Short answer: the JBL Charge 2 for better sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 for the lower price. The JBL Charge 2 ranks #69 of 136 medium speakers at $149. The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 ranks #85 at $79.99, $69.01 cheaper.
On the JBL Charge 2 side: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank. Watch for: Bass compression at higher volumes.
What the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 gets right: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass.
One note: the JBL Charge 2 is discontinued, but it still ranks #69 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality, ahead of most of what is still sold new, so it is worth considering used.
Buy the JBL Charge 2 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 2 | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149 Discontinued | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #69 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #85 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 3.0 | 5.2 |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm fullrange | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.4" x 3" (216 x 86 x 76 mm) | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 15W RMS | - |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| App | No | No |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
| IP Rating | IPX5 | IP67 |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 76Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 166ms |
| Max Volume | - | 87dB |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
| Stereo | - | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Sonos Roam vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- JBL Charge Essential vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- JBL Charge 3 vs JBL Charge 2
- JBL Charge 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 2: $149 Discontinued
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank. ~10-12 hour battery life. Social Mode pairs up to 3 phones; works as a speakerphone.
Cons: Bass compression at higher volumes. Warm sound. slightly rolled off treble. Not as loud as other speakers. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 3.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.4" x 3" (216 x 86 x 76 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 15W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3: $79.99 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. 14 hour battery - longer than the Wonderboom 2.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. Boosted 93hz upper bass. Cuts bass heavily at high volume. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2022. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 166ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: The biggest upgrade since time began! 💪 More from alanrossreviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: JBL Flip 6 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (Indoor Mode)⚔️ Battle of the Handheld Bluetooth Speakers. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow has deeper bass than the Bose Flex but………..
- Danny Pops: Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker? Wonderboom 3 VS Sony XB-13 More from DannyPops →
- Reddit Search for Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Soundcore 2
- See all 27 comparisons