Short answer: the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor. Both are rated 3.7/5 for sound quality (#46 and #42 of 182 medium speakers), and the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor costs $49.99 against $199.95 for the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
The JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is the longer-running option. A fully waterproof speaker with plenty of volume and bass, long battery life, a phone charging port, app EQ and Auracast pairing. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 12 for the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor lacks. The catch: 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.
The Xiaomi Sound Outdoor is the lighter pick. An affordable waterproof outdoor speaker with a separate tweeter, decent battery life and linking to many more speakers. At 1.3 lbs (597 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE at 2.1 lbs (960 g). Watch for: Bass reach is limited for the cabinet size, with a rated lower limit of 60Hz, and the boosted bass gets somewhat uncontrolled at high levels.
Buy the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $149.96 less than the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE.
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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 | Xiaomi Sound Outdoor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $49.99 |
| Ranked | #42 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #46 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Speakersync, up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.3 lbs (597 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 7.7” x 2.7” x 2.6” (196.6 x 68 x 66 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 20W woofer, 10W tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | 30W |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
Where the Ratings Come From
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: reviews by Mateusz Cholewa.
- Xiaomi Sound Outdoor: reviews by Oluv, Mateusz Cholewa and Techder Audios.
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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