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 Huawei Sound Joy 2 ranks #60, rated 3.5/5, at $154.73, $45.22 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
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 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 Huawei Sound Joy 2: A 20W 50mm x 75mm racetrack full range driver and a 10W 19mm tweeter with two passive radiators. The tradeoff: In side by side sound tests against the Harman Kardon Luna, Tribit XSound Plus 2 and Xiaomi Sound Outdoor, most listeners preferred the other speakers, finding the Sound Joy 2 treble heavy and strained, with audible distortion as the volume rises.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $45.22 you would save on the Huawei Sound Joy 2 does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | Huawei Sound Joy 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $154.73 |
| Ranked | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #60 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Huawei AI Life |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 26 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | - |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 8”H x 2.9”W (202 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 50mm x 75mm racetrack full range, 19mm tweeter, 2x passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | 30W (20W full range, 10W tweeter) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Strap | No | - |
| Lights | - | Yes |
| NFC | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Charge Essential 3 SE compares with other leading options:
- JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- JBL Flip 7 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
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.
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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
Huawei Sound Joy 2: $154.73 AliExpress eBay
Older model: the Huawei Sound Joy (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5).
Pros: A 20W 50mm x 75mm racetrack full range driver and a 10W 19mm tweeter with two passive radiators. In side by side sound tests listeners found its vocals clearer than the Xiaomi Sound Party’s, though with less bass. The 8800mAh battery is rated for 26 hours and fast charges over USB-C. IP67 dust and water protection, Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC, NFC tap to pair, stereo pairing with a second unit, an LED light ring, and three microphones for calls.
Cons: In side by side sound tests against the Harman Kardon Luna, Tribit XSound Plus 2 and Xiaomi Sound Outdoor, most listeners preferred the other speakers, finding the Sound Joy 2 treble heavy and strained, with audible distortion as the volume rises. The reviewer behind those comparisons also found it less smooth than the first Sound Joy. Nothing so far shows how neutral its tuning is: the evidence is listening comparisons, not measurements. A single unit plays mono, and it isn’t sold on Amazon in the US, so buying one means importing.
Full Huawei Sound Joy 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 30W (20W full range, 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Huawei AI Life |
| Battery Life | 26 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Dimensions | 8”H x 2.9”W (202 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 50mm x 75mm racetrack full range, 19mm tweeter, 2x passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Lights | Yes |
| NFC | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Sound Joy 2 vs JBL Flip 6 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor More from storytripperhd →
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Sound Joy 2 vs Tribit XSound Plus 2 vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Sound Joy 2 vs Xiaomi Sound Party
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Soundjoy 2 vs Edifier ES60 vs Sony ULT Field 1
- Head-to-Head Comparisons