Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, if you are buying new. The Soundcore Motion 100 measures as well as it (#45 vs #43 of 164 medium speakers, 3.7/5 vs 3.7/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is still sold new at $199.95.
The JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is the longer-running choice. 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 12 for the Soundcore Motion 100. 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 Soundcore Motion 100 is the lighter pick. At 1.3 lbs (575 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE at 2.1 lbs (960 g). It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. Watch for: Not very deep bass, slight distortion.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, since the Soundcore Motion 100 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | Soundcore Motion 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $47 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #43 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #45 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.3 lbs (575 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | AAC, LDAC, SBC |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 7.5” x 3.1” x 2.4” (190 x 80 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 2x full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | 20W |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 65Hz |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to JBL Charge Essential 3 SE:
- 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.
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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 Earfun Uboom Slim
- 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
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs JBL Pulse 6
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Soundcore Motion 100: $47 Discontinued eBay
Larger models: the Soundcore Motion 300 (ranked higher, rated 4.5/5), the Soundcore Motion X500 (rated 4.1/5) and the Soundcore Motion X600 (rated 4.3/5).
Pros: Use Oluv’s EQ for the flattest response. Measured bass extension of 65Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not very deep bass, slight distortion. Real-world battery falls well short of the 12-hour claim at higher volumes (closer to 4 hours at max). Charging takes about 5 hours; no charge-out for other devices. Discontinued and no longer sold new.
Full Soundcore Motion 100 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 65Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, LDAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.5” x 3.1” x 2.4” (190 x 80 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (575 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs JBL Pulse 5
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs Soundcore Glow
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs W-King D320
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- Soundcore Motion 100 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- See all 79 comparisons