Logitech X300 Mobile Wireless Stereo speaker review: A quality mini Bluetooth speaker at an affordable price

When it comes to the dog-eat-dog world of consumer electronics, imitation isn't exactly the sincerest form of flattery, but it's certainly part of the business.

8.0

Logitech X300 Mobile Wireless Stereo speaker

The Good

The Logitech X300 is a compact wireless Bluetooth speakers that offers decent sound for its size and features an attractive, sturdy design at a modest price point. It has a built-in microphone for speakerphone calls and can be laid down horizontally or stood up vertically.

The Bad

Battery life could be better.

The Bottom Line

At around $60 online, the decently performing and well-designed Logitech X300 is a relative bargain in the mini Bluetooth speaker category.

Take Logitech's X300. While it may not have the same design as JBL's popular Flip and Flip II Bluetooth speakers, the speakers could be cousins. (The same goes for the respective step-down models, the Logitech X100 and the JBL Clip .)

Like the Flip II, the X300 ($60 US, £60 UK, Australian pricing and availability not yet confirmed or announced) is a mini wireless speaker with built-in speakerphone capabilities that comes in a few different colors and can be laid down horizontally or propped up vertically. It has two drivers along with a passive subwoofer, and Logitech says the way the drivers are angled gives the speaker a more expansive sound spectrum.

Logitech X300 speaker product photos

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The X300 and the Flip II share a similar sound profile, offering a reasonable amount of bass and decent clarity for a Bluetooth speaker this size. They're relatively well balanced and avoid managing to sound harsh with most material (as with all these little Bluetooth speakers, they sound better with some tracks than others).

As with the Flip II, the key to the X300 is that it doesn't distort, even at higher volumes. The reason for that is Logitech's engineers have done a good job with the digital processing, making sure that the speaker doesn't get overloaded. Sometimes you can hear that processing kick in and restrain the speaker, which isn't good, but it's better than having the speaker distort badly. At least I think so.

In all, I liked the X300 and have no problem recommending it. It doesn't come with any sort of carrying case or have a pause/play button on the unit itself (except for volume, you have to control playback from your smartphone or tablet). Also, battery life is only so-so at around 5 hours.

But apart from those small gripes, I didn't really have anything to complain about. It's got a sturdy, attractive design -- it weighs 0.80-pound or 0.36kg -- that seems suitable for both indoor and outdoor use and offers decent sound for its size. The speakerphone also works pretty well, so long as you don't stray too far from the microphone, which is on the top of the speaker.

Conclusion

I'd take the better-styled X300 over most of the generic $50 Jambox knock-offs out there, as well as a lot of the more established mini speakers, including the UE Mini Boom (Logitech owns UE), which tend to retail for closer to $100.

In short, in a sea of tiny Bluetooth speakers, the X300 is a good catch -- a keeper, if you will.