Short answer: the Minirig mk3 with subwoofer for balanced sound, the Charge 5 Wifi for WiFi. The Minirig setup is very balanced but not stereo, and its app is buggy. The Charge 5 Wifi’s edge is WiFi, and it is not stereo either, at $250 against $260.
What the JBL Charge 5 Wifi gets right: Has Wifi. The tradeoff: Not stereo.
On the Minirig mk3 with subwoofer side: Very balanced sound. Set against that: Not stereo, app is buggy.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 Wifi at $250 for a medium speaker, or the Minirig 3 with subwoofer at $260 for a large speaker instead.
Battery life favors the Minirig 3 with subwoofer: rated for 30 hours against 20 hours for the JBL Charge 5 Wifi.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Charge 5 Wifi at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Minirig 3 with subwoofer at Splash resistant (splashing).
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | Minirig 3 with subwoofer | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $250 | $260 |
| Ranked | #27 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #6 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) | 3.1 lbs (1.42 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 97 x 94 mm) | 4" x 2.9" (101.6 x 73 mm) (diameter x height) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 70mm custom driver |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | Splash resistant |
| Power Input | USB-C | Proprietary USB cable |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music | - |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 40W |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (Manufacturer specified) | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 1ms |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 60ms |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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 Wifi: $250 Amazon eBay
Pros: Has Wifi. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive. No party mode on the wifi version
Full JBL Charge 5 Wifi review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 97 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 (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
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Minirig 3 with subwoofer: $260 Minirigs eBay
Pros: Very balanced sound. Measured bass extension of 47Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, app is buggy. Wireless TWS pairing is buggy. Not easy to carry on the go, no handle and there’s 2 pieces. Calls itself splash resistant but has no official water rating. A bit expensive. Has reliability issues more often than any other speaker
Full Minirig 3 with subwoofer review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 1ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 60ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4" x 2.9" (101.6 x 73 mm) (diameter x height) |
| Drivers | 70mm custom driver |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant |
| Maximum SPL | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary USB cable |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) |
| Weight | 3.1 lbs (1.42 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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