Sound that really goes places: Soundcore Motion 300 review

When it comes to finding quality speakers, you can rely on Soundcore to deliver, so it's no surprise that you might be considering the Motion 300. This speaker is designed with portability as a priority, while still refusing to sacrifice power and performance. So, how well does it do?

The Motion 300 is a Bluetooth speaker, so you don't need to worry about being tethered down with it. In fact, between its impressive waterproof rating and overall lightweight build, it's a great speaker for the outdoors.

Still, it's easy for a speaker to seem impressive at a glance, but actually getting to use it really lets you understand how good it truly is. That's why we've made sure to put it to the test.

To figure out whether the Soundcore Motion 300 is worth your time and money, we've had our resident tech expert Kyle Purves test it out. Kyle is familiar with a variety of speakers and knows exactly what key strengths and weaknesses to keep an eye out for. They've tried out the Motion 300 in a variety of situations and put its specs to the test, so you can be sure they know the ins and outs of this speaker. Read on to see the full detailed review.

Build

The Motion 300 excels as a speaker for parties or camping, so naturally, it's made with portability as a priority. That's evident in every aspect of its design, from the size and weight to the handy little strap on the side. It's easy to attach to a backpack, so you don't even need to worry about packing it inside.

With the focus on the outdoors and parties, the Motion 300 understands the importance of water resistance. With a rating of IPX7, this speaker can easily handle the occasional rainy shower. In fact, it's also a superb shower speaker too.

I've used other speakers before for listening to music while I shower, but this is definitely the best size for one I've found. It's not too big whatsoever, with me never struggling to find a place for it. It's also not too small either, running the risk of slipping or somehow rolling away.

In terms of the design itself, the Motion 300 is very well-built. Only the power button has an impression for it, but each other one has a slight texture to it that makes it stand out even when not looking at it. Once turned on, the controls light up, so you don't need to worry about lighting in your surroundings.

A rather clever feature of the Motion 300 is how it sits, or rather, the options it provides for sitting. You can place it standing up, which I did most of the time, with the controls facing upwards. This means the speaker itself is blasting its sound out in whichever direction you face it. Alternatively, you can place it on its back, with small pads to support it. This way, the speaker is facing upwards, which I found to be preferable when listening with others or whenever I was in a spacious room.

I also want to briefly note the mesh at the front. It's not a major feature, but Soundcore claims it improves the sound quality. Considering the Motion x600 also sports a similar mesh, and I greatly enjoy the audio quality of both speakers, I'm willing to believe that.

Performance

Ultimately, the most important aspect for any speaker to excel in is how it sounds when playing music. After all, that's what most of us will primarily use it for. As it turns out, the Motion 300 is fantastic for the most part, with a downside I'll discuss later.

In my experience with the Motion 300, the default balance was perfect for music. I experimented with a wide range of genres, and it was able to consistently deliver rich noise. I wouldn't necessarily describe it as punchy, but I was impressed with how good strings sounded coming out of it. I feel confident in saying that, regardless of whether you prefer dance music to party with, simply want to relax with some soft jazz, or anything in between, the Motion 300 is more than capable of being a quality speaker.

It's also worth noting that since this is a Soundcore product, you can use the companion app to adjust the EQ. This lets you choose from a selection of presets or even customise the balance yourself, so if you're an audiophile who likes to tailor things precisely, you'll be quite pleased with this speaker.

Downsides

I tend to praise Soundcore's speakers and headphones for their punchy bass, but I was somewhat disappointed this time around. It's a step down from the usual, and while I expected that to a degree, I found it to be quite a drop. It's a smaller speaker, definitely designed for travel and the outdoors, but regardless of where I listened the bass mode came off as quite muddy. In fact, I realised that everything sounded better without the bass button enabled. An unfortunate departure from the usual bass quality. Even playing around with the EQ in the companion app wasn't able to resolve this.

Another downside, albeit a minor one, is that the Motion 300 is definitely more suited to just music. I wasn't much of a fan of how spoken content like videos and podcasts came out. Everything was still audible of course, but it was somewhat muddy from time to time. Often, I was better off sticking to my phone's built-in speakers instead.

Verdict

Even with a few shortcomings, the Soundcore Motion 300 is still a fantastic speaker that is more than capable in most settings. The so-so bass is a shame, but it's a sacrifice that ultimately feels worthwhile in turn for such a convenient and portable design. Plus, it still sounds great with most songs and genres I listened to. When the sunny weather returns, I can't help but think how nice it would be to take this with me on a picnic or a camping trip.

I also want to make a quick note that the Soundcore Motion 300 is very well-priced. Other, more powerful, speakers tend to be well over £150, sometimes broaching over £200. As such, the Motion 300 feels a lot more affordable, and it's definitely worth considering as a gift for someone (or yourself).

The Motion 300 gets a solid recommendation from me. It's definitely more suited for the outdoors and travel, but it's certainly a good shower speaker as well. If you're looking for a powerful speaker to keep around the house, you may want to consider other options, but the Motion 300 is fantastic in its focus.

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What else to consider?

Who tested it?

Kyle Purves is one of our tech writers, and is no stranger to testing out Soundcore's selection of audio products. They've previously reviewed the Motion x600, as well as some of Soundcore's headphones and earbuds. Kyle enjoys a variety of music and genres, but refuses to share their Spotify wrapped. Regardless, they're always listening to something, whether it's a podcast in the background or Japanese noise rock.

How did we test it?

The Motion 300 was a constant companion throughout all of November, as I would have music playing to help me power through Black Friday coverage. As such, I got plenty of time and use to get acquainted with it. It wasn't just music; I would use it to listen to videos and podcasts outside of work as well, to make sure I understood its range of abilities well enough. And, of course, any speaker that boasts an IPX7 rating means I also try it out as a shower speaker.

Kyle Purves is a Tech Product Writer for What’s The Best, with an avid interest in all things gaming and tech. They have plenty of experience testing out a variety of electronics and devices. Out of work hours, they can often be found playing through an RPG like Pokemon or Persona, or trying to catch up with their ever-expanding list of shows to watch.

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