Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 on measured sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 on price. The JBL Charge 5 ranks #26 of 136 medium speakers at $134.95. The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #89 at $129.90, $5.05 cheaper.
What the JBL Charge 5 offers: 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. Watch for: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 offers: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. 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 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $134.95 | $129.90 |
| Ranked | #26 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #89 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (via app) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Max Volume | 99dB | 87dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | - |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 960 g | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Output Power | 40W | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Marshall Emberton II vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Flip 7
- JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge Essential 2
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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: $134.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
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.
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
Full JBL Charge 5 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 960 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Reddit Search for JBL Charge 5 Review
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Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $129.90 Amazon eBay
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. 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 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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