renew: Ultimate Ears has now confirmed that the Wonderboom 3 supports Bluetooth 5.2.
I’ve been craving UE for years The Wonderboom 3 is no secret. Why? Because 2019 Wonderboom 2 is just so
Well — even now, it’s still one of the best Bluetooth speakers we’ve had the pleasure of testing.
Finally, today, it’s here! The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 has four new jackets: Joyous Bright (which is actually gray), Hyper Pink, Performance Blue, and Active Black—all made from at least 31% certified post-consumer plastic. The crisp, deep audio should now last up to 14 hours – ie. One hour longer than the Wonderboom 2 – Mobile Bluetooth range is up to 40m compared to the 30m range of the 2nd Gen Wonderboom. But that’s it, guys. As far as I can tell, this is where the upgrade list ends. Like Wonderboom 2, Wonderboom 3 still floats. It also has the same lovely “outdoor enhancement” tree button on the bottom, and it has a similar IP67 dust and water resistance rating. But it also uses the same micro-USB charger, which is relatively old news even in 2019 — so anyone looking to carry a USB-C charger to rule them all will be very out of luck. Ultimate Ears is a bit cautious about the supported bluetooth versions at launch, as far as I know there is no change in driver configuration under the new version, eco jacket Neither — no racetrack-shaped drivers (as seen in JBL’s latest line of speakers), no extra few watts of power, nothing. Honestly: I was disappointed. Did I mention that Wonderboom 3 is also not backward compatible with older Wonderbooms? So if you have a Wonderboom 2, you won’t be able to daisy-chain it to the shiny new Wonderboom 3 for bigger mono or stereo sound. 
Opinion: Wonderboom 3 is a very low upgrade, I don’t think it will wash off
New Ultimate Ears speaker, same old microUSB charging port…
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Ultimate Ears is leading the way in sustainability, but as a lover of their products, I want more . holds the Wonderboom 3 (expecting to get the full review soon), and aside from the new colorway, I find it indistinguishable from its older brother –This is where the problem lies. Where is the USB-C fast charge? Is it too much to ask UE’s engineers to provide a companion app for its rabid fan base? This could open the door to multi-room connectivity with these affordable speakers, or to boost the sound with its latest Hyperboom – which is coming in a new white colorway soon. Don’t get me wrong, Hyperboom is a very talented product, Wonderboom 2 was in 2019 during my tenure at What Hi- This year’s award-winning Fi? makes the 2022 update even more disappointing. In the three years since 2019, Bluetooth 5.0, 5.1, 5.2 and even 5.3 have appeared in competing models and fresh wireless earbuds, As well as thousands of newer Bluetooth speakers with ever-improving power handling, better stamina, microphones and extra perks like a USB-A port to charge your phone while you play boogie. And that’s just… well, that doesn’t seem to be enough. I understand UE has always been focused on using greener materials, but if you choose not to upgrade, you haven’t contributed to the problem now, you? The fast-fashion nature of consumerism is sure to only get more complicated here, as I’m sure that few fans of these trivial upgrades (extra playtime, extra 10m range) will buy a third-gen model. Ultimate Ears has launched the Wonderboom 3 with the same asking price as the first Wonderboom and Wonderboom 2: $99/£89/AU$149. Will it be the latest addition to our best waterproof speakers buying guide? I can’t see it happening – as the key upgrade (let’s be clear, I mean the charger) hasn’t happened yet. Is it worth buying the new Wonderboom 3? Obviously, you should judge for yourself (I do like the pink colorway), but for me, the answer is no. It does come with a micro-USB charging cable in the box – which is handy since I didn’t know I still have one at home – but if you want to keep your tech up to date, this is an update not to be missed. love the pink and lime shades, but three years after Wonderboom 2 came out, I wish there was more.(Image credit: TechRadar)
Becky is a senior contributor at TechRadar (she’s sure this refers to expertise rather than age), focusing on all aspects of audio. She worked at What Hi-Fi for three years before joining the team? Test and review everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to massive high-end sound systems. Before graduating with an MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an art critic, and had a 22-year career as a professional dancer and trapeze—any love for dance begins with a love for music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be seen throwing shapes in the dance studio, with varying degrees of success these days.
