ZDNET's key takeaways The LG Xboom Bounce is available for $199.
It offers big bass, intuitive smart lighting features, and its durability makes it great for both indoor and outdoor use.
Although it has some home speaker features, it might be too rugged-looking for an indoor speaker. View now at Best Buy
The weather is getting warmer, which means it's imperative to have a Bluetooth speaker on hand for cookouts, days by the pool, or any of your indoor and outdoor summer gatherings. Over the last few weeks, I've consistently reached for my JBL Charge 6, but one thing I can't get past is its bold design: it doesn't exactly complement the vibe in my house.
Also: The best Bluetooth speakers of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed
LG isn't often in the Bluetooth speaker conversation, but I've always respected its commitment to making portable and rugged Bluetooth speakers that can better blend with your interior decor. The new LG Xboom Bounce is one of its latest portable speakers, and it may be my new favorite indoor/outdoor speaker. Here's why.
Ambient lighting
LG often incorporates ambient lighting into its Bluetooth speakers, with a range of options either fit for a party or for cozying up on the couch with my Kindle. I liked the LG Xboom 360 XO2 because it resembled a lantern, and the lighting features match my calm, relaxing indoor vibe.
The Xboom Bounce offers higher intensity and colorful lighting settings and calmer, more neutral settings for a relaxed vibe, but it debuts with a new AI-powered lighting setting that I'm very fond of. Its AI lighting setting analyzes the content you're playing to set the lighting vibe.
Also: I finally found a rugged outdoor speaker that checks all the boxes
... continue reading