How Long Does the Bose SoundLink Mini Battery Last?

ByKern Campbell, MBA

The main concern that most people have with buying a Bose Soundlink mini (besides the price tag), is a concern about the battery life.

For battery-powered Bluetooth devices like the Soundlink Mini, a dead battery pretty much means a junked device.

We can’t reasonably expect the batteries to last forever, but just how long with the Bose SoundLink Mini battery last?

The Bose SoundLink Mini cases a 2600mAh battery that can last from 400-600 recharge cycles. In laymen’s terms, this means that SoundLink Mini owners will see battery life deteriorate after around two years and complete failure to charge in the six to eight-year range depending on the frequency of use and recharging.

Usually, the first sign of battery degradation is a shorter lifetime. 

At first, your SoundLink Mini will run for up to 12 hours on a full battery.

After the first year, the battery life is closer to seven hours. 

This decrease in battery life is not due to misuse or abuse. 

It’s a natural occurrence for the chemicals inside the battery casing to eventually stop holding a charge.

The average lifetime of the battery in the Bose SoundLink Mini is around six or seven years. 

With proper care and knowledge of batteries, it is possible to keep the battery alive for an additional year. 

However, the charge will likely only last for short ten or twenty-minute periods. 

This is pretty good considering the speaker can still be used past the life of the battery connected to a power outlet without any loss to the speaker’s excellent audio quality.

If you happened to have purchased the SoundLink Mini when it was released for $200, then you’ve already experienced far more quality audio than you could have paid for.

Unfortunately, it’s been eight years. 

I would wager the battery in your SoundLink Mini isn’t holding a charge any longer. 

You might have already gotten used to your SoundLink Mini being a stationary device. 

Did you know that you can make your speaker portable again? 

How Long Does the Bose SoundLink Mini Battery Last 1 How Long Does the Bose SoundLink Mini Battery Last?

Yes! I have even more good news for you. It’s easy and inexpensive. 

All you’ll need to get the job done is a six-millimeter hex screwdriver and a replacement battery. 

The first generation of the Bose SoundLink Mini was designed to last and for the battery to be easily replaced. 

In order to access the battery, all you need to do is flip the speaker upside down and pull the rubber cover off. 

Once the cover is removed, you’ll have an open view of the outside face of the battery. 

The model of the battery is printed on the label of the outside face.

The SoundLink Mini 1st Generation uses the 061384 battery model. 

Due to the age of this Bose speaker model, Bose no longer manufactures the original battery. 

Instead, you will find replacement batteries on online markets like Amazon, eBay, or third-party battery vendors. 

Replacement units are typically priced from $30 to $50 depending on the battery’s capacity.

Some replacement batteries increase the battery capacity of the device from the original 2200mAh to 3400mAh. 

However, it is recommended that you replace the battery with a product as similar to the original as possible. 

While a big increase in battery life may sound appealing, the manufacturer typically chooses battery capacity that best functions with the device. 

Once you have acquired the replacement battery and a six-millimeter hex screwdriver, the rest is quick. 

Unscrew the four screws on the corners of the battery. The battery will now be free to be removed.

Slide the old battery out. Position the new battery inside the battery compartment. 

You won’t get it wrong as the battery will fit in the slot in only the correct position. 

Rescrew the battery to the speaker casing.

Then push the rubber cover back into place.

New batteries will typically not ship with a full charge.

It is recommended that you charge the battery to at least seventy percent which will take two to three hours. 

With the new battery installed, you should see the original battery life for portable use restored. 

Depending on the battery you chose as a replacement, you should get another good five or six years of your SoundLink Mini being portable.

Store Additional Batteries

I would recommend that you purchase one or two extra replacement batteries for your speaker.

If you managed to stick with the same speaker for eight years already, it’s likely you’ll want to revive it again when the battery runs out once more. 

If you can make the device last for thirteen years of use, I would propose that you have earned the right to purchase an upgraded model of your speaker. 

If you’re still adamant about sticking to your trusty Bose SoundLink Mini first-generation model, then you’ll need to keep in mind that specialty batteries like the ones required for your SoundLink Mini will not be in production forever. 

For this reason, hardcore conservationists will want to have one battery for every five years they want to keep the SoundLink Mini portable.

Don’t plan too far into the future as other problems may occur in the speaker’s old age such as a speaker blowout.

There’s another reason you shouldn’t stock up on too many replacement batteries. 

Stored batteries of unused batteries will only last up to twenty years and that time is not guaranteed. 

Some batteries no longer operate after five years of storage. 

Be sure to keep your extra replacement batteries in a container that is slightly colder than room temperature. 

If you purchased a SoundLink Mini just before the switch to the Mini II in 2015 or just replaced the battery in your SoundLink Mini, you might be wondering what the best practices are for keeping the battery in top condition. 

Luckily for you, I have a few tips to help you get more life out of your Bluetooth speaker.

Rechargeable batteries contain chemical compounds that store electric charge and can be recharged a specific number of times. 

The number of times a battery can be recharged is called a cycle. 

Typically, quality portable products will have large capacity batteries with a relatively high amount of charge cycles in their lifetime, somewhere around six hundred cycles. 

What this means is that the device can be recharged from near empty to one hundred percent around six hundred times before the battery will no longer hold a charge. 

This means that lowering the number of times you need to charge it by conserving battery life is the number one way to get a longer life out of a battery.

If you do not drain the battery as fast, you will hold off the need to recharge it. 

The longer you can use the speaker without running out of juice, the longer the battery will last in the long run.

If no charge moves through the battery for long enough, the battery will lose charge and battery capacity. 

If you find yourself not using the speaker frequently, be sure to turn it on now and then to keep the charge flowing.

Keep the speaker out of extreme temperatures

If the speaker gets too hot, the battery can expand and become volatile. 

If it becomes too cold, the charge will drain and some or all of the battery capacity can be depleted. 

Do not let your speaker come into contact with water

The SoundLink Mini is not an extreme sports speaker. It is meant for quality audio in comfortable spaces. 

Water can do serious damage to the motherboard, the battery, and the connections between them. If you like to use your speaker in your yard or outside lounging areas, make sure to bring it inside with you. One rainy day could lead to a dead speaker.

Unplug the speaker when the battery is full

A continued charge with a full battery can lead to the speaker heating up. This heat will not dissipate on its own if the speaker is in use. 

The heat will continue to build and may eventually negatively impact the battery’s condition. 

Use a surge protector when plugged into an outlet

Electrical surges are another risk that can do some serious damage to batteries. 

Limit your SoundLink Mini’s exposure to electrical surges with a surge protector when you need to plug it in. 

Conclusion

Bose’s SoundLink Mini is a durable and dependable aging speaker. 

The sound quality still stands up to current Bluetooth speaker competitors. 

It may not rank as the best in portable audio in 2021, but it is still a great speaker to have at home. 

Whether you kept a hold of it to keep microphones out of your Bluetooth speaker or just couldn’t let it go, the SoundLink Mini has proven to be a great speaker eight years later.

With the ability to replace the battery, the remaining SoundLink Minis out in the wild may see life for another ten years or longer before they are retired. 

For those keeping their SoundLink Minis in working condition, I salute you.

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