To compare both new products side-by-side to their predecessors: Sonos Arc Ultra vs Arc, Sonos Sub Gen 4 vs 3.

For the side-by-side comparison: Sonos Roam 2 vs Roam 1

The differences between the two models are very small. Some of the differences don’t matter much as specification or feature so don’t even have a column in the table. The ones not in the table are:

• Slight design difference in the black version of the Roam 1 and Roam 2; the Roam 2 has a gray/black Sonos logo whereas the Roam 1 has a white Sonos logo.
• The Sonos Roam 2 has a separate Bluetooth pairing button. The Roam 1 had one button for both power and Bluetooth pairing.
• With the Sonos Roam 1, you had to first set it up with your Wi-Fi network once before you could pair to it over Bluetooth. That’s not necessary with the Roam 2, and you’ll be able to Bluetooth pair with it straight out of the box.
• Sonos Roam 2 comes with a USB-C to USB-C charging cable, whereas the Sonos Roam 1 comes with a USB-A to USB-C charging cable. I see this as a small drawback, as it means you’ll need a USB (fast) charger with a USB-C out port – not everyone has such a (fast) charger.

The differences between the two that are mentioned in the table:

• Sonos Roam 2 has Bluetooth 5.2 vs 5.0 on the Roam 1.
• Sonos Roam 2 has a higher charging speed of 15 W max. Which would mean it charges up to 50% faster than the Roam 1 with an appropriate charger. However, there’s no charging time mentioned for the Roam 2.
• A 1 mm size difference.

Good to know: you can pair a Sonos Roam 1 with a Sonos Roam 2 as a stereo pair – so no need to get two Roam speakers of the same generation.

The newer Roam 2 will be a bit more expensive for now. While both models have the same MSRP of $179, the price on the Roam 1 has already dropped a bit over time at most retailers. Seeing both models are practically the same, I’d recommend just getting whatever is cheaper.