Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential. It ranks #68 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $73.99; the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 ranks #83 and costs $163, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL Charge Essential offers: Doubles as a power bank. Set against that: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off.
The case for the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. The catch: Not stereo, barely any bass.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $73.99 | $163 |
| Ranked | #68 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #83 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | - |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g | 2 lbs / 925 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) | 3.4" x 8.9" x 3.4" (87 x 225 x 87 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 70Hz |
| Max Volume | - | 98dB |
| Stereo | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Sonos Roam 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- JBL Charge 2 vs JBL Flip 5
- Sonos Roam vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- JBL Flip 4 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Tribit Stormbox 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge Essential: $73.99 Amazon
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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- 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
- JBL Charge Essential vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sony XB23
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip 4
- See all 27 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: $163 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life - about double most speakers this size.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2018. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 8.9" x 3.4" (87 x 225 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 98dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 2 lbs / 925 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Soundcore 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Tribit Xsound Surf
- See all 26 comparisons