Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE if sound quality matters most, the Tronsmart T8 if price matters most. The JBL Charge Essential 3 SE ranks #42 of 182 medium speakers, rated 3.7/5, at $199.95. The Tronsmart T8 ranks #54, rated 3.6/5, at $49.99, $149.96 cheaper.
Why pick the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: A fully waterproof speaker with plenty of volume and bass, long battery life, a phone charging port, app EQ and Auracast pairing. The tradeoff: In side-by-side listening against the JBL 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 Tronsmart T8: An affordable waterproof speaker with upward firing drivers that spread sound around, plus lights, app EQ, an aux input and stereo pairing. It keeps a wired aux input, which the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE lacks. The tradeoff: Against the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor, listeners in Mateusz Cholewa’s comparison found the T8 harsh and tiring, and Techder Audios’ test showed the Xiaomi Sound Party with deeper, heavier bass.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Tronsmart T8 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 14, 2026 at 6:17 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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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | Tronsmart T8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $49.99 |
| Ranked | #42 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #54 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Tronsmart) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 18 hours at 50% volume, lights off (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Stereo | No | Partially |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.8 lbs (0.80 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | - |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 8.6”H x 3.2”W x 3.2”D (218 x 82 x 82 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 2x upward firing full-range drivers + 1x woofer + 2x passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | 40W |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 56Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Strap | No | Yes (lanyard) |
| Charging Time | - | 4.5 hours |
| Lights | - | Yes |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
Where the Ratings Come From
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: reviews by Mateusz Cholewa.
- Tronsmart T8: reviews by Mateusz Cholewa, Techder Audios and Jagist.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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