Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE for better sound quality, the Tozo PA2 for the lower price. The JBL Charge Essential 3 SE ranks #40 of 150 medium speakers, rated 3.7/5, at $199.95. The Tozo PA2 ranks #118, rated 2.5/5, at $39.99, $159.96 cheaper.
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. 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.
Why pick the Tozo PA2: IPX8 rated, rugged fabric-wrapped design. The tradeoff: Quite a bit of bass distortion thudding as you turn the volume up.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Tozo PA2 when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | Tozo PA2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $39.99 |
| Ranked | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #118 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (TOZO App) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (16 EQ modes via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX8 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.2 lbs (540 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 7.1” x 2.8” x 3” (180 x 70 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 2x 1.7-inch full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators (44x49mm each) |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | 16W |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
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
- B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
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 JBL Charge Essential 2
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs JBL Pulse 5
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Tozo PA2: $39.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: IPX8 rated, rugged fabric-wrapped design. App offers 16 EQ modes and TWS dual-pairing with a second PA2.
Cons: Quite a bit of bass distortion thudding as you turn the volume up. Bass not that deep. The Tozo PA1 totally outclasses it.
Full Tozo PA2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (TOZO App) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2.8” x 3” (180 x 70 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.7-inch full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators (44x49mm each) |
| EQ | Yes (16 EQ modes via app) |
| IP Rating | IPX8 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (540 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons