Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE if sound quality matters most, the Bogasing M5 if price matters most. The JBL Charge Essential 3 SE ranks #40 of 150 medium speakers, rated 3.7/5, at $199.95. The Bogasing M5 ranks #58, rated 3.5/5, at $52.99, $146.96 cheaper.
The case for the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. The catch: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural.
The case for the Bogasing M5: Compact enough for a backpack side pocket at under 1.7 lb. The catch: Front/rear driver configuration.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Bogasing M5 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Battery life favors the Bogasing M5: rated for 30 hours against 20 hours for the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | Bogasing M5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $52.99 |
| Ranked | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #58 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | No | No (front/rear drivers) |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.7 lbs (757 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 6.3” x 3” x 2.8” (160 x 76 x 71 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 30W system |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | 40W |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 61Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
| USB Playback | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Charge Essential 3 SE:
- Earfun Uboom L vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- Minirig 4 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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 Essential 3 SE: $199.95 JBL eBay
Older models: the JBL Charge Essential 2 (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the JBL Charge Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. IP67 water and dust protection, a claimed 20 hours of battery life, a USB-C power bank output, Auracast stereo pairing and multi-speaker linking, Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, and app EQ.
Cons: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural. Against the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen it sounds muddier and more strident, with less detail and a smaller soundstage. At full price it costs as much as the Charge 6, which is the better speaker.
Full JBL Charge Essential 3 SE review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
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Bogasing M5: $52.99 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Bogasing M4 (ranked higher, rated 4/5).
Pros: Compact enough for a backpack side pocket at under 1.7 lb. Up to 30 hours of battery life. USB-C charging: no proprietary cable to lose. Measured bass extension of 61Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Front/rear driver configuration. Use bass mode for the flattest response. Sounds thin in the midrange. Hot treble and rolled off bass in default mode. Treble a bit rolled off in bass mode.
Full Bogasing M5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 61Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 3” x 2.8” (160 x 76 x 71 mm) |
| Drivers | 30W system |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No (front/rear drivers) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (757 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons