Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 Wifi for better sound quality, the Soundcore Boom 3i for the lower price. The JBL Charge 5 Wifi ranks #25 of 136 medium speakers at $250. The Soundcore Boom 3i ranks #27 at $110, $140 cheaper.
On the JBL Charge 5 Wifi side: Has Wifi. Set against that: Not stereo.
The case for the Soundcore Boom 3i: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. The tradeoff: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 Wifi if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | Soundcore Boom 3i | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $250 | $110 |
| Ranked | #25 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #27 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g | 1.7 lbs / 783 g |
| Wifi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 97 x 94 mm) | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 94mm woofer + tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music | - |
| Output Power | 40W | 50W |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Max Volume | 99dB | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
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- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs JBL Charge 5
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 5 Wifi: $250 Amazon
Pros: Has Wifi. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version
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 →
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| 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 |
| Wifi | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs JBL Charge 5
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing G4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Harman Kardon Luna
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Wisetiger P3
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Miatone Boompro
- See all 17 comparisons
Soundcore Boom 3i: $110 Amazon Bhphotovideo
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.
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 →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons