Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential if sound quality matters most, the Tronsmart Mirtune C3 if price matters most. The JBL Charge Essential ranks #78 of 150 medium speakers, rated 3.2/5, at $73.99. The Tronsmart Mirtune C3 ranks #89, rated 3.1/5, at $29.99, $44 cheaper.
Why pick the JBL Charge Essential: Doubles as a power bank. The catch: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off.
The case for the Tronsmart Mirtune C3: Small and light at 530 g, with a racetrack driver and a tweeter rated for 30W, IPX7 waterproofing, Bluetooth 6.0, Auracast multi-speaker sync, stereo pairing, USB-C audio input, app EQ and a lanyard. Watch for: In GiT’s three way blind test it came behind the Creative Muvo Go and Xiaomi Sound Outdoor, sounding good only on sparse tracks, and listeners in AudioPro Reviews’ comparison found the JBL Flip 6 fuller with more bass.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Tronsmart Mirtune C3 if the price matters more than sound quality.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the JBL Charge Essential is rated for 20 hours, the Tronsmart Mirtune C3 only 12 hours.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential | Tronsmart Mirtune C3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $73.99 | $29.99 |
| Ranked | #78 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #89 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes (Tronsmart) |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours at 50% volume (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | Yes (app) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | - |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (770 g) | 1.2 lbs (0.53 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 6.0 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 1x racetrack woofer + 1x tweeter |
| Dimensions | 8.4” x 3.5” x 3.4” (213 x 89 x 87 mm) | 7.1”H x 2.8”W x 2.8”D (180 x 70 x 72 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 55Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | 30W |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) | SBC |
| Stereo | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Strap | No | Yes (lanyard) |
| Battery Capacity | - | 14.8Wh (7.4V, 2000mAh) |
| Charging Time | - | 2 hours |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to JBL Charge Essential:
- JBL Charge Essential vs Earfun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Charge Essential
- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Charge Essential
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge Essential
- JBL Charge Essential vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked September 29, 2026 at 3:43 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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
- 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
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus
- JBL Charge Essential vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sony XB23
- See all 91 comparisons
Tronsmart Mirtune C3: $29.99 Tronsmart eBay
Pros: Small and light at 530 g, with a racetrack driver and a tweeter rated for 30W, IPX7 waterproofing, Bluetooth 6.0, Auracast multi-speaker sync, stereo pairing, USB-C audio input, app EQ and a lanyard.
Cons: In GiT’s three way blind test it came behind the Creative Muvo Go and Xiaomi Sound Outdoor, sounding good only on sparse tracks, and listeners in AudioPro Reviews’ comparison found the JBL Flip 6 fuller with more bass. Tronsmart rates the battery at 12 hours at half volume. It is a mono unit with no aux input.
Full Tronsmart Mirtune C3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 30W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Tronsmart) |
| Battery Capacity | 14.8Wh (7.4V, 2000mAh) |
| Battery Life | 12 hours at 50% volume (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Charging Time | 2 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 7.1”H x 2.8”W x 2.8”D (180 x 70 x 72 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x racetrack woofer + 1x tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (app) |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (0.53 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tronsmart Mirtune C3 vs Tribit Xsound Go
- Tronsmart Mirtune C3 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Tronsmart Mirtune C3 vs Soundcore 2
- Tronsmart Mirtune C3 vs Tronsmart Mirtune S100
- Tronsmart Mirtune C3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Tronsmart Mirtune C3 vs Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus
- Tronsmart Mirtune C3 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+