Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It ranks #29 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $139.95; the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #114, rated 2.9/5, at $134.99. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
The JBL Charge 5 Wifi is the better-sounding, deeper-bass pick. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version. Its bass reaches about 53Hz before falling 10dB, against 91Hz for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 15 for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 lacks. The tradeoff: Shouty upper mids.
The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is the lighter pick. 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. At 1.3 lbs (608 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge 5 Wifi at 2.2 lbs (1 kg). It links with other speakers (PartyUp up to 50 speakers), which the JBL Charge 5 Wifi cannot. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. The catch: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $4.96 saving on the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.95 | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #29 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #114 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (via app) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | - |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 97 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 |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music | - |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | No |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (Manufacturer specified) | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | Yes (built-in loop) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Charge 5 Wifi compares with other leading options:
- EarFun Uboom L vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Motion 300
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Minirig 4
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 Wifi: $139.95 Amazon $139.95 eBay
Same family: the JBL Charge 5 (smaller model, ranked lower, rated 4/5). See every JBL Charge generation.
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 →
| Released | May 2023 (3 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 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 |
| Strap | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
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Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon $134.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
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. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
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 →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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