Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It ranks #29 of 182 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $139.95; the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE ranks #42, rated 3.7/5, and costs $199.95, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the JBL Charge 5 Wifi does well: A rugged waterproof speaker with punchy, warm sound plus Wi-Fi streaming over AirPlay and Chromecast, long battery life and a phone charging port. Watch for: Not stereo.
The case for the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: A fully waterproof speaker with plenty of volume and bass, long battery life, a phone charging port, app EQ and Auracast pairing. It links with other speakers (Auracast), which the JBL Charge 5 Wifi cannot. The tradeoff: In side-by-side listening against the JBL Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 14, 2026 at 6:17 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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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.95 | $199.95 |
| Ranked | #29 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #42 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 97 x 94 mm) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music | - |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | No |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi: reviews by GYMCADDY.
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: reviews by Mateusz Cholewa.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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