Short answer: the JBL Charge 6. It ranks #12 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $149.95; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #75, rated 3.4/5, and costs $399, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The JBL Charge 6 is the better-sounding, longer-running choice. A waterproof medium speaker with a long battery and a power bank output, with more balanced sound than older Charge models. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 12 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It is rated IP68 against IPX4 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. The catch: Still some boosted bass by default.
What the Bose Portable Smart Speaker does well: A smart speaker with Alexa and Google Assistant built in that streams over Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth on the go. The tradeoff: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it.
Buy the JBL Charge 6. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 AM 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 6 | Bose Portable Smart Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.95 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #12 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #75 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX4 |
| Maximum SPL | 102dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/2.4A) | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (990 g) | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 9” x 3.9” x 3.7” (228.8 x 98.5 x 94 mm) | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 56Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 45W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
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