JBL Charge 5 vs Soundcore Boom 3i

Last updated: October 1, 2026

Short answer: nearly a coin flip, so let price decide. The Charge 5 ranks #28 of 151 medium speakers against the Boom 3i’s #29, just one place apart, and the Boom 3i costs $20.96 less.

JBL Charge 5 vs Soundcore Boom 3i

The Boom 3i was clearly built to go after the Charge 5 directly. Our notes describe it as looking like a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar warm, bass-boosted sound profile, and call it better value for the money. The tradeoff our notes point to is small: it doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced as the Charge 5, but is very close. An earlier firmware version had bass distortion our notes say is fixed with a Soundcore app update.

The Charge 5’s own notes aren’t glowing either. They describe a warm sound with shouty upper mids, boosted bass, and slightly rolled-off treble, and flag it as overly expensive for what it delivers. In other words, neither speaker is a standout on accuracy; the Boom 3i just gets close to the same sound for less.

The Charge 5 still wins on a few practical features. It doubles as a USB-A power bank for charging your phone, supports JBL’s PartyBoost for linking up to 100 speakers, and runs 20 hours on a charge against the Boom 3i’s 16. The Boom 3i counters with a higher IP68 rating against the Charge 5’s IP67, more rated output power (50W versus 40W), and a lighter body.

Buy the Charge 5 if you want the power bank function and PartyBoost linking, and don’t mind paying more for a nearly identical sound.

Buy the Boom 3i if you want that same warm, bass-forward sound for less money and don’t need the power bank feature.

Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.

Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i at Amazon ($118.99) →Buy the JBL Charge 5 at Amazon ($139.95) →

Specifications Side By Side

JBL Charge 5 Soundcore Boom 3i
Price$139.95$118.99
Ranked#28 of 151 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers#29 of 151 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers
AppYesYes
Bass Extension (-10dB)53Hz56Hz
Battery Life20 hours (Manufacturer specified)16 hours (Manufacturer specified)
EQYes (3 band)Yes
Bluetooth Latency125ms-
Maximum SPL99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)-
Party ModeYes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers)No
Power BankYes (USB-A, 5V/2A)-
StereoNoNo
OmnidirectionalNoNo
TWSYesYes
Weight2.1 lbs (960 g)1.7 lbs (783 g)
Aux InputNoNo
BluetoothYesYes
Bluetooth CodecsAAC, SBCSBC, AAC
Bluetooth Version5.15.3
Dimensions8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm)8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm)
Drivers53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter94mm woofer + tweeter
Frequency Response60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)-
IP RatingIP67IP68
Power InputUSB-CUSB-C
Amplifier Power40W50W
Built-in MicrophoneYes (dual microphones)Yes
Digital Aux InputNoNo
StrapNoYes (detachable strap)
Lights-Yes
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i at Amazon ($118.99) →Buy the JBL Charge 5 at Amazon ($139.95) →

How JBL Charge 5 compares with other leading options:

Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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 5: $139.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay

JBL Charge 5 ranking card

Newer model: the JBL Charge 6, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5.

Pros: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. IP67 rated, survives a 1m dunk for 30 minutes. ~20 hour battery life. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).

Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.

Full JBL Charge 5 review and specifications →

Amplifier Power40W
AppYes
Aux InputNo
Bass Extension (-10dB)53Hz
Battery Life20 hours (Manufacturer specified)
BluetoothYes
Bluetooth CodecsAAC, SBC
Bluetooth Latency125ms
Bluetooth Version5.1
Built-in MicrophoneYes (dual microphones)
Digital Aux InputNo
Dimensions8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm)
Drivers53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter
EQYes (3 band)
Frequency Response60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)
IP RatingIP67
Maximum SPL99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)
OmnidirectionalNo
Party ModeYes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers)
Power BankYes (USB-A, 5V/2A)
Power InputUSB-C
StereoNo
StrapNo
TWSYes
Weight2.1 lbs (960 g)
Check current price at Amazon ($139.95) →Check current price at B&H Photo Video →Search eBay for JBL Charge 5 →

Soundcore Boom 3i: $118.99 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay

Soundcore Boom 3i ranking card

Pros: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the Charge 5. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).

Cons: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App

Full Soundcore Boom 3i review and specifications →

Amplifier Power50W
AppYes
Aux InputNo
Bass Extension (-10dB)56Hz
Battery Life16 hours (Manufacturer specified)
BluetoothYes
Bluetooth CodecsSBC, AAC
Bluetooth Version5.3
Built-in MicrophoneYes
Digital Aux InputNo
Dimensions8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm)
Drivers94mm woofer + tweeter
EQYes
IP RatingIP68
LightsYes
OmnidirectionalNo
Party ModeNo
Power InputUSB-C
StereoNo
StrapYes (detachable strap)
TWSYes
Weight1.7 lbs (783 g)
Check current price at Amazon ($118.99) →Check current price at B&H Photo Video →Search eBay for Soundcore Boom 3i →