Soundcore Wakey review: you can replace all your bedside gadgets | nextpit (2024)

Presented at CES in Las Vegas, Soundcore Wakey has finally arrived at the editorial office. What's so special about this Anker brand radio alarm clock? Find out in our full review!

An honest price for a useful product

The Soundcore Wakey is available for purchase at a price of 99.99 euros in Europe, or $99.99 in the US. It is perhaps notthe cheapest Bluetooth speaker, and not even the most affordable clock radio, however, it is a special product and can replace many of the devices that we usually keep on the bedside table or desk.

Pleasant design and many useful functions

Awarded the 2018 Golden Pin Design Award, the Soundcore Wakey looks almost like a product from Google. The opaque white plastic of the body and the grey fabric that covers the display and speaker are reminiscent of products made by the Mountain View giant. The dimensions of 200x92x82mm are compact enough to fit even on a small bedside table and the weight of 540 grams together with the rubberized bottom allow Wakey to remain stable and not move for any reason.

In the upper part of the clock radio, there is a coil for fast wireless charging, compatible with a maximum speed of 7.5W with Apple devices and up to 10W with the latest Samsung smartphones. At least that what the official website says, however I think that other products from other brands could still take advantage of the fast charging if compatible. If not, the battery will be charged at 5W.

Speaking of charging, on the back, there are two USBports compatible with PowerIQ technology and with a maximum output of 10W, useful for charging accessories such as headphones, smartwatches or other compatible products. All ports, including the power ports, radio antenna and audio input are located on the back, for a clean and elegant look.

In the front part, under the display, there are soft touch backlit keys that will allow you to control volume, radio, alarm clocks and Bluetooth connection, though I found the Soundcore app to be more practical and intuitive.

An old-fashioned but functional display

The Soundcore Wakey uses white LEDs arranged in a matrix to display key information such as time, Bluetooth connection, FM radio activation or alarm clock. You can't talk about a real display here.

However, the LEDs are sufficiently bright for the day but not too annoying for the night. Through the Soundcore app you can still adjust 5 different brightness levels or completely deactivate the "display" in the desired hours (although I sincerely do not see the point of turning off the time in a clock radio whose main task is precisely to allow us to take a quick look at the time...).

One app for everyone, all in one app

Soundcore provides in itsapp all the main controls for the Wakey and other products of the samebrand. In addition to being able to update the firmware via your smartphone, the app allows you to create new custom alarms and manage the FM radio. Unfortunately only 10 stations can be stored, the reason for this is not very clear to me...

The fantastic user interface well maintained and animated. The white noise function is perhaps one of the most interesting I've tried. The reason? You can scroll through a list of different sound effects and mix them at different volumes to create your own ideal environment for relaxation and rest. There is also a timer for automatic shutdown.

Unfortunately, the Soundcore app cannot connect to the speaker remotely because it does not have a Wi-Fi connection. You will need to connect to the alarm clock via Bluetooth before you can change any settings via the app.

A great clock radio, a mediocre speaker.

The Anker clock radio has two 1.75" drivers and 5W of power each (for a total of 10W of power) whose sound isstrong enough and quite clear. However, do not expect excellent sound quality, especially because of the slightly exaggerated bass, a feature common to other Soundcore speakers such as the Flare or the Flare+.

The Integrated FM radio function has a frequency ranging from 87 to 108 MHz. However, for the radio to function properly, the small, discreet antenna included in the sales package must be connected to the rear. Excellent to notice the presence ofwired AUX audio input with 3.5mm jack.

There is also Bluetooth 5.0, with which you can even answer hands-free calls via the Wakey thanks to the integrated microphone. Despite the microphone, unfortunately, there is no type of voice assistant and no smart functionality via Wi-Finetwork. Unfortunately, high quality aptX, aptX HD, AAC or LDAC codecs are not supported.

One device, four perfectly balanced cores

The Soundcore Wakey is a very special product and designed for those who have more than one device to charge during the night, like a smartwatch, headset and/or a smartphone. Also suitable for those who are looking for a modern radio alarm clock with some additional functions to be used from time to time, like the white noise feature that will help you to fallsleep.

The design is very well thought out and adapts to be placed both in the bedroom and on a desk maybe next to the PC. The fabric finish that covers the display and the color scheme used is reminiscent of that of the Google Home or Nest Hub products, allowing you to integrate the Wakey in your smart home without necessarily upsettingthe furniture scheme and lookingout of place.

The hardware is fantastic, including the fast wireless charging pad at the top, USB ports and audio input on the back plus the presence of small goodies such as FM radio and the companion app. Too bad about the lack of a voice assistant and Wi-Fi connectivity for streaming without a phone.

For the price, what is proposed is an all-rounder able to remove too many chargers that you have to keep on the bedside table, finding space between alarm clock and speaker. With about 100 bucks,you will bring home a unique product that can replace all the products just mentioned and accomplish every single task in a satisfactory way.