Short answer: the JBL Charge 3 ranks #70 of 140 medium speakers by sound quality at $80; the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 ranks #139 at $79.99. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
What the JBL Charge 3 offers: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. Watch for: Less clarity than the Flip 4.
What the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2/ Lifejacket 3 offers: Tank-like build quality - reviewers have frozen it, dropped it, and buried it in sand with no issues. Watch for: Barely any bass, “pathetic sounding” said Jay’s Reviews.
Buy the JBL Charge 3 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3. It ranks near the bottom of the 140 medium speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 is rated for 30 hours, the JBL Charge 3 only 20 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 3 | Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 Discontinued | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #70 of 140 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #139 of 140 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 100dB | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 800 g | 2.7 lbs / 1.22 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | - |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 4.5" (114mm) woofer |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.5" (213 x 88 x 88 mm) | 8" x 3.8" x 4.2" (203.2 x 96.5 x 106.7 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | 80W |
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| EQ | No | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- JBL Flip Essential vs Soundcore 2
- JBL Flip Essential vs Tribit Xsound Go
- JBL Charge Essential vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Charge 3
- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Charge 3
Prices on this page were last checked September 1, 2026 at 2:15 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 3: $80 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. IPX7 rated; built-in noise/echo-cancelling speakerphone.
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4. Battery failures are common. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 3 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.5" (213 x 88 x 88 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 100dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 800 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Charge 4 and JBL Charge 3 - small one or a large one? 🤷♂️
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- EnforcerMan: JBL CHARGE 3 VS TREBLAB HD77 - FULL REVIEW
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3: $79.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Tank-like build quality - reviewers have frozen it, dropped it, and buried it in sand with no issues. IP67 rated; doubles as a power bank. Universal mounting clip for a bike, kayak, or backpack. True wireless pairing lets you link two units.
Cons: Barely any bass, “pathetic sounding” said Jay’s Reviews. Gets distorted with a lot of bass. The entire Altec Lansing Bluetooth speaker line likely also sounds similarly bad.
Full Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 review and specifications →
| Aux Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8" x 3.8" x 4.2" (203.2 x 96.5 x 106.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 4.5" (114mm) woofer |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.7 lbs / 1.22 kg |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 🦨 (2022 Version) How Many Versions Have They Made❓ How Bad Is It❓ More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Ivan T: Altec lancing lifejacket 3
- Altec lansing bass test: bass test altec lansing lifejacket 3 (mambo lambo crazy bass)
- Fewishaツ: Altec Lansing Life Jacket 3 Bass Test
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- Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3 vs JBL Charge 4
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