $24.99, you’re going to get what you pay for: a durable wireless speaker that should at least sound better than playing music through your smartphone’s speaker.

The Soundcore Select 4 Go is available now in two-tone black or blue, but six different colors will be available eventually, including purple and green.