Short answer: the Charge Essential for the power bank, the Stormbox Flow for battery life. The Stormbox Flow runs up to 30 hours, roughly double most rivals, but it is not stereo and its midrange and bass are weirdly recessed about 4db below 700Hz. The Charge Essential doubles as a power bank, though it has less clarity than a Flip 4 with rolled-off highs.
Buy the Tribit Stormbox Flow. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $6 with the JBL Charge Essential does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential | Tribit Stormbox Flow | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $73.99 | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #89 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #61 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | - |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (770 g) | 1.4 lbs (657 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.3 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 60W: 2x 30mm drivers + passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.4” x 3.5” x 3.4” (213 x 89 x 87 mm) | 7.9” x 3.6” x 2.1” (200 x 91 x 53 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | 25W |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) | SBC, AAC |
| Stereo | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 47Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 400ms aac, 200ms sbc |
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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: $73.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, ranked higher, rated 3.7/5.
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 →
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| 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 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (770 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Tribit Stormbox Flow: $79.99 Tribit eBay
Smaller model: the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 (rated 4.5/5).
Larger models: the Tribit Stormbox Pro (ranked higher, rated 3.7/5) and the Tribit Stormbox Blast (rated 4.5/5).
Pros: Up to 30 hours of battery life: roughly double most rivals (~20-24 hrs with XBass on). IP67 rated with a loose handle for carrying/hanging. Pairs with a second Flow for stereo; USB-C port charges your phone too. Measured bass extension of 47Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Midrange and bass are weirdly recessed about 4db below 700Hz. You need xbass mode for it to not sound like a clock radio with missing bass. You also can’t turn up the bass enough in the custom EQ modes to get it neutral, so it will sound bass light. Firmware 1.2.3 fixes the distortion issues with xbass mode on, but bass still sounds wobbly and uncontrolled.
Full Tribit Stormbox Flow review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 25W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 400ms aac, 200ms sbc |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.6” x 2.1” (200 x 91 x 53 mm) |
| Drivers | 60W: 2x 30mm drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (657 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow has deeper bass than the Bose Flex but……….. More from alanrossreviews →
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- Oluv Patreon: Tribit Stormbox Flow - after firmware update More from Oluv’Sone →
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