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Products in this category are scored under Frontum Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
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Altec Lansing Soundblade Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£25Audio output power:5.00 WBattery life:6 hoursIP rating:?Bluetooth version:2.0Weight:318 g

Altec Lansing Soundblade 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.

Altec Lansing Soundblade
6.4/10

Overall score

Score
6.4/ 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 68% of models
Score components

80%

6.5

Technical score

20%

6.0

User score

â–¼Worse than 68% of portable speakers
7.5

Value for money

Value for money
7.5/ 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 60% of models
Score components

70%

6.4

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–¼Worse than 60%
6.5

Technical score

Technical score
6.5/ 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 54% of models
Score components

32%

6.3

Audio

20%

5.5

Battery

18%

7.8

Durability

16%

6.2

Connectivity

8%

6.9

Controls

3%

9.4

Design

3%

4.5

Smart features

â–¼Worse than 54%
6.0

User score

User score
6.0/ 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 97% of models
Score components

70%

6.8

User ratings

30%

4.3

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–¼Worse than 97%
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Where to buy
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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 Soundblade

Technical score
Technical score
6.5/ 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 54% of models
Score components:

32%

6.3

Audio

20%

5.5

Battery

18%

7.8

Durability

16%

6.2

Connectivity

8%

6.9

Controls

3%

9.4

Design

3%

4.5

Smart features

6.5
User score
User score
6.0/ 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 97% of models
Score components

70%

6.8

User ratings

30%

4.3

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
6.0
Popularity
Popularity
4.3/ 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–² Better than 50% of models
Popularity:
Altec Lansing Soundblade has a popularity score of 4.3 points, which is higher than 50.2% of products in this category.
4.3
Value for money
Value for money
7.5/ 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 60% of models
Score components:

70%

6.4

Overall score

30%

10

Price

7.5
Audio output power
5 W
Market range: <4 W – >100 W
This portable speaker has an audio output power of 5 W which is lower than that of 80% of portable speakers and equal to that of 8.9% of portable speakers.
Driver unit size
63 mm
Market range: <38 mm – >101 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 63 mm which is larger than that of 68.5% of portable speakers and equal to that of 2.7% 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
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
2
Market range: <3 – >5.3
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 2 which is older than that of 99.4% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.6% of portable speakers.
Maximum Bluetooth range
30 m
Market range: <10 m – >30 m
This portable speaker has a maximum Bluetooth range of 30 m which is longer than that of 85.5% of portable speakers and equal to that of 10% of portable speakers.
Bluetooth profiles supported
A2DP; AVRCP; HFP
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
6 hours
Market range: <6 hours – >24 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 6 hours which is shorter than that of 84.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 7.3% of portable speakers.
Battery capacity
2,200 mAh
Market range: <900 mAh – >6.6k mAh
This portable speaker has a battery capacity of 2,200 mAh which is smaller than that of 56.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 7.2% of portable speakers.
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
?
Water resistance
?
Dust resistance
yes
This portable speaker is dust resistant. 48.6% 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
yes
This portable speaker supports fast pairing. 77.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Weight
318 g
Market range: <200 g – >5.6k g
This portable speaker weighs 318 g which is lighter than that of 79.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.3% of portable speakers.
Height
6.1 cm
Market range: <5.79 cm – >29 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 6.1 cm which is shorter than that of 87.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.5% of portable speakers.
Width
16 cm
Market range: <7.6 cm – >37 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 16 cm which is narrower than that of 57.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 1.2% of portable speakers.
Depth
?
Carry options
none
Show more
Companion app name
?
Firmware updates
?
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 Soundblade vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • 20 m longer Bluetooth range
    This portable speaker has a longer Bluetooth range than the average portable speaker (30 m vs 10 m).
    30 m vs 10 m
  • Has a noise-canceling microphone
    This portable speaker has a noise-canceling microphone, while the average portable speaker does not have a noise-canceling microphone.
    Uses microphone noise/echo cancellation for calls or voice.
  • 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.
  • 13 mm larger main driver
    This portable speaker has a larger main driver than the average portable speaker (63 mm vs 50 mm).
    63 mm vs 50 mm
  • Supports fast pairing
    This portable speaker supports fast pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support fast pairing.
  • Supports NFC Bluetooth pairing
    This portable speaker supports NFC Bluetooth pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support NFC Bluetooth pairing.
  • 3.6x cheaper
    Altec Lansing Soundblade is cheaper than the average portable speaker (£25 vs £90).
    £25 vs £90
  • Has a noise-canceling microphone
    This portable speaker has a noise-canceling microphone, while the average portable speaker does not have a noise-canceling microphone.
    Uses microphone noise/echo cancellation for calls or voice.
  • 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.
  • 13 mm larger main driver
    This portable speaker has a larger main driver than the average portable speaker (63 mm vs 50 mm).
    63 mm vs 50 mm
  • 20 m longer Bluetooth range
    This portable speaker has a longer Bluetooth range than the average portable speaker (30 m vs 10 m).
    30 m vs 10 m
  • Supports NFC Bluetooth pairing
    This portable speaker supports NFC Bluetooth pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support NFC Bluetooth pairing.
  • 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.
  • Supports fast pairing
    This portable speaker supports fast pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support fast pairing.
  • Includes a remote control
    This portable speaker includes a remote control, while the average portable speaker does not include a remote control.
  • Has a hardware microphone mute switch
    This portable speaker has a hardware microphone mute switch, while the average portable speaker does not have a hardware microphone mute switch.
    Has a physical microphone mute control.
  • 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.
  • 482 g lighter
    This portable speaker is lighter than the average portable speaker (318 g vs 800 g).
    318 g vs 800 g
  • Includes a travel bag
    This portable speaker includes a travel bag, while the average portable speaker does not include a travel bag.
  • 6.3 cm shorter
    This portable speaker is shorter than the average portable speaker (6.1 cm vs 12.4 cm).
    6.1 cm vs 12.4 cm
  • 6 hours shorter battery life
    This portable speaker has a shorter battery life than the average portable speaker (6 hours vs 12 hours).
    6 hours vs 12 hours
  • 3 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (2 vs 5).
    2 vs 5
  • 15 W less audio output power
    This portable speaker has less audio output power than the average portable speaker (5 W vs 20 W).
    5 W vs 20 W
  • Does not include a passive radiator
    This portable speaker does not include a passive radiator, while the average portable speaker includes a passive radiator.
  • Does not support stereo pairing
    This portable speaker does not support stereo pairing, while the average portable speaker supports stereo pairing.
  • Does not have a battery level indicator
    This portable speaker does not have a battery level indicator, while the average portable speaker has a battery level indicator.
  • 400 mAh less battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a smaller battery capacity than the average portable speaker (2,200 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    2,200 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • 32.2% lower user score
    User score
    6.0/ 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
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Altec Lansing Soundblade
    the average portable speaker
    Altec Lansing Soundblade has a lower user score than the average portable speaker (6.05 vs 8).
    6.05 vs 8
  • 32.2% lower user score
    User score
    6.0/ 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
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Altec Lansing Soundblade
    the average portable speaker
    Altec Lansing Soundblade has a lower user score than the average portable speaker (6.05 vs 8).
    6.05 vs 8
  • 15 W less audio output power
    This portable speaker has less audio output power than the average portable speaker (5 W vs 20 W).
    5 W vs 20 W
  • Does not include a passive radiator
    This portable speaker does not include a passive radiator, while the average portable speaker includes a passive radiator.
  • 3 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (2 vs 5).
    2 vs 5
  • 6 hours shorter battery life
    This portable speaker has a shorter battery life than the average portable speaker (6 hours vs 12 hours).
    6 hours vs 12 hours
  • Does not have a battery level indicator
    This portable speaker does not have a battery level indicator, while the average portable speaker has a battery level indicator.
  • 400 mAh less battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a smaller battery capacity than the average portable speaker (2,200 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    2,200 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • Does not support stereo pairing
    This portable speaker does not support stereo pairing, while the average portable speaker supports stereo pairing.
  • 11 older
    This portable speaker was released earlier than the average portable speaker (2008 vs 2019).
    2008 vs 2019

Video reviews

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

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

P
pcmag.com
31/10/2013
Summary of the review
Altec Lansing SoundBlade (IMW545) Review - PCMag
U
uk.pcmag.com
28/10/2013
Summary of the review
Altec Lansing SoundBlade (IMW545) Review - PCMag UK
A
au.pcmag.com
31/10/2013
Summary of the review
Altec Lansing SoundBlade (IMW545) - Review 2013
M
maclife.de
12/04/2008
Summary of the review
Altec Lansing SoundBlade | Mac Life
(Translated)Show original

Third-party reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
Reviews last updated: August 2026 · How we calculate this

What customers like about Altec Lansing Soundblade

  • Extremely compact, lightweight, and easy to pack for travel or outdoor trips.
  • Delivers clear and decent audio performance for its small size at moderate volume levels.
  • Simple to operate with automatic Bluetooth pairing upon powering up.
  • Equipped with a built-in microphone and speakerphone capabilities for wireless phone calls.
  • Features helpful voice prompts to announce pairing status and power states.

What customers don't like about Altec Lansing Soundblade

  • Audio suffers from noticeable distortion at high volumes, especially on tracks with deep bass.
  • Lacks a rich or deep bass profile due to its small form factor.
  • Maximum volume capability is limited, making quiet audio dynamics difficult to hear.
  • Originally considered overpriced relative to its overall audio performance.
  • The voice prompt announcements cannot be turned off and may feel annoying to some users.

Verdict

The Altec Lansing SoundBlade (IMW545) is a compact, highly portable Bluetooth speaker weighing just 0.7 pounds and measuring 2.4 by 6.3 by 2.1 inches, wrapped in a rugged rubberized shell. Key characteristics include two forward-facing drivers with an output power of 5 Watts, an onboard echo-canceling microphone for hands-free speakerphone capabilities, a 3.5mm auxiliary input, and a micro-USB charging port. Main pros highlight its seamless wireless connectivity, lightweight form factor, simple integrated playback controls, and crisp, solid audio performance at moderate volume levels. However, notable cons include significant audio distortion on bass-heavy tracks when pushed to high volumes, a slightly inflated price point relative to its audio limits, and vocal prompts that some users may find annoying.

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

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