Still, for an extra feature that seems to be thrown in for good measure, the FM radio option is a nice extra touch. We just wish that Anker had thought the feature through a little more.

You can play your own music via Bluetooth, aux cable, or an SD card, and there’s a microphone, so you can take hands-free calls too.The quality of the audio, the functionality of the speaker, and even its durability are all impressive when you consider the price that you’re going to pay. The mids are the other surprise. You tend to expect a speaker with a radiator and tiny driver to have bass and treble, and not much in between. But Anker has really tried to add some bulk to the mids. Though it’s one of the smallest speakers we’ve ever seen, the Anker Soundcore mini blew us away with its functionality, connectivity, and volume. The ultra-portable Anker Soundcore Mini comes with an extensive playtime of up to 15 hours on a full charge – which is more than enough for any party session.

There are a handful of products out there that have delivered surprising value for their size, like the UE Wonderboom, or the Bose Soundlink Mini. However, most of the time, downgrading size also means compromising on everything from sound quality to performance.However, the Anker Soundcore Mini is still a brilliant budget buy. An FM radio is an ingenious, and unexpected, extra. It’s the sound that matters most, though, and we think most of you will be very impressed with what Anker has teased out of a speaker this small. Verdict Anker estimates the Soundcore Mini 3’s battery life to last roughly 15 hours, but your results will vary based on your volume levels.

The downside is that the painted aluminium is likely to scratch easily, but if that really bothers you, all you need to do is take better care of it. The sound comes out of the top, so you can put the Anker Soundcore Mini wherever you like, and access great volume. There’s even rubber feet on the bottom to keep it stable. Constructed with durability in mind, the Anker SoundCore Mini is made from high-quality materials that ensure long-lasting use. The cradle is designed to securely hold your device in place, preventing accidental slips or falls. Additionally, it features a non-slip base that keeps the cradle stable on any surface.This speaker easily bests the old favourite Jam Classic 2.0. While that larger speaker has a solid 2-inch driver, the passive radiator here substantially lowers the bass floor so your music sounds fuller, beefier, more powerful.

The sound profile makes a great first impression too, which mostly bears out too across extended usage. Bass is punchy and energetic, if not exactly spacious, but on the whole there’s a decently-sized soundstage with both buds in your ears. There are plenty of true wireless earbuds out there these days, flooding every price point, from budget buds to high-end portable audio – as established players and newcomers alike try to make a name for themselves in an increasingly competitive marketplace. This is probably one of the smallest speakers that we’ve ever seen that still manages to be a joy to listen to. Bluetooth signal is one of the Mini’s few little weak spots. The signal is not ultra-reliable, and occasionally you’ll hear cut-outs, and then what almost sounds like a sped-up portion of audio as the speaker makes up for lost time. It’s only recently that this promise has really started to bear fruit, though – with a tidal wave of true wireless earbud models at affordable prices, rather than just the high-end versions we’d had to make do with before.

The speaker's mic offers solid intelligibility. I tested it with the Voice Memos app on an iPhone and could understand every word I recorded. The speaker is capable of maintaining a strong Bluetooth signal and keeps audio artifacts to a minimum, so with a sufficient cell signal, callers should have no issue understanding you. A Small Speaker With Some Punch The Mini is not water-resistant either. Anker does make a version with IPX7 resistance, the Soundcore Mini 2. However, it’s twice the price so loses some of the value edge.