Short answer: the Flip 7 for sound quality, the Charge Essential 2 if you want a power bank in the mix. The Flip 7 ranks #14 of 145 medium speakers against the Charge Essential 2’s #37, a gap of 23 spots, at essentially the same price.
The Flip 7 is the more neutral-sounding speaker of the two. Its own notes describe it as “a very neutral speaker” with slightly more treble and slightly deeper bass than the well-regarded Flip 6, with only a small bump at 4kHz keeping it from being fully neutral. The Charge Essential 2’s notes are shorter and more modest: it gets “close to Charge 5 performance at a lower price,” which reads as a step below the Flip 7 rather than a genuine sound-quality contender.
What the Charge Essential 2 offers that the Flip 7 doesn’t:
- A built-in power bank with USB-A output, so it can charge a phone. The Flip 7 has no power bank function at all.
- Nearly 50% more rated battery life, 20 hours against the Flip 7’s 14 hours.
- A larger driver array (a 53mm x 93mm woofer plus a 20mm tweeter, versus the Flip 7’s 45x80mm racetrack driver and 16mm tweeter), though this doesn’t translate into a sound-quality edge in the notes above.
Buy the Flip 7 if sound quality is the priority. It’s the more neutral speaker of the two and comes with an app, EQ, and Auracast that the Charge Essential 2 lacks.
Buy the Charge Essential 2 if you want a speaker that doubles as a power bank and want the extra battery runtime, and can live with a step down in sound quality and no app or EQ.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 7 | JBL Charge Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.95 | $130 |
| Ranked | #14 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #37 of 145 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (560 g) | 2.1 lbs (930 g) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Drivers | 45x80mm racetrack driver + 16mm tweeter | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| Amplifier Power | 35W total (25W main + 10W tweeter) | 40W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.7” x 2.8” (182.5 x 69.5 x 71.5 mm) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V 7.5W-15W) | USB-C |
| Strap | Yes (detachable PushLock accessory) | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Flip 7:
- JBL Flip 7 vs Earfun Uboom L
- JBL Flip 7 vs Soundcore Motion 300
- JBL Flip 7 vs Soundcore Motion+
- JBL Flip 7 vs Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021
- JBL Flip 7 vs Denon Envaya DSB-250BT
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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 Flip 7: $149.95 Amazon eBay
Older models: the JBL Flip 6 (ranked higher, rated 4.2/5), the JBL Flip 5 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5) and the JBL Flip 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5).
Pros: A very neutral speaker, very small, almost pocket size. Just slightly more treble than the Flip 6 which was already a great speaker. Slightly deeper bass than the Flip 6. IP68 protection, a 7-band app EQ, Auracast and a USB-C digital audio input. Measured bass extension of 59Hz (-10dB).
Cons: A little bit of a bump at 4kHz, not quite as neutral as the Flip 6. On balance it is the slightly worse of the two.
Full JBL Flip 7 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 35W total (25W main + 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.7” x 2.8” (182.5 x 69.5 x 71.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 45x80mm racetrack driver + 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V 7.5W-15W) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable PushLock accessory) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (560 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 4 vs Flip 7 vs Charge 6 – The ULTIMATE JBL Speaker Showdown! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 7 is screech-fest heaven! vs Flip 6!
- Chrispy Things [EDC]: JBL Flip 7: My thoughts & sound test VS the Flip 6!
- GYMCADDY: JBL Flip 7 Review - Is It Worth Upgrading Over The JBL Flip 6 Or Flip 5? More from GYMCADDY →
- Musou1: JBL flip 7 vs KEF muo vs Bose flex 2
- FishBee Product Reviews: LG XBOOM Grab (2025) by Will.i.am - BETTER Than JBL Flip 7?? More from FishBee Product Reviews →
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
JBL Charge Essential 2: $130 eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, ranked lower, rated 3.7/5.
Pros: A tough, compact 930g speaker with IPX7 water resistance, USB-C charging, a USB-A power-bank output and a claimed 20-hour battery life. It delivers much of the Charge 5’s familiar punch and volume in a simpler package, with bass that reaches roughly 55Hz for this size. Measured bass extension of ~55Hz (-10dB).
Cons: It is a pared-back Charge: no app EQ, no PartyBoost/party mode and no stereo-pair option. It plays mono, has a little less bass authority than the Charge 5, and its IPX7 rating does not promise dust protection. Choose it for a good sale price, not for extra features.
Full JBL Charge Essential 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (930 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Huawei Sound Joy
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Teufel Rockster XS
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Soundcore Motion 100
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- See all 104 comparisons