Scored using Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0

Harman Kardon Esquire Mini Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£110Audio output power:8.00 WBattery life:8 hoursIP rating:?Bluetooth version:3.0Weight:238 g

Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 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.

Harman Kardon Esquire Mini
5.8/10

Overall score

Score
5.8/ 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
Score components

80%

5.3

Technical score

20%

7.4

User score

â–¼Worse than 95% of portable speakers
7.0

Value for money

Value for money
7.0/ 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
Score components

70%

5.8

Overall score

30%

9.9

Price

â–¼Worse than 93%
5.3

Technical score

Technical score
5.3/ 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
Score components

32%

5.7

Audio

20%

4.8

Battery

18%

5.4

Durability

16%

5.4

Connectivity

8%

4.1

Controls

3%

9.8

Design

3%

3.9

Smart features

â–¼Worse than 98%
7.4

User score

User score
7.4/ 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
Score components

70%

7.7

User ratings

30%

6.7

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–¼Worse than 84%
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Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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 Harman Kardon Esquire Mini

Technical score
Technical score
5.3/ 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
Score components:

32%

5.7

Audio

20%

4.8

Battery

18%

5.4

Durability

16%

5.4

Connectivity

8%

4.1

Controls

3%

9.8

Design

3%

3.9

Smart features

5.3
User score
User score
7.4/ 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
Score components

70%

7.7

User ratings

30%

6.7

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
7.4
Popularity
Popularity
6.7/ 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
Popularity:
Harman Kardon Esquire Mini has a popularity score of 6.7 points, which is higher than 68.6% of products in this category.
6.7
Value for money
Value for money
7.0/ 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
Score components:

70%

5.8

Overall score

30%

9.9

Price

7.0
Audio output power
8 W
This portable speaker has an audio output power of 8 W which is lower than that of 73.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 2.4% of portable speakers.
Driver unit size
27 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 27 mm which is smaller than that of 98.7% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
2
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
3 dB
This portable speaker has a frequency response tolerance of 3 dB which is lower than that of 23.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 69.2% of portable speakers.
Lowest frequency
180 Hz
This portable speaker has a lowest frequency of 180 Hz which is higher than that of 95.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 2.4% of portable speakers.
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
3
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 3 which is older than that of 85.4% of portable speakers and equal to that of 6.5% of portable speakers.
Maximum Bluetooth range
10 m
This portable speaker has a maximum Bluetooth range of 10 m which is longer than that of 4.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 70.2% of portable speakers.
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
8 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 8 hours which is shorter than that of 68.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 11.6% of portable speakers.
Battery capacity
2000 mAh
This portable speaker has a battery capacity of 2000 mAh which is smaller than that of 64.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 7.3% of portable speakers.
Charging time
4 hours
This portable speaker has a charging time of 4 hours which is longer than that of 67% of portable speakers and equal to that of 19.3% of portable speakers.
Maximum charging input power
5 W
This portable speaker has a maximum charging input power of 5 W which is lower than that of 58.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 38.5% of portable speakers.
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
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
Not waterproof m
This portable speaker is not rated for underwater use. 47.6% of portable speakers have a native waterproof depth rating.
Drop resistance
?
Show more
On-device controls placement
?
Touchscreen
no
This portable speaker does not have a touchscreen. 0.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Smartphone app control
no
This portable speaker does not support smartphone app control. 54% of portable speakers offer this feature.
No compatible mobile app for speaker control.
Remote control
no
This portable speaker does not include a remote control. 15% 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
238 g
This portable speaker weighs 238 g which is lighter than that of 86.8% of portable speakers.
Height
7.54 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 7.54 cm which is shorter than that of 75.2% of portable speakers.
Width
14 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 14 cm which is narrower than that of 62.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 1.2% of portable speakers.
Depth
2.4 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 2.4 cm which is shallower than that of 98.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.1% of portable speakers.
Carry options
strap
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
USB
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

Harman Kardon Esquire Mini vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • 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 a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • Supports fast pairing
    This portable speaker supports fast pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support fast pairing.
  • 562 g lighter
    This portable speaker is lighter than the average portable speaker (238 g vs 800 g).
    238 g vs 800 g
  • 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.
  • 5.9 cm shallower
    This portable speaker is shallower than the average portable speaker (2.4 cm vs 8.3 cm).
    2.4 cm vs 8.3 cm
  • Includes a travel bag
    This portable speaker includes a travel bag, while the average portable speaker does not include a travel bag.
  • 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 a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • Supports fast pairing
    This portable speaker supports fast pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support fast pairing.
  • 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.
  • 562 g lighter
    This portable speaker is lighter than the average portable speaker (238 g vs 800 g).
    238 g vs 800 g
  • 5.9 cm shallower
    This portable speaker is shallower than the average portable speaker (2.4 cm vs 8.3 cm).
    2.4 cm vs 8.3 cm
  • Includes a travel bag
    This portable speaker includes a travel bag, while the average portable speaker does not include a travel bag.
  • 4.86 cm shorter
    This portable speaker is shorter than the average portable speaker (7.5 cm vs 12.4 cm).
    7.54 cm vs 12.4 cm
  • 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.
  • 120 Hz less deep bass extension
    This portable speaker has less deep bass extension than the average portable speaker (180 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    180 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • Does not support smartphone app control
    This portable speaker does not support smartphone app control, while the average portable speaker supports smartphone app control.
    No compatible mobile app for speaker control.
  • 4 hours shorter battery life
    This portable speaker has a shorter battery life than the average portable speaker (8 hours vs 12 hours).
    8 hours vs 12 hours
  • 23 mm smaller main driver
    This portable speaker has a smaller main driver than the average portable speaker (27 mm vs 50 mm).
    27 mm vs 50 mm
  • 2 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (3 vs 5).
    3 vs 5
  • 1 hours longer charging time
    This portable speaker has a longer charging time than the average portable speaker (4 hours vs 3 hours).
    4 hours vs 3 hours
  • 7.6% worse value for money
    Harman Kardon Esquire Mini offers worse value for money than the average portable speaker (7.01 vs 7.5).
    7.01 vs 7.55
  • 8.4% lower user score
    User score
    7.4/ 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
    ▼▼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Harman Kardon Esquire Mini
    the average portable speaker
    Harman Kardon Esquire Mini has a lower user score than the average portable speaker (7.38 vs 8).
    7.38 vs 8
  • 120 Hz less deep bass extension
    This portable speaker has less deep bass extension than the average portable speaker (180 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    180 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • 23 mm smaller main driver
    This portable speaker has a smaller main driver than the average portable speaker (27 mm vs 50 mm).
    27 mm vs 50 mm
  • 12 W less audio output power
    This portable speaker has less audio output power than the average portable speaker (8 W vs 20 W).
    8 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.
  • 2 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (3 vs 5).
    3 vs 5
  • 4 hours shorter battery life
    This portable speaker has a shorter battery life than the average portable speaker (8 hours vs 12 hours).
    8 hours vs 12 hours
  • 1 hours longer charging time
    This portable speaker has a longer charging time than the average portable speaker (4 hours vs 3 hours).
    4 hours vs 3 hours
  • 5 W lower charging input power
    This portable speaker has lower charging input power than the average portable speaker (5 W vs 10 W).
    5 W vs 10 W
  • 600 mAh less battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a smaller battery capacity than the average portable speaker (2000 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    2,000 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • 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.
  • Does not support smartphone app control
    This portable speaker does not support smartphone app control, while the average portable speaker supports smartphone app control.
    No compatible mobile app for speaker control.
  • 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.
  • Does not support auto power-off
    This portable speaker does not support auto power-off, while the average portable speaker supports auto power-off.
    No automatic inactivity-based power-off.
  • 5 older
    This portable speaker was released earlier than the average portable speaker (2014 vs 2019).
    2014 vs 2019

Video reviews

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

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

U
uk.pcmag.com
17/10/2014
Summary of the review
S
soundandvision.com
13/10/2014
Summary of the review
T
techradar.com
03/11/2014
Summary of the review
C
cnet.com
21/01/2015
Summary of the review
H
huffingtonpost.co.uk
28/10/2014
Summary of the review
H
huffpost.com
24/11/2014
Summary of the review
A
au.pcmag.com
18/10/2014
Summary of the review
G
gadgetguy.com.au
09/07/2015
Summary of the review
C
computerbild.de
30/11/2014
Summary of the review
A
areadvd.de
22/10/2014
Summary of the review
T
techtest.org
27/06/2016
Summary of the review
A
avguide.ch
27/07/2016
Summary of the review
P
pureglam.tv
21/06/2017
Summary of the review
L
letemsvetemapplem.eu
12/10/2014
Summary of the review
L
lesnumeriques.com
20/01/2015
Summary of the review
L
lesnumeriques.com
20/01/2015
Summary of the review
O
on-mag.fr
25/09/2015
Summary of the review
E
enceintesbluetooth.fr
03/11/2014
Summary of the review
D
digitalvideoht.it
14/03/2015
Summary of the review
L
letemsvetemapplem.eu
13/10/2014
Summary of the review

Third-party reviews

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

What customers like about Harman Kardon Esquire Mini

  • Sleek, stylish, and highly attractive premium design with real leather and metal finishes
  • Extremely compact, lightweight, and pocket-sized form factor ideal for travel
  • Excellent dual-microphone conferencing system with clear voice and echo cancellation
  • Crisp, clear, and detailed audio performance for vocals, acoustic tracks, and mid-to-high frequencies
  • Doubles as a convenient backup power bank to charge smartphones via USB
  • Impressive battery life lasting up to 8 hours on a single charge
  • Built-in retractable kickstand makes it easy to prop up on desktops or tables

What customers don't like about Harman Kardon Esquire Mini

  • Noticeable lack of low-end depth and punchy bass due to the slim form factor
  • Audio tends to distort on deep bass or heavy electronic tracks, even at moderate volumes
  • Sound can come across as thin or hollow when playing classical music or at maximum volume levels
  • Premium price point is considered expensive compared to other better-sounding portable speakers
  • System sounds for power-on and Bluetooth pairing are unnecessarily loud
  • Lack of an included carrying case or protective pouch in the original box
  • The integrated kickstand is non-adjustable

Verdict

The Harman Kardon Esquire Mini is an ultra-slim, pocket-sized portable Bluetooth speaker measuring 3 by 5.5 by 0.9 inches and weighing 8.4 ounces, specifically engineered for mobile professionals. It features a premium unibody design crafted with brushed aluminum sides, a genuine leather back, a scratch-resistant ceramic-coated grille, and a built-in retractable chrome kickstand. For audio and functionality, it incorporates dual 27mm full-range drivers delivering a total output of 8 watts across a 180Hz–20kHz frequency response, alongside a dual-microphone array with echo and noise cancellation for seamless teleconferencing. Its main advantages include its exceptional aesthetic craftsmanship, excellent voice clarity during phone calls, high portability, and a built-in 2,000 mAh lithium-ion battery that provides up to 8 hours of playback while doubling as a power bank via a full-sized USB port. However, it suffers from a notable lack of deep bass response, a tendency for audio to distort at maximum volumes, and it does not come packaged with an AC adapter or a protective travel pouch.

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