We have taken a lot of time to test and review speakers from Logitech this year. Now it’s time to bring yet another one your way. This time, we didn’t wait for Logitech to send one, and snagged one from Amazon so that we can bring the review to you (as so that we can donate it to a local sweepstakes quickly as it draws tonight).
The Logitech X100! Another smaller sized bluetooth speaker, that looks and feels like it is part of the Ultimate Ears (by Logitech) series, only they rebranded it and lost the Ultimate Ears part. The X100 feels like a lighter version of the Mini Boom. It is just slightly smaller than the Mini Boom and although easier to store, it still won’t be fitting in your pocket unless you wear those really baggy pants than hang to your knees (please don’t).
Like the Boom series, you find four buttons on the speaker that consist of a power, bluetooth and your two volume toggle buttons. You will also find a microUSB port for charging (the USB cable does not come with the wall adapter, unlike the Boom series) and a 3.5mm aux-in so that you can connect a mobile device or anything else you’d like to feed music to it with. The outer design features the same polyurethane shell as the Boom series which allows it to take a lot of decent wear and tear. It also looks very nice to the eyes.
There is also a loop on one end to attach the included strap to, so that you can easily hang it from something like a backpack while traveling, or hang it up somewheres while it’s playing.
Quality-wise, it puts out close to the same volume as the Mini Boom. It is loud enough to fill a decent size-room but not as effective as the Mini. Still for the price, you get a pretty decent speaker when comparing it to other speakers within the same price range. The frequency range and clarity is about the same as the Mini and like the Mini, not as good as the full size Boom, but again for the price…it’s great. This device is more about “loud” within a small bit of space than it is full range sound.
Battery life is advertised as up to 5 hours. We were not able to prove this wrong, but were a bit disappointed as you can get more out of the Boom series. Also, the bluetooth connection seemed to be limited in range with the X100, which at times can cause difficulties with using it as a speakerphone. In fact, let’s get to the point about comparing it so much with the Boom series!
The X100 is a nice speaker at that price. However, the Logitech UE Mini-Boom provides a better battery life (up to 10 hours), louder presence, stronger bluetooth connection and more bass. All of this, and the Mini-Boom isn’t much larger in size, nor is the price tag since you can find it for usually about $25 more on Amazon. So it simply comes down to the $25 difference. If quality is more important, go with the Mini-Boom. If you would rather save the $25, then stick with the X100 because you won’t find much better with the competition in that price range.
Our Conclusion
The X100 is a decent speaker. We would like to see a better bluetooth connection and stronger battery life, but we can also understand that Logitech is trying to fit it in with the lower budget lines, so that there is a speaker for everyone when looking for what suits you best price-wise. Still, there could be some improvement with the Mini-Boom isn’t that far away in price. We decided to go with a 7 out of 10 score. So again, unless that $25 difference is must for you, stick with the Mini-Boom. If you find the X100 on a 25%+ off sale, snag it, as you will find a purpose for it (again, it’s a decent speaker). Logitech (especially with the power of Ultimate Ears behind it) has always proved to be a strong brand that delivers quality rich products.
Additional Images:
Specifications:
- Compact portable design with wrist and backpack cord
- 30 ft wireless Bluetooth connectivity
- Control volume & calls from mobile phone
- Built-in 5-hour rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or tablet
Are you a manufacturer or distributor that would like us to test something out for review? Contact us and we can let you know where to send the product and we will try it out.
