Short answer: the Earfun Uboom Slim. Both are rated 3.7/5 for sound quality (#41 and #40 of 150 medium speakers), and the Earfun Uboom Slim costs $79 against $199.95 for the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
Why pick 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 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 Earfun Uboom Slim: Excellent pricing, strong waterproof build (IPX7), good battery life (16 hours), smooth sound with volume compensation, speakerphone capability. Watch for: Not as deep bass as others.
Buy the Earfun Uboom Slim. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $120.95 less than the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | Earfun Uboom Slim | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $79 |
| Ranked | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #41 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.2 lbs (560 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 2.6”H x 7.1”W x 2.6”D (65 x 180 x 65 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 45mm speaker drivers |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | 20W |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | ~63Hz |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Charge Essential 3 SE:
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- 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 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
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs JBL Pulse 5
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs W-King D320
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- See all 85 comparisons
Earfun Uboom Slim: $79 eBay
Pros: Excellent pricing, strong waterproof build (IPX7), good battery life (16 hours), smooth sound with volume compensation, speakerphone capability. Measured bass extension of ~63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not as deep bass as others. Warm tuned, peaks in the mids and lower treble, rolled off upper treble
Full Earfun Uboom Slim review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~63Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.6”H x 7.1”W x 2.6”D (65 x 180 x 65 mm) |
| Drivers | 45mm speaker drivers |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (560 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Earfun Uboom Slim vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- Earfun Uboom Slim vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Earfun Uboom Slim vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- Earfun Uboom Slim vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- Earfun Uboom Slim vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- Earfun Uboom Slim vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Earfun Uboom Slim vs Tronsmart T8
- Earfun Uboom Slim vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- See all 33 comparisons