Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. It ranks #43 of 164 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 3.7/5) at $199.95 and is still sold new; the Sonos Roam ranks #93 (rated 3.1/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is the better-sounding, longer-running pick. 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. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 10 for the Sonos Roam. It is rated IP67 against IPX5 for the Sonos Roam. Watch for: 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.
The Sonos Roam is the lighter pick. Very neutral. At 0.9 lbs (429 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE at 2.1 lbs (960 g). Watch for: Bass extension isn’t very good.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Sonos Roam is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | Sonos Roam | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $179.99 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #43 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #93 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Sonos S2 App |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX5 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | - |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 63Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control |
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
- Minirig 3 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- Minirig 2 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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 Soundcore Motion 100
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs JBL Pulse 5
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- See all 100 comparisons
Sonos Roam: $179.99 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Sonos Roam 2, ranked higher, rated 3.2/5.
Pros: Very neutral. IP67 rated at ~1 lb. Wireless (Qi) charging: rare for a portable speaker. Works with Alexa/Sonos Voice Control and the wider Sonos ecosystem over Wi-Fi. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted if you turn up the bass. Discontinued.
Full Sonos Roam review and specifications →
| App | Sonos S2 App |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons