Short answer: the JBL Charge 5. It ranks #30 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $114.95; the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 ranks #108, rated 3.0/5, and costs $191.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The JBL Charge 5 is the better-sounding, deeper-bass option. Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. Its bass reaches about 53Hz before falling 10dB, against 70Hz for the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 lacks. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. The tradeoff: Shouty upper mids.
The case for the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass.
Buy the JBL Charge 5. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $114.95 | $191.99 |
| Ranked | #30 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #108 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (UE | BOOM app) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (App EQ) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 2 lbs (925 g) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 3.4” x 8.9” x 3.4” (87 x 225 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | Yes (built-in loop) |
Watch Them Compared
Videos and reviews that test both speakers side by side.
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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 5: $114.95 Amazon $139.95 Woot $114.95 Lowest eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge 6, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5, released Mar 2025. It adds USB audio input, but drops the built-in mic. Battery life goes from 20 to 24 hours. Water resistance goes from IP67 to IP68.
Older models: the JBL Charge 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5), the JBL Charge 3 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5) and the JBL Charge 2 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5). See every JBL Charge generation.
Same family: the JBL Charge 5 Wifi (larger model, ranked higher, rated 4/5).
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 →
| Released | Mar 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Charge 5 - unboxing & first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 6 or the JBL Charge 5? don’t go home till you watch this! More from alanrossreviews →
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- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge 6 🎶👌Unboxing 📦vs Jbl Charge 5 Short Test Audio i Hz. More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge 5 vs BOGASING S8 Pro MAX
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 "LIGHTS VS BASS?!" More from techderaudios →
- KULAS TECH SHOW: JBL Charge 5 vs Tronsmart Mirtune S100 - Sound Comparison💥🔥 More from KULASTECHSHOW20 →
- Storytripper HD: KEF MUO vs JBL Charge 5 More from storytripperhd →
- YARNZO Tech: Does size really matters here let’s find out zealot s39 vs jbl charge 5 who will win?🤔 More from YARNZO Tech →
- YARNZO Tech: Short review of zealot s67, jbl charge 5, zealot s39. Which one do you think has a better sound 🎧✅
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 6 Review - Worth Upgrading Even If You Have The JBL Charge 5 More from GYMCADDY →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE 5 Vs. CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 #shorts
- Angelicaaudio: Mini JBL Flip Essential 2 vs. JBL Charge 5 Bluetooth Speaker Review
- Audio y Mas *🔊: 😨JBL Charge 5 vs Zealot S85, LA MARCA IMPORTA?
- DIGI-EARS: Xdobo X8 Max vs. JBL Charge 5 vs. Anker Soundcore Motion+ vs. Tribit Stormbox Pro Sound Test Battle
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: $191.99 Amazon $191.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life: about double most speakers this size. Measured bass extension of 70Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. 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 2018. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (UE | BOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4” x 8.9” x 3.4” (87 x 225 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2 lbs (925 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
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