Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2: which cheap Bluetooth speaker is best for you?

As summer approaches there's one device we think everyone needs: a compact Bluetooth speaker. These small and durable devices are built for listening to music on the move, whether you're catching up on a podcast in the park, working on your garden, or heading to the beach for a party. But which portable speaker is right for you? 

We have a range of guides to help you find the best Bluetooth speaker and best waterproof speaker this summer. But if you're looking for the cheapest and smallest portable speaker in town, we're going to save you some time and tell you that your decision really comes down to the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2. 

Sure there are bigger, better-performing and more stylish speakers on the market. But if you're on a budget and need a solid little devices that'll slip into your bag – or even a pocket – and can blast tunes all day long then one of these fantastic cheap speakers will be a solid choice. In this guide we'll put the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 head-to-head in terms of price, features and sound to ask: which cheap Bluetooth speaker is best?

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2: Price and availability 

The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 was released in April 2022 for $60/£60 (around AU$86). The Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 was released in late 2022 and is available for $69.99/£49.99/AU$120. 

There's a little bit of difference here in terms of pricing across regions, but for the most part these speakers are around the same price. You'll likely pay a little less for the Nokia in the UK, unless you find the Tribit on a deal. 

In terms of rivals, these speakers are excellent value for their price. Sure their audio performance isn't stellar in the grand scheme of speakers, but to get noticeably better sound you'd best off choosing the excellent Sonos Roam or JBL Flip 6 instead – although you'd have to pay nearly three times the price.

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2: Design

Both the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 and Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 are small, and fit into the palm of the hand when we were testing them. The Stormbox Micro 2 is a little big heavier at 315g compared to the 225g of the Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2, but it's flatter, so might fit better in slim pockets. 

The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 has an incredibly minimal design with only a few simple buttons on the front and an LED volume indicator. There's also a useful strap on the underside, so you can attach it to a bag strap or your bike's handlebars. During our testing, we even managed to strap it onto a hire car's cup holder. There are also some rubber feet so it doesn't slide.

The Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 is also minimal and bordering on dull. It has a short, squat, cylindrical design and, like the Micro 2, has rubber grips on the bottom to keep it secure. 

Neither speaker gives you color choices, it's the black Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 or the dark blue Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 and that's that. If you like the idea of a colorful speaker, check out the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 or JBL Flip 5 instead.

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2: Features

These are small, budget speakers that are built for decent sound and little else, so don't expect lots of fancy touches. Having said that, there are some essential features on offer here and a couple we think are cool additions, like the fact the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 has a USB-C charging port that'll charge your phone, tablet, or other compatible devices. Although it's a 5W charger so don't expect super-fast charging of your phone.

Both speakers can be linked up to others for stereo sound. You can pair the Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 to any other Nokia speaker, but the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 needs another model exactly the same to work – the original model won't pair. 

They also both have waterproofing with just one difference. The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 has an IP67 rating, which means it's both dust and waterproof, whereas the Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 is IPX7-rated. This means they can both be submerged in up to one meter of water for as long as 30 minutes, but only the Stormbox Micro 2 can handle dust, which makes it a more attractive option for the park or beach – that said, we'd still recommend you avoid rolling it around in the sand much.

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2: Sound quality

In our Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review, when testing You Should See Me in a Crown by Billie Eilish we applauded the tiny speaker: "when the bass drops it really sinks low in the best possible way, delivering a gifted, snappy, agile performance."

It fared just as well with classical music too, Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries was a delight considering the size. The strings and soaring trumpets were crisp and detailed, with a perceptible, rumbling and exciting dynamic build. It's hard to criticize a speaker that sounds this good at this size, but our only gripe is that pushing up the volume louder than 80% upset the mix at times. 

We felt the Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 didn't perform quite as well as the Micro 2, but again, it was impressive for its small size. During our testing, we noted that playback sounds clear and likeable. While the bass on something like Hysteria by Muse is predictably far from stirring, the mids and trebles within sound fairly clear, too. 

Instinctively, the Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 feels like a speaker that's best-suited to playing calming jazz or classical music while you're cooking rather than a device fit for parties. 

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2: Battery life

According to Tribit, the Stormbox Micro 2 will get you 12 hours of playtime. During our testing we found that to be accurate. That's impressive for a speaker of this size, giving you a whole day's worth of listening if you take it out and about. 

But nowhere near as impressive as the Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2, which lasted a whole 20 hours when we reviewed it. 

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2: Conclusion

If you're looking for a cheap Bluetooth speaker with some waterproofing, then both the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2 are great options, but there are a couple of key differences that might sway you either way.

If you're looking for the best sound, both deliver considering their tiny size but the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 offers a more expansive and rich audio performance – though it still won't compare to pricier models. We also prefer the design of Tribit's latest speaker in terms of flexibility and portability – the strap on the back certainly helps.

If long battery life is your priority, the Nokia speaker offers almost double the amount of time, so is a clear winner in that respect. It also boasts a 3.5mm jack whereas the Micro 2 doesn't have one, which is worth considering if you plan to plug and play from other sources. It may not have a design that's as versatile and pocket-friendly as the Micro 2, but if you plan on listening at home then the rubber feet and sturdy build of the Nokia model is just as good.