Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 2. It ranks #37 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $130; the Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) ranks #51, rated 3.6/5, and costs $194, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
Why pick the JBL Charge Essential 2: A tough, compact 930g speaker with IPX7 water resistance, USB-C charging, a USB-A power-bank output and a claimed 20-hour battery life. The catch: It is a pared-back Charge: no app EQ, no PartyBoost/party mode and no stereo-pair option.
What the Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) does well: RTINGS measured a fairly neutral sound with a balanced midrange, so vocals and lead instruments come through clearly, and excellent directivity from the 360° design for an open, even sound around the room. The catch: RTINGS found it lacks low bass, so there’s little deep thump or rumble.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 2 | Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 | $194.00 |
| Ranked | #37 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #51 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Bose Connect |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | - |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (930 g) | 1.5 lbs (680 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | - |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | - |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | - |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP55 |
| Power Input | USB-C | - |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) | - |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| TWS | No | - |
| Strap | No | - |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to JBL Charge Essential 2:
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Earfun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked September 29, 2026 at 3:43 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge Essential 2: $130 eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, ranked lower, rated 3.7/5.
Pros: A tough, compact 930g speaker with IPX7 water resistance, USB-C charging, a USB-A power-bank output and a claimed 20-hour battery life. It delivers much of the Charge 5’s familiar punch and volume in a simpler package, with bass that reaches roughly 55Hz for this size. Measured bass extension of ~55Hz (-10dB).
Cons: It is a pared-back Charge: no app EQ, no PartyBoost/party mode and no stereo-pair option. It plays mono, has a little less bass authority than the Charge 5, and its IPX7 rating does not promise dust protection. Choose it for a good sale price, not for extra features.
Full JBL Charge Essential 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (930 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Huawei Sound Joy
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Teufel Rockster XS
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Soundcore Motion 100
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- See all 107 comparisons
Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II): $194.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Bose Soundlink Revolve (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5).
Pros: RTINGS measured a fairly neutral sound with a balanced midrange, so vocals and lead instruments come through clearly, and excellent directivity from the 360° design for an open, even sound around the room. In a side by side test against the Revolve+ II and B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen, several listeners preferred its clearer, less bass heavy tuning to the Revolve+ II. Up to 13 hours of battery, IP55 dust and water resistance, a built-in microphone for calls and voice assistants, and multi-connect for two devices at once.
Cons: RTINGS found it lacks low bass, so there’s little deep thump or rumble. It doesn’t get loud either: DXOMARK measured only about 73 to 74 dBA at maximum volume, against 85 to 89 dBA for speakers like the Sony SRS-XB43 in the same test, and bass compresses and pumps as you turn it up. There is no EQ in the Bose Connect app, a single unit plays mono, and it still charges over micro USB.
Full Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) review and specifications →
| App | Bose Connect |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP55 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (680 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- RTINGS: Bose SoundLink Revolve II Review More from Rtings.com →
- DXOMARK: Bose SoundLink Revolve II Speaker review
- SoundGuys: Bose SoundLink Revolve II review More from Soundguys →
- techkiste.net: B&O Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) vs Bose Revolve 2 vs Bose Revolve+ 2 sound-comparison
- Danny Pops: BEST Bose Speaker? Bose is getting lazy. More from DannyPops →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) vs Sonos Play
- Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) vs JBL Pulse 5
- Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) vs Sonos Roam 2