Short answer: the Sonos Roam is neutral and charges wirelessly; the Charge 3 carries the power bank. The Roam is very neutral, IP67 rated at ~1 lbs (454 g), and supports wireless Qi charging, which is rare for a portable speaker, but its bass extension is not very good, it is not stereo, and it distorts if you turn up the bass. The Charge 3 doubles as a 6000mAh power bank, though clarity falls short of the Flip 4.
Buy the JBL Charge 3 only if you find one used in good condition; both are discontinued, and it is the better rated of the two. For a new speaker, start with the Earfun Uboom L instead.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 3 | Sonos Roam | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 Discontinued | $179.99 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #81 of 157 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #86 of 157 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | - |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (800 g) | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.0 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.4” x 3.5” x 3.5” (213 x 88 x 88 mm) | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | - |
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) | Sonos S2 App |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX5 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Charge 3 compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom L vs JBL Charge 3
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Charge 3
- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Charge 3
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge 3
- Minirig 4 vs JBL Charge 3
Prices on this page were last checked October 3, 2026 at 10:26 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
Newer model: the JBL Charge 6, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5.
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. IPX7 rated; built-in noise/echo-cancelling speakerphone. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4. Battery failures are common. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| 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
Sonos Roam: $179.99 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Sonos Roam 2, ranked higher, rated 3.2/5.
Pros: Very neutral. IP67 rated at ~1 lb. Wireless (Qi) charging: rare for a portable speaker. Works with Alexa/Sonos Voice Control and the wider Sonos ecosystem over Wi-Fi. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted if you turn up the bass. Discontinued.
Full Sonos Roam review and specifications →
| App | Sonos S2 App |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons