Move 2: Battery Test

  • 23 September 2023
  • 6 replies
  • 505 views

Userlevel 7

Hello

I was tempted to add this review/information/update to one of my previous topics on the Move 2. However, I feel that a report on battery life deserves its own piece for several reasons.

The given or easily verified factors of the Move 2:

  • Better sound with dual tweeters_No argument here
  • Pass-through charging (tested and proven)
  • Stereo Pairing in Bluetooth mode_Must be on home Wifi (tested and proven)
  • Bluetooth gateway to other Sonos speakers (tested and proven)
  • New optional color_Olive (my choice 😊)

Battery life on the other hand is not so easily verified unless one is willing to test it. Sonos boosts a 24 hour battery use between charges starting at 100% for the Move 2 versus 11 hours for the original Move. 

Companies are notorious for exaggerating battery use between charges. Most often (or should I say always) they never divulge their testing parameters. Therefore, I decided to run my own controlled battery duration test.

I’ll give you the test results up-front (borrowing a page from the Peter Pee playbook 😎). The test parameters follow.

  • Test Duration_22 hours
  • Battery Level at End of Test_17% for both speakers 
  • Time to 100% Re-Charge_1.25 Hrs.

Test Parameters:

  • Move 2_Stereo Pair
  • Sonos S2 App / Version: 15.8.1 / Build 75145182
  • WiFi_Active
  • Auto Trueplay_On
  • Volume Limit_Off
  • Bluetooth: Auto Connecrt_Off / Idle Disconnect_On
  • Battery Saver_On
  • WiFi Power Save_On
  • Status Light_On
  • Touch Controls_On
  • Environment_Indoors
  • Ambient Temperature_72 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit 
  • Room Parameters in Feet_11(W) x 12(L) x 8(H)
  • Music Source_SiriusXM Watercolors Smooth Jazz
  • Volume Level_Moderate Listening (about 40 on the app slider)
  • Test Duration_22 hours
  • Battery Level at End of Test_17% for both speakers 
  • Time to 100% Re-Charge_1.25 Hrs.

My conclusion is that Sonos’ claim of 24 hours battery use between charges is very creditable. Keep in mind that all the parameters listed above will impact battery life in the positive or negative. I probably could have pushed the speakers to the 24 hour max (or very close) but I didn’t want to completely deplete the batteries.

I hope you found this information useful. Enjoy your Sonos (Move 2) 🙂


6 replies

That is an extraordinary increase in battery playback time. I wonder if Sonos will eventually go onto perhaps achieve that with their Sonos Roam too, at some point in the future?

I like the look of the new colour - Olive Green.

I remain surprised there is no stereo Bluetooth playback when off a WiFi network and I did wonder why there is no SoundSwap! included, but maybe not many users are using that feature on their Roam, perhaps, but I would have liked that feature when taking the Move 2 outdoors into the garden.

Does the move 2 have the same severe battery drain issue when turned off like the move 1?

Does the move 2 have the same severe battery drain issue when turned off like the move 1?

Do you mean around 1%-2%) per month when fully powered off (depending on storage temperatures)? thats what I’m seeing (approximately) with a Move 2.
HTH

Does the move 2 have the same severe battery drain issue when turned off like the move 1?

Do you mean around 1%-2%) per month when fully powered off (depending on storage temperatures)? thats what I’m seeing (approximately) with a Move 2.
HTH

OK that sounds much better and what is expected of a li-ion battery. The move 1 drains around 5% per day when turned off (crazy I know!)

That is an extraordinary increase in battery playback time. I wonder if Sonos will eventually go onto perhaps achieve that with their Sonos Roam too, at some point in the future?

I like the look of the new colour - Olive Green.

I remain surprised there is no stereo Bluetooth playback when off a WiFi network and I did wonder why there is no SoundSwap! included, but maybe not many users are using that feature on their Roam, perhaps, but I would have liked that feature when taking the Move 2 outdoors into the garden.

I have 2 Sonos Moves (version 1) and on my android phone there is an option to pair two Bluetooth devices simultaneously and have them completely in sync with individual volume control. It's pretty awesome for weekends where I've rented cottages or go camping and don't want to set up a travel router. Not sure if ios has this option. 

It doesn’t. iOS doesn’t (currently) support stereo Bluetooth sent as two streams to two devices. 

I don’t think it’s that common in Android, either. 

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