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 Skullcandy Terrain ranks #141, rated 2.1/5, at $49.94, $150.01 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 Skullcandy Terrain: IPX7 rated with a nylon wrist wrap for carrying. The catch: No bass, very rolled off treble.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $150.01 saving on the Skullcandy Terrain is not enough to make up the difference.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | Skullcandy Terrain | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $49.94 |
| Ranked | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #141 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (SKDY Multi-Link, up to 99 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1 lbs (458 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 6.3” x 3.1” x 3.1” (160 x 79 x 79 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 2x 48mm drivers + passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | 2 x 6W |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | Yes (wrist strap) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 90dB SPL (Manufacturer specified) |
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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
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Skullcandy Terrain: $49.94 Amazon eBay
Pros: IPX7 rated with a nylon wrist wrap for carrying. 14 hour battery life. Multi-Link pairs it with other Skullcandy speakers.
Cons: No bass, very rolled off treble. Distortion in the treble. Just doesn’t sound good
Full Skullcandy Terrain review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 2 x 6W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 3.1” x 3.1” (160 x 79 x 79 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 48mm drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 90dB SPL (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (SKDY Multi-Link, up to 99 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (wrist strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1 lbs (458 g) |
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