Short answer: the JBL Charge 6, if you are buying new. The JBL Charge 3 ranks higher than the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 (#91 vs #113 of 175 medium speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the JBL Charge 6, is rated 4.2/5 at $119.95 and is still sold new.
The JBL Charge 3 is the better-sounding, longer-running choice. Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 15 for the Ultimate Ears Boom 4. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 lacks. Watch for: Less clarity than the JBL Flip 4.
The Ultimate Ears Boom 4 is the lighter option. IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. At 1.4 lbs (620 g) it weighs noticeably less than the JBL Charge 3 at 1.8 lbs (800 g). It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Charge 3 lacks. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. Watch for: Not much improvement over the old ones.
Buy the JBL Charge 6, the replacement for the discontinued JBL Charge 3; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 4.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 3 | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 Discontinued | $129.99 |
| Ranked | #91 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #113 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 85dBC (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (800 g) | 1.4 lbs (620 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 2x 1.57” (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81” x 2.57” (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.4” x 3.5” x 3.5” (213 x 88 x 88 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” x 2.9” (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | - |
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Strap | - | Yes (built-in loop) |
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 12, 2026 at 4:13 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, released Mar 2025.
Older model: the JBL Charge 2 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5). See every JBL Charge generation.
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 JBL Flip 4. Battery failures are common. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 3 review and specifications →
| Released | May 2016 (10 years ago) |
|---|---|
| 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 4 unboxing first impressions - vs Charge 3 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021?
- 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
- YouTube: Sony SRS XB31 vs JBL Charge 3: Sound Battle
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $129.99 Amazon $129.99 eBay
Older model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 (smaller model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app.
Cons: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 4 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” x 2.9” (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57” (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81” x 2.57” (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 85dBC (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (620 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs DBSONO X-Blast F37
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- See all 139 comparisons