Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. It ranks #40 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $199.95; the Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II ranks #48, rated 3.6/5, and costs $269, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE does well: 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 tradeoff: 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.
Why pick the Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II: True 360° sound stays consistent no matter where you stand around it, unlike most portable speakers. The catch: Overly boosted bass, warm sounding.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $269.00 |
| Ranked | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #48 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Bose Connect |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP55 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 2 lbs (0.91 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.1 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 3.2” x 6” x 3.2” (82 x 152 x 82 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 1x omnidirectional full-range transducer + 2x passive radiators (driver size undisclosed by Bose) |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | - |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | Micro USB |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Charge Essential 3 SE compares with other leading options:
- 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
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Earfun Uboom Slim
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
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Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II: $269.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Bose Soundlink Revolve+ (ranked lower, rated 3.6/5).
Pros: True 360° sound stays consistent no matter where you stand around it, unlike most portable speakers.
Cons: Overly boosted bass, warm sounding. Boosted mids. Rolled off treble. Only IP55.
Full Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II review and specifications →
| App | Bose Connect |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.2” x 6” x 3.2” (82 x 152 x 82 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x omnidirectional full-range transducer + 2x passive radiators (driver size undisclosed by Bose) |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP55 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2 lbs (0.91 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs W-King D320
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs Soundcore Glow
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs JBL Pulse 5
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II)
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs Sonos Play
- See all 92 comparisons