The Stormbox Flow Excels In Battery Performance, But Falls Short of The Motion 300 In Sound Quality
Tribit’s Stormbox Flow and Soundcore’s Motion 300 are both similar in design to the Bose SoundLink Flex, clearly inspired by the design. They also retail for a much more affordable price, making them both viable options for those seeking an everyday Bluetooth speaker. But which is the better speaker, the Motion 300 or the Stormbox Flow? We got both speakers and tested them side by side for this comparison.
Our Pick
Key Takeaways:
- The Stormbox Flow lasts up to 25 hours, compared to 13 hours on the Motion 300.
- The Motion 300’s balanced sound will be appreciated by audiophiles.
- There’s little difference in the overall design and durability of these speakers.
- The Stormbox Flow reaches higher volume levels, but less clarity at volume.
Tribit Stormbox Flow vs Soundcore Motion 300
| Model | Stormbox Flow | Motion 300 |
| Water Resistance | IP67 | IP67 |
| Output Power | 25W | 30W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Battery Life | Up to 25 Hours | Up to 13 hours |
| Charging Time | 3.5 Hours | 3.5 Hours |
| Frequency Response | 50 Hz – 40 kHz | 65 Hz – 40 kHz |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.47 oz | 1.98 lbs |
| Dimensions | 7.87 × 2.6 × 3.23″ | ‎7.8 x 3.6 x 1.85″ |
| App Support | Yes | Yes |
| Price: | Check Price | Check Price |
Table of Contents
- Design, Build & Durability
- Controls, Connectivity & App Support
- Sound Quality & Volume
- Battery
- Price & Value
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Differences In Design, Build, & Durability Between The Tribit Stormbox Flow And The Soundcore Motion 300
- Both speakers have very similar sizes and weights.
- Both are well protected from nature; the Motion 300 has IPX7 waterproofing, while the Stormbox Flow is both water and dust-resistant with an IP67 rating.
Design
Winner: Tie
Both speakers are similar in design, and neither is inherently better than the other. They’re small enough to be carried in one hand, and the materials are of the same high quality. The size and weight are also similar. They both have stands on the base and back of the speaker, meaning they can be played with upward or front-firing sound.
Durability
Winner: Tribit Stormbox Flow
Stormbox Flow Controls
Motion 300 Controls
The Soundcore Motion 300 and Tribit Stormbox Flow are both made to last in the outdoors, and again, are very similar in most respects. They have an IPX7 level water-resistance rating, meaning they can be used in heavy rain and even survive submergence (up to 1 meter for 30 minutes). The Stormbox Flow has a slight advantage by also having dust resistance.
The shells of both speakers are also wrapped in a durable rubber, except for the front grilles, which are even more heavy-duty and can both take a solid knock without damage.
Portability
Winner: Tied
Tribit Stormbox Flow
Soundcore Motion 300
At under 2 lbs each, these speakers are made for taking with you outdoors or use around the home. They both have carry handles, though the Motion 300’s strap is quite short, but more sturdy, while the Stormbox Flow has a longer loop made from rope. Again, there’s not much separating them, but if you struggle to carry objects due to disability, the Stormbox Flow is a little lighter.
Control Differences Between The StormBox Flow and The Motion 300
- LED indicators on the Stormbox Flow and backlit buttons on the Motion 300 make them easy to use in low light.
- Both speakers can be paired in TWS for stereo sound.
- The Stormbox Flow has a pairing button directly on the speaker, while the Motion 300 requires an app.
Inputs & Outputs
Winner: Tied
Neither speaker features any additional inputs or outputs; the only port you’ll find is a charging port.
Controls
Winner: Tribit StormBox Flow
Stormbox Flow Controls
Motion 300 Controls
Tribit has gone with a minimalist design style for their controls, which gives the speaker a classy look. Initially, when I saw the lack of painted buttons that were quite hard to see, I worried a bit, but when I turned the speaker on, I noticed that the LED lights behind each button made it easy to know where to press in the dark.
A real benefit to these controls is the inclusion of an on-speaker EQ toggle. It’s a feature I wish more speakers would include, and it allows one to make on-the-fly changes to the speaker’s sound, so that it can be adapted to the environment and type of music being listened to.
The Soundcore Motion 300 has the same full playback control options as the Tribit, but instead of an EQ toggle, it has a simpler bass boost button. Unlike the Stormbox Flow, the Motion 300 has easily visible buttons that are also backlit.
TWS & Group Pairing
Winner: Tie
Multispeaker pairing allows one to wirelessly connect more than one speaker together, playing the same audio. TWS achieves a similar result, but is limited to two speakers, and the audio is split into left and right channels for better soundstage.
These speakers both have TWS support, meaning you can pair the Motion 300 with another Motion 300, or a Stormbox Flow with another Stormbox Flow in a stereo pairing. The process is done via mobile app on the Motion 300, while the Stormbox Flow lets you establish a TWS pairing directly from the speaker, too.
Although they can both be paired in TWS, neither speaker has broader general group pairing, meaning you can’t connect the Motion 300 to the Motion X500 or X600, for example.
App Support
Winner: Soundcore Motion 300
While both the Stormbox Flow and Motion 300 have mobile apps, Soundcore’s app is more comprehensive, featuring a 9-band EQ compared to Tribit’s 5-band EQ. A powerful feature of the Soundcore app is also the ability to toggle and adjust how the sound is configured, depending on the orientation of the speaker.
Stormbox Flow Vs Motion 300: Which Sounds Better?
- The Motion 300 is more balanced/neutral, especially across the mid-range frequencies.
- Tribit’s Stormbox Flow gets a bit louder than the Motion 300.
- Because the Motion 300 has two drivers with stereo sound, it has a better soundstage.
Sound Profile & Frequency Response
Winner: Soundcore Motion 300
Stormbox Flow Frequency Response Chart
Motion 300 Frequency Response Chart
As can be seen in the frequency response charts above, the Motion 300 has significantly more bass and is a more balanced speaker. The Stormbox Flow isn’t without bass, but its lows are more inconsistent and less elevated towards the deep end.
Similarly, the midrange is great on both speakers, but the Motion 300 is impressively neutral, which audiophiles will approve of.
They both share a classic dip towards the upper midrange and a spike in the treble, which is a tuning often found in speakers that are made to be used outdoors.
So what does this mean for the layman? Both speakers sound good, but the Motion 300’s more neutral sound means you get to hear a better representation of what the producer intended. It usually means most tracks, across genres, will sound better.
Soundstage & Dynamics
Winner: Soundcore Motion 300
One of the most significant differences between these speakers lies in their soundstage. The Tribit Stormbox Flow uses a single driver on the right of the speaker, which creates limited directionality and soundstage.
The Motion 300, on the other hand, has two drivers that play stereo sound, meaning the soundstage is greatly improved.
Similarly, the dynamics are better on the Motion 300, retaining more detail at higher volume with less compression.
Volume
Winner: Tribit Stormbox Flow
The Motion 300 may sound better, but the Stormbox Flow gets a few decibels louder. Its lower dynamic range does mean that audio quality suffers more towards the end of its volume range.
How Does The Battery Differ Between The Stormbox Flow and The Motion 300
Tribit Stormbox Flow
Soundcore Motion 300
Winner: Tribit Stormbox Flow
The Tribit Stormbox comes out ahead when it comes to battery life. It’s rated to last 25 hours, and in my testing, it came surprisingly close to these estimates. The Motion 300 has about half that battery life, rated by Soundcore to last up to 13 hours.
It’s not that the Soundcore Motion 300 is a weak performer in this regard; it’s just that the Stormbox Flow has a substantial battery that exceeds much of the competition.
Charging will take about 3 and a half hours on each speaker to go from 0 to 100%.
Price & Value
Winner: Soundcore Motion 300
Both speakers are available between $79 and $89, making them affordable speakers. Compared to the similar Bose SoundLink Flex, they come in at around 30% more affordable. So if you’re looking for a budget speaker with quality performance, both are worth considering, but when measured side by side, the Soundcore Motion 300 ultimately has the best value.
Our Pick
