X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

Logitech Pure-Fi Mobile review: Logitech Pure-Fi Mobile

If you have a music mobile with Bluetooth and are looking for a portable speaker system that's small enough to chuck in a rucksack or suitcase, the Logitech Pure-Fi Mobile is worth a look. It works well over Bluetooth and the built-in rechargeable battery gives you plenty of play time

Frank Lewis
3 min read

Who needs wires? Not us, says Logitech, with its Pure-Fi Mobile portable speaker system. Its built-in Bluetooth means you can stream tunes to it over the air from any A2DP-compatible music phone or MP3 player. It also has a standard mini-jack input so iPod owners aren't left out in the cold.

7.5

Logitech Pure-Fi Mobile

The Good

Easy to set up with Bluetooth phones; hands-free functionality; very compact.

The Bad

Lacks bass; no remote control; pricey.

The Bottom Line

The Logitech Pure-Fi Mobile works well as a highly-portable wireless sound system for Bluetooth mobile phones. However, its sound quality is compromised by the small size of its speakers, so those after an audio system with pristine sonics should look elsewhere

The £100 asking price is on the steep side, so does its wireless functionality make it worth the extra outlay?

Strengths
Like many of Logitech's latest speaker systems, the Pure-Fi Mobile is quite pleasing on the eye. The front has a slick piano black finish, while the four mini speakers are circled by a neat aluminium trim. It's very compact too, standing just 70mm tall and a mere 280mm wide. In the box, Logitech also includes a padded carrying case to help avoid scratching that nice glossy finish when you're on the move.

Most travel speakers can run from batteries, but the Pure-Fi goes one better because of its built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery. This can be charged either by plugging the unit into the mains using the supplied power adaptor or connecting it to your computer via USB. It takes around 3 hours to charge the battery and once it's full, it's good for about 12 hours of playtime.

We tried the speakers with a Sony Ericsson W880i phone and getting the two to talk to each other over Bluetooth was a piece of cake -- took less than a minute. Once the two are paired, all music played on the phone is streamed over the air to the Pure-Fi. If a call comes in mid-way through a tune, you can actually answer it via the unit using its built-in speaker phone functionality with call answer and hang up buttons.

As well as Bluetooth, the Pure-Fi Mobile has a standard mini-jack input so you can use it with any MP3 player including iPods. You can also use the USB connection at the rear to hook it up to your computer to use it as a PC speaker system. It appears to your computer as a standard audio device, so you don't have to install any drivers.

Weaknesses
Like many compact travel speaker systems, the Pure-Fi Mobile isn't exactly an earth shattering performer when it comes to audio quality. Although it's reasonably loud, considering its small size, the sound is top heavy with mid and higher frequencies as the speakers simply aren't large enough to produce much bass. If you're a dub reggae fan, these speakers aren't going to have much appeal.

Considering the high price of the unit, it's also disappointing that Logitech hasn't included a remote control. It would have been handy to be able to adjust the volume or cycle through the inputs via remote from across a room.

Conclusion
If you have a music mobile with Bluetooth -- who hasn't these days? -- and are looking for a portable speaker system that's small enough to chuck in a rucksack or suitcase, the Pure-Fi Mobile is worth a look. It works well over Bluetooth and the built-in rechargeable battery gives you plenty of play time. If you don't need the wireless functionality or are after a system with premium sound quality, then we'd advise you to look elsewhere.

Edited by Shannon Doubleday