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Altec Lansing M202 Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£90Audio output power:7.00 WBattery life:?IP rating:IPX4Bluetooth version:?Weight:1130 g

Altec Lansing M202 Review: Compare 130 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Portable Speakers category and whether it is worth buying.

6.3/10

Overall score

Score
6.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of products in the Portable Speakers category, based on technical analysis and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference for identifying the best products in the Portable Speakers category.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
Score components

80%

6.3

Technical score

20%

?

User score

â–¼Worse than 73% of portable speakers
7.4

Value for money

Value for money
7.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 71% of models
Score components

70%

6.3

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–¼Worse than 71%
6.3

Technical score

Technical score
6.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 63% of models
Score components

32%

6.1

Audio

20%

8.1

Battery

18%

5.6

Durability

16%

5.5

Connectivity

8%

6.1

Controls

3%

8.2

Design

3%

3.9

Smart features

â–¼Worse than 63%
?

User score

User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 71% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

  • No image
No image
Where to buy
    N/A~ £90
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of portable speaker Altec Lansing M202

Technical score
Technical score
6.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 63% of models
Score components:

32%

6.1

Audio

20%

8.1

Battery

18%

5.6

Durability

16%

5.5

Connectivity

8%

6.1

Controls

3%

8.2

Design

3%

3.9

Smart features

6.3
User score
User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 71% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

?
Popularity
Popularity
1.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you prefer products in the Portable Speakers category that have been chosen and reviewed by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Popularity:
Altec Lansing M202 has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than 59.2% of products in this category.
1.0
Value for money
Value for money
7.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 71% of models
Score components:

70%

6.3

Overall score

30%

10

Price

7.4
Audio output power
7 W
Market range: <4 W – >100 W
This portable speaker has an audio output power of 7 W which is lower than that of 76.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.7% of portable speakers.
Driver unit size
51 mm
Market range: <38 mm – >101 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 51 mm which is larger than that of 54.4% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.8% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
2
Market range: <0 – >5
This portable speaker has 2 drivers, which is more than 24.5% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 45.5% of portable speakers.
Frequency response tolerance
?
Lowest frequency
?
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
no
This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth audio. 94.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
?
Maximum Bluetooth range
?
Bluetooth profiles supported
?
Bluetooth LE Audio
no
This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth LE Audio. 2.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Battery life
?
Battery capacity
?
Charging time
?
Maximum charging input power
?
Built-in rechargeable battery
yes
This portable speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery. 18.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
IP rating
IPX4
This portable speaker has an IP rating of IPX4 which provides worse ingress protection than 77.7% of portable speakers and the same ingress protection as 21% of portable speakers.
Water resistance
no
This portable speaker is not water resistant. 61.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Dust resistance
no
This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant. 51.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Waterproof depth rating
?
Drop resistance
?
Show more
On-device controls placement
top
Touchscreen
no
This portable speaker does not have a touchscreen. 0.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Smartphone app control
yes
This portable speaker supports smartphone app control. 46.1% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Compatible mobile app provides speaker control or settings.
Remote control
yes
This portable speaker includes a remote control. 85.1% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Fast pairing
no
This portable speaker does not support fast pairing. 22.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Weight
1,130 g
Market range: <200 g – >5.6k g
This portable speaker weighs 1,130 g which is heavier than that of 59.5% of portable speakers.
Height
9.6 cm
Market range: <5.79 cm – >29 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 9.6 cm which is shorter than that of 63.5% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.2% of portable speakers.
Width
27.3 cm
Market range: <7.6 cm – >37 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 27.3 cm which is wider than that of 74.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.2% of portable speakers.
Depth
14.5 cm
Market range: <4.3 cm – >19.97 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 14.5 cm which is deeper than that of 77.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.5% of portable speakers.
Carry options
handle
Show more
Companion app name
?
Firmware updates
no
This portable speaker does not support firmware updates. 47.2% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Firmware update method
?
Voice assistant support
no
This portable speaker does not support voice assistants. 26.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Spotify Connect
no
This portable speaker does not support Spotify Connect. 10.8% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more

Altec Lansing M202 vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • Provides 360-degree sound
    This portable speaker provides 360-degree sound, while the average portable speaker does not provide 360-degree sound.
    Provides omnidirectional 360° sound radiation.
  • Has built-in stereo speakers
    This portable speaker has built-in stereo speakers, while the average portable speaker does not have built-in stereo speakers.
    Provides true stereo output within the unit.
  • Has an equalizer
    This portable speaker has an equalizer, while the average portable speaker does not have an equalizer.
    Offers user-selectable EQ, tone adjustment, or sound presets.
  • Has a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • Includes a power adapter
    This portable speaker includes a power adapter, while the average portable speaker does not include a power adapter.
  • Includes a remote control
    This portable speaker includes a remote control, while the average portable speaker does not include a remote control.
  • Has an FM radio
    This portable speaker has an FM radio, while the average portable speaker does not have an FM radio.
  • Supports playback mute
    This portable speaker supports playback mute, while the average portable speaker does not support playback mute.
    Speaker playback audio can be directly muted.
  • Provides 360-degree sound
    This portable speaker provides 360-degree sound, while the average portable speaker does not provide 360-degree sound.
    Provides omnidirectional 360° sound radiation.
  • Has built-in stereo speakers
    This portable speaker has built-in stereo speakers, while the average portable speaker does not have built-in stereo speakers.
    Provides true stereo output within the unit.
  • Has a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • Includes a power adapter
    This portable speaker includes a power adapter, while the average portable speaker does not include a power adapter.
  • Has an equalizer
    This portable speaker has an equalizer, while the average portable speaker does not have an equalizer.
    Offers user-selectable EQ, tone adjustment, or sound presets.
  • Includes a remote control
    This portable speaker includes a remote control, while the average portable speaker does not include a remote control.
  • Has an FM radio
    This portable speaker has an FM radio, while the average portable speaker does not have an FM radio.
  • Supports playback mute
    This portable speaker supports playback mute, while the average portable speaker does not support playback mute.
    Speaker playback audio can be directly muted.
  • Has a sleep timer
    This portable speaker has a sleep timer, while the average portable speaker does not have a sleep timer.
    A selectable timer can stop playback or power the speaker down.
  • Includes a travel bag
    This portable speaker includes a travel bag, while the average portable speaker does not include a travel bag.
  • Is not water resistant
    This portable speaker is not water resistant, while the average portable speaker is water resistant.
  • Is not rated as dust resistant
    This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant, while the average portable speaker is dust resistant.
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This portable speaker has fewer microphones than the average portable speaker (0 vs 1).
    0 vs 1
  • Does not support Bluetooth audio
    This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth audio, while the average portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio.
  • 13 W less audio output power
    This portable speaker has less audio output power than the average portable speaker (7 W vs 20 W).
    7 W vs 20 W
  • Does not support stereo pairing
    This portable speaker does not support stereo pairing, while the average portable speaker supports stereo pairing.
  • Does not support True Wireless Stereo
    This portable speaker does not support True Wireless Stereo, while the average portable speaker supports True Wireless Stereo.
  • Worse ingress protection
    This portable speaker has worse ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IPX4 vs IPX5).
    IPX4 vs IPX5
  • 4.21x less popular
    Altec Lansing M202 is less popular than the average portable speaker (1 vs 4.21).
    1 vs 4.21
  • 1.5% worse value for money
    Altec Lansing M202 offers worse value for money than the average portable speaker (7.43 vs 7.5).
    7.43 vs 7.55
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This portable speaker has fewer microphones than the average portable speaker (0 vs 1).
    0 vs 1
  • 13 W less audio output power
    This portable speaker has less audio output power than the average portable speaker (7 W vs 20 W).
    7 W vs 20 W
  • Does not support Bluetooth audio
    This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth audio, while the average portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio.
  • Is not water resistant
    This portable speaker is not water resistant, while the average portable speaker is water resistant.
  • Is not rated as dust resistant
    This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant, while the average portable speaker is dust resistant.
  • Worse ingress protection
    This portable speaker has worse ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IPX4 vs IPX5).
    IPX4 vs IPX5
  • Does not support stereo pairing
    This portable speaker does not support stereo pairing, while the average portable speaker supports stereo pairing.
  • Does not support True Wireless Stereo
    This portable speaker does not support True Wireless Stereo, while the average portable speaker supports True Wireless Stereo.
  • Does not provide voice prompts
    This portable speaker does not provide voice prompts, while the average portable speaker provides voice prompts.
    No spoken status prompts; feedback is absent, visual, or tone-based.
  • 6.2 cm deeper
    This portable speaker is deeper than the average portable speaker (14.5 cm vs 8.3 cm).
    14.5 cm vs 8.3 cm
  • 9.2 cm wider
    This portable speaker is wider than the average portable speaker (27.3 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    27.3 cm vs 18.1 cm
  • 330 g heavier
    This portable speaker is heavier than the average portable speaker (1,130 g vs 800 g).
    1,130 g vs 800 g
  • 9 older
    This portable speaker was released earlier than the average portable speaker (2010 vs 2019).
    2010 vs 2019

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

C
cnet.com
14/09/2010
Summary of the review
Altec Lansing Octiv Duo M202 review - CNET
U
uk.pcmag.com
18/10/2010
Summary of the review
Altec Lansing Octiv Duo M202 - Review 2010 - PCMag UK

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Altec Lansing M202

  • Dual docking allows playing and charging two Apple devices at the same time
  • Compact and elegant low-profile wedge design fits small spaces easily
  • Decent sound quality with clear audio and subtle low-end presence for its size
  • Free companion applications unlock alarm clock and song mixing capabilities
  • Electromagnetic shielding prevents mobile phone interference during use
  • Includes a full-featured remote control that stores magnetically on the back
  • Additional USB and auxiliary ports allow charging and connecting extra devices

What customers don't like about Altec Lansing M202

  • Audio struggles with noticeable distortion at high volume levels
  • Bass response is limited and cannot deliver deep punchy lows
  • The circular shape of the remote control can be awkward to use
  • Requires the official app to access full mixing and alarm features
  • Music Mix app functionality is restricted on non-iOS models like the iPod nano

Verdict

The Altec Lansing Octiv Duo M202 is a compact, wedge-shaped 2.0-channel speaker dock measuring 3.8 x 10.7 x 5.7 inches and weighing approximately 2.4 pounds, designed to charge and play two 30-pin iPhones or iPods simultaneously. Equipped with dual 2-inch (51mm) neodymium drivers, an integrated 3.5mm auxiliary input, a rear USB charging port for a third device, and magnetic storage for its circular remote, this system offers electromagnetic shielding to prevent cellular interference. Key advantages include its space-saving footprint, convenient dual-charging capabilities, and clear audio output for personal spaces. However, the system lacks built-in Bluetooth connectivity, relies on an obsolete 30-pin Apple connector, and suffers from noticeable audio distortion at higher volumes.

Compare Altec Lansing M202 with other products in the Portable Speakers category

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