Anker Soundcore Motion 300 review (2024)

Editor’s note: this is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

About this Anker Soundcore Motion 300 review: We tested the Anker Soundcore Motion 300 over one week. It ran firmware version 1.1.5, and the Soundcore app ran version 3.4.2. The company provided the unit for this review.

What’s it like to use the Anker Soundcore Motion 300?

The detachable strap adds another option for speaker placement.

The Motion 300 is wrapped in a durable, rubberized silicon. It sports a metal speaker grill and a detachable strap and is built like a tank. The power button is recessed and easy to find. It quickly connected to my phone, and once the speaker is powered up, the control strip is nicely backlit. The USB-C charging port has a hefty waterproof cover tab, showing you don’t have to baby this one. It’s ready to be strapped to a paddle board, tossed in a gear bin, or hung from the nearest tree branch around a campfire, thanks to the handy button strap.

Along with the detachable strap, you’ll also notice two sets of rubber feet — one set on the bottom of the speaker and the other on the back. The Soundcore Motion 300 is designed to perform in three positions: standing, lying, and hanging. It uses Anker’s SmartTune technology to adjust playback frequencies depending on the speaker’s orientation.

Soundcore names these modes “Immersive” when standing, “360 Degree” when laying, and “Dynamic” when hanging. While perhaps fancier than it sounds, what’s happening is a slight modification to the EQ to compensate for the speaker’s position. The frequencies change depending on which EQ setting you have selected, but generally, by adjusting the speaker from a standing position to a laying position, you’ll get a boost in the treble frequencies. You’ll notice a slight reduction in lows and highs when moving the speaker from laying to hanging.

Unfortunately, the app EQ doesn’t tell you exactly which frequencies are being changed, but as you move the speaker from one position to another, you can see these minor adjustments being made in real-time with the EQ open in the app. You also have the option to turn off this Adaptive Direction feature at any time through the app if you’d prefer your settings to stay consistent, no matter what position the speaker is in.

How do you control the Anker Soundcore Motion 300?

The recessed power button is easy to find amongst the control strip.

The waterproof control strip of the Motion 300 is located along the top of the speaker. Once you have power, all buttons are backlit and easy to find. You can also control various features through the Soundcore app, including play/pause, volume, EQ settings, firmware updates, and the brightness of the backlit controls, which is a nice touch. Most of the buttons on the speakers are single-function; below is a breakdown of how they operate:

Should you use the app for the Anker Soundcore Motion 300?

The Soundcore app gives you access to preset and custom EQ options and the ability to modify some of the speaker’s default settings.

Downloading the Soundcore app is recommended. It allows you to toggle Adaptive Direction on and off, change the EQ preset, or customize your own with the provided graphic EQ. In the custom EQ section, selecting ‘Full-Band EQ’ put my phone in horizontal mode and offered -6db to +6dB of cut or boost at frequencies from 48Hz to 20kHz — plenty to work with while fine-tuning your own preset.

A portion of the app also allows you to create your own background noises for studying or sleeping. You can choose up to three background sound effects: a campfire, ocean waves, raindrops, bird chirps, and more. The quality of these recordings is quite good, and you can also independently adjust the volume of each one for your perfect background mix.

What Bluetooth codecs does the Anker Soundcore Motion 300 support?

Finding a home for the Soundcore Motion 300 in the wild is easy.

The Soundcore Motion 300 Plus uses Bluetooth 5.3, which supports low-latency audio streams with LDAC and AAC codecs for high-quality audio. It also helps the speaker connect quickly to your device with greater security and less interference and gives you an approximate connection range of 328ft.

How does the Anker Soundcore Motion 300 sound?

The Soundcore Motion 300 is excellent for smaller gatherings, both indoor and outdoor.

You do have to have realistic expectations when it comes to the sound quality of smaller portable speakers. The Soundcore Motion 300 is powerful enough to keep a small gathering going and has good clarity, but thanks to Hoffman’s Iron Law, you won’t get any bone-rattling low end out of a compact speaker of this size.

While listening in standing mode, the stock Soundcore Signature EQ preset provides a low-end boost and increases selected higher frequencies. With this setting engaged, the high-end detail of the keys on Tears for Fears Head over Heels /Broken can clearly be heard. The BassUP EQ shortcut button is as tempting as ever and once engaged, it enhanced the low-end groove of the bass guitar on Khruangbin’s Mr. White nicely. It’s worth noting that you lose some of the desirable high-end the Signature EQ offers. Suppose you turn up the volume and find the BassUP preset overpowering. In that case, there is also a more neutral-sounding Balanced preset that worked well with the electronic layers on Boards of Canada’s 84 Pontiac Dream. Of course, there is always the option to make your own EQ preset if these presets aren’t tuned to your liking.

The 30 watts of stereo sound this little speaker puts out is plenty for smaller-sized social gatherings or use at home, but if you’re looking to pump up the jams and want some window-shaking low-end, you’ll need something larger like the Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Plus.

Should you buy the Anker Soundcore Motion 300?

The Soundcore Motion 300 offers an IPX7 protection rating against water damage.

The Anker Soundcore Motion 300 is an excellent buy if you’re looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker. You have multiple placement options and can tweak the EQ settings to your liking. It’s not the lightest portable speaker out there, but it’s built like a tank and is waterproof, so you know it will survive a weekend camping trip.

Anker Soundcore Motion 300

Anker Soundcore Motion 300

Hi-Res sound • SmartTune technology • Powerful bass

MSRP: $79.99

A portable speaker designed for great sound in the great outdoors.

The Anker Soundcore Motion 300 is a budget-friendly audio adventure companion. Featuring an IPX7 protection rating and decent sound in a durable compact package, you don't have to think twice before tossing this speaker into your backpack or gear bin for a weekend getaway.

See price at Amazon

What should you get instead of the Anker Soundcore Motion 300?

The JBL Flip 6 survives dunks into saltwater, and sand doesn’t get behind its grille, thanks to its IP67 rating.

If your budget is flexible, or maybe you spend most of your outdoor time at the beach, you can always check out the popular JBL Flip 6 $99 at Amazon It’s lighter in weight and has an IP67 protection rating which means it can handle dust as well as being waterproof. You’ll get that great JBL sound and a companion app, but your EQ options are limited to just a three-band equalizer if you like to tweak.

The Micro can easily hook onto a backpack and project sound during a hike or stay there during a commute.

The Bose Soundlink Micro $99 at Amazon is also worth a look if you’re into portability. It’s incredibly lightweight, has a rubberized, durable finish similar to the Soundcore Motion 300, an IPX7 protection rating, and a handy strap to help with placement. Although once again small in size, it can only produce so much low-end, so you will experience some sound degradation if you plan on cranking this one up.

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