The Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go is a small, portable speaker that can accompany you almost anywhere. While it might not fit inside every coat pocket, its handy carrying loop means it can be attached to your bag with ease. As a mono speaker on its own, you can pair it with another unit for stereo playback and tweak its sound using its companion app. That all sounds very nice on paper, but is this speaker worth picking up? Read on to find out.
Our Verdict
The Soundcore Select 4 Go is acceptable for listening to music. However, the main issue for music fans will be its lack of bass, but that's to be expected given its small size. Tiny drivers simply can't reproduce low-bass thump, so your favorite EDM tracks will sound thin. On the plus side, the mid-range is extremely well-balanced, reproducing instruments and vocals accurately and without any honk. The treble range is virtually flat, too, so drums and sibilants sound well-balanced and not piercing. Happily, its companion app has a 9-band EQ that lets you tweak the speaker's sound to your liking, and you can use the dedicated Bluetooth button to pair it with another unit for stereo playback.
10 hours of continuous battery life.
Companion app has a graphic EQ.
Directivity isn't very good.
Needs a second unit to produce stereo audio.
The Soundcore Select 4 Go is only middling for watching videos, but it's not really meant for this use. This small, portable speaker is designed to be easy to use on the go or outdoors. Its single driver isn't large enough to produce cinematic low-end thump, and it also can't reproduce stereo soundscapes unless you pair it with another unit. That said, this speaker has very well-balanced mid and treble ranges, so dialogue will be reproduced accurately. However, you might run into lip-sync issues between your audio and video.
Companion app has a graphic EQ.
Directivity isn't very good.
Small size means it can't get very loud.
Needs a second unit to produce stereo audio.
The Anker Select 4 Go is very good for podcasts. Its mid-range is very well-balanced, so voices sound natural, clear, and detailed. Its tiny size also makes it super easy to take with you from room to room, and you can even attach its built-in loop to your bag. You'll want to make sure the speaker is facing you most of the time, as its single driver only faces forward, and its tiny size means it doesn't get loud enough to fill more than an average-sized room. That said, for most podcast-listening situations, it will work well.
Extremely portable design.
10 hours of continuous battery life.
Small size means it can't get very loud.
The Soundcore Select 4 Go has no microphone, so you can't directly access your voice assistant through the speaker.
The Anker Select 4 Go is good for outdoor use. It's remarkably portable and has a built-in hook, making it easy to take with you on the go or attach to your bag. Although it doesn't have an impact protection rating, it has an excellent build quality, so it should withstand the rough and tumble of a camping trip. Its IP67 rating means it can be dropped in a puddle without damage and dust won't get inside it. Unfortunately, its forward-facing mono speaker doesn't produce very immersive audio, and you need to be sitting in front of it to hear its sound properly. However, its 10-hour battery life should see you through a long park hang or evening at a campsite.
IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.
Extremely portable design.
10 hours of continuous battery life.
Directivity isn't very good.
Small size means it can't get very loud.
Changelog
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Updated May 07, 2025:
We mentioned the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 in the Voice Assistant section of this review.
- Updated Nov 15, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Nov 12, 2024: Early access published.
- Updated Nov 07, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Anker Select 4 Go comes in six different color variants: 'Black,' 'White,' 'Blue,' 'Green,' 'Electric Purple,' and 'Red.' We expect all these to perform the same as the 'Blue' variant we tested. Here is our unit's label.
If you come across another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go is a portable, outdoors-friendly speaker. It's IP67 rated and comes with a built-in carrying hook, like both the JBL Go 4 and JBL Clip 5. That said, the Go 4 is a little smaller than the Anker but can't get quite as loud and doesn't have as long a battery life. By contrast, the Clip 5 is a little bigger than the Select 4 Go and puts out more high-bass warmth, but its battery also doesn't last as long as the Anker. The Sony SRS-XB100 is another small speaker that packs more of a bassy punch than the Anker, and its 360-degree design means you don't have to sit in front of it to hear your audio perfectly. Unfortunately, you can't customize its sound via a companion app like you can with the Anker.
If you're planning some outdoor adventures, check out our recommendations for the best portable Bluetooth speakers and the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers. If you just want to keep costs down, our best Bluetooth speakers under $100 article should have you covered.
The Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go is slightly larger than the JBL Go 4. If tiny is what you need, the JBL is the way to go. On the other hand, if you're looking for better sound quality in a still very portable package, the Anker is the better pick. The Anker has a longer battery life than the JBL, gets louder with less compression at high volumes, and has a more balanced treble range that renders sounds like cymbals accurately and with detail.
The JBL Clip 5 is a little bigger than the Anker Souncore Select 4 Go, so it's perhaps not surprising that it produces more bass than the Anker. What might surprise you is that the Anker gets a little louder, and also compresses less at high volumes. The Anker also lasts four hours longer than the JBL off a single charge. We think the Anker is a better speaker for most people, but if you need the extra bass or want to use Party Mode to pair more than two speakers together, the JBL is the one to pick. The JBL's giant built-in carabiner can also be clipped on to bags and lines without the need for an external clip. The Anker's loop is handy, but you'll need to clip or tie it to a bag using something else.
The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 and the Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go are comparable speakers with different strengths. They're both tiny enough to fit in coat pockets and have built-in carrying hooks, making them easy to take on a hike. Since they're both so small, don't expect these to do justice to your favorite techno tracks, but they'll pack a bit more punch than your phone's built-in speaker. Of the two, only the Tribit has a built-in microphone for use with your device's voice assistant, and you can also use it as a battery pack to charge your phone. That said, the Anker is cheaper.
The Sony SRS-XB100 and the Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go are small speakers with different strengths. The Anker gets a little louder and has a more balanced sound through the mid-range, so voices don't sound too boomy. It also has multi-device pairing. On the other hand, the Sony produces more bass, which fans of EDM might enjoy, and has a 360-degree design, so you don't have to be positioned in front of the speaker to get the best sound like you do with the Anker.
Test Results
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