Sonos Move 2: Sonos’ biggest portable speaker gets a big update

Sonos has unveiled the latest version of its Move portable smart speaker — the Move 2. It looks nearly identical to the original Sonos Move, yet contains several updates that bring it in line with the company’s recently released Era 100 and Era 300 speakers. The Move 2 has been priced at $449, a $50 increase over the previous model, and will be available starting September 20, 2023, in a wide selection of countries. The Move 2 replaces the first-gen speaker, though Sonos will continue to sell the original Move while inventory remains, so you may want to keep an eye open for some deep discounts.

At a distance, you can’t tell the Move and Move 2 apart, well, unless the Move 2 shows up in its new color option — olive. The Move 2 is a hair bigger, but it still weighs the same 6.61 pounds. Sonos has kept the same rubberized no-slip base as well as the integrated carry handle on the back. As with the original, the Move 2 is built for the outdoors with an IP56 rating for dust and water resistance.

However, if you look closer, some of the updates become visible. The Sonos logo is now color-matched to the grille. The top surface now has the same touch controls as the Era 100, with a dedicated volume slider. Around the back, there’s a physical switch for shutting off the built-in microphones, and the button that used to switch the speaker between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modes is now just a Bluetooth on/off switch because the Move 2 can use Wi-Fi (up to Wi-Fi 6) and Bluetooth 5.0 simultaneously.

Under the exterior, there are now two angled tweeters plus a midwoofer — the same arrangement as the Era 100 — which gives the Move 2 the ability to produce stereo sound on its own. As with all Sonos products, you can create a stereo pair when using two Move 2 speakers and you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

One of the Move’s best features — automatic Trueplay — is still on tap for the Move 2, letting the speaker recalibrate itself every time you change its location.

Sonos has kept the clever user-replaceable battery design, but it has upped the battery’s capacity significantly: from up to 11 hours of playback to up to 24 hours. This increase also brings along the ability to charge external devices via the speaker’s USB-C port. While the Move 2 doesn’t have a visual battery life indicator, you can use Sonos Voice Control to ask, “Hey Sonos, how much battery do I have left?”

The USB-C port can be used to charge the speaker directly with a USB-C PD charger when not using the included wireless charging base. Speaking of the base, it’s also received a redesign. The AC adapter is now a separate part with a USB-C port and it connects to the base via a USB-C cable. As a bonus, it’s backward compatible with the original Move.

The Move 2’s USB-C port can also expand its capabilities, just like the new Era speakers. Using optional adapters, you can connect an analog source like a turntable, or a wired network connection to your router, something the original Move can’t do.

Overall, the Move 2 represents a nice upgrade over the original Move, but there’s one small thing Move owners will need to consider: As with the Era Series, the Move 2 isn’t currently compatible with Google Assistant. You’ll be able to run Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Control simultaneously, but Google’s AI is AWOL, and Sonos hasn’t said when that will change.

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