Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 Wifi for better sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 for the lower price. The JBL Charge 5 Wifi ranks #25 of 136 medium speakers at $250. The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 ranks #83 at $163, $87 cheaper.
What the JBL Charge 5 Wifi offers: Has Wifi. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version Watch for: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive. No party mode on the wifi version
What the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life - about double most speakers this size. Watch for: 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.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 Wifi if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $250 | $163 |
| Ranked | #25 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #83 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | - |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g | 2 lbs / 925 g |
| Wifi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 97 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 |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music | - |
| Output Power | 40W | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | - |
| Max Volume | 99dB | 98dB |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Harman Kardon Luna vs JBL Charge 5
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs JBL Charge 5
- JBL Charge 5 vs Turtlebox Ranger
- Turtlebox Ranger vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- KEF Muo gen2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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
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 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing M4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs JBL Charge 5
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing G4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- 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 Tribit Xsound Mega
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Xiaomi Sound Party
- See all 84 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: $163 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life - about double most speakers this size.
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 →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 98dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| 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 3
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