Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential. It ranks #68 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $73.99; the Sony SRS-XE300 ranks #92 and costs $137, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the JBL Charge Essential offers: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential. Watch for: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
What the Sony SRS-XE300 offers: IP67 rated. Orientation-aware playback switches to stereo when laid flat. Party Connect links up to 100 speakers; fast charging (10 min charge = ~70 min playback). Watch for: Muffled sounding, not very deep bass. Hollow sounding. Worse than a XB43
Buy the JBL Charge Essential. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XE300 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential | Sony SRS-XE300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $73.99 | $137 |
| Ranked | #68 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #92 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g | 2.9 lbs / 1.3 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.2 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 2x 49x71mm X-Balanced speaker units + 2x passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) | 9.4" x 4.1" x 4.7" (238 x 105 x 119 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | 16W |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| Aux Input | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Flip 7 vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge Essential
- JBL Flip 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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: $73.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential.
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
Full JBL Charge Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Techder Audios: JBL EXTREME 3 VS JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL More from techderaudios →
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL VS CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 COMPARATIVO AMBIENTE EXTERNO
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge Essential Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Charge 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip Essential
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- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip 4
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Sony SRS-XE300: $137 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated. Orientation-aware playback switches to stereo when laid flat. Party Connect links up to 100 speakers; fast charging (10 min charge = ~70 min playback).
Cons: Muffled sounding, not very deep bass. Hollow sounding. Worse than a XB43
Full Sony SRS-XE300 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.4" x 4.1" x 4.7" (238 x 105 x 119 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 49x71mm X-Balanced speaker units + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs / 1.3 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5
- DLX Willington: FINALLY! Sony SRS XG300, SRS XE300, & SRS XE200 Are Here. Binaural Sound Samples & First Impressions More from DLXWillington →
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess More from GYMCADDY →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
- Reddit Search for Sony SRS-XE300 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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