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 JBL Charge 3 ranks #77, rated 3.2/5, at $80, $119.95 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
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 JBL Charge 3: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. The tradeoff: Less clarity than the Flip 4.
One note: the JBL Charge 3 is discontinued and no longer widely available new.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $119.95 you would save on the JBL Charge 3 does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | JBL Charge 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $80 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #77 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (JBL Connect) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.8 lbs (800 g) |
| 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) | 8.4” x 3.5” x 3.5” (213 x 88 x 88 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | 20W RMS |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | Micro USB |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 63Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
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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
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- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
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JBL Charge 3: $80 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge 6, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5.
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. IPX7 rated; built-in noise/echo-cancelling speakerphone. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4. Battery failures are common. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4” x 3.5” x 3.5” (213 x 88 x 88 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (800 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Charge 4 and JBL Charge 3 - small one or a large one? 🤷♂️
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- EnforcerMan: JBL CHARGE 3 VS TREBLAB HD77 - FULL REVIEW
- Head-to-Head Comparisons