Short answer: the Flip 7 for sound quality, the Boom 3i if you want Charge 5 style bass for less. The Flip 7 ranks #15 out of 164 medium speakers against the Boom 3i’s #31, but the two are not really chasing the same sound.
The Flip 7 is one of the more neutral speakers in its class. Its pros describe it as very neutral and almost pocket sized, with a small step up in treble and slightly deeper bass than the Flip 6 before it. Its only real flaw is a bump around 4kHz that keeps it from being quite as neutral as its predecessor.
The Boom 3i is a different pitch entirely: a warm, bass-forward alternative to the JBL Charge 5. Its own pros describe it as designed to compete directly with the Charge 5, with a similar warm, boosted-bass profile, at better value. The cons are honest about the gap: it does not go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced as the Charge 5, though the difference is described as very close. An earlier firmware version had bass distortion that a Soundcore app update fixes.
Everything else splits along expected lines. The Boom 3i runs louder on paper at 50W against the Flip 7’s 35W, has a built-in microphone and TWS pairing the Flip 7 lacks, and gets slightly longer battery life. The Flip 7 counters with Auracast party mode and a USB-C digital aux input, plus a noticeably smaller, lighter body for carrying.
Buy the JBL Flip 7 if you want the more neutral, accurate sound and don’t need bass-forward tuning or a built-in mic.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i if you like the warm, boosted sound of the Charge 5 and want it at a lower price, and don’t mind giving up a small amount of loudness and balance to get there.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 7 | Soundcore Boom 3i | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $119.95 | $118.99 |
| Ranked | #15 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #31 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (560 g) | 1.7 lbs (783 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Drivers | 45x80mm racetrack driver + 16mm tweeter | 94mm woofer + tweeter |
| Amplifier Power | 35W total (25W main + 10W tweeter) | 50W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.7” x 2.8” (182.5 x 69.5 x 71.5 mm) | 8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V 7.5W-15W) | USB-C |
| Strap | Yes (detachable PushLock accessory) | Yes (detachable strap) |
| Lights | - | Yes |
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 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Flip 7: $119.95 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 | Yes |
| 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) |
- Links
- 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
Soundcore Boom 3i: $118.99 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the Charge 5. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App
Full Soundcore Boom 3i review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (783 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Cleer Audio Scene
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bogasing M4
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Teufel Rockster XS
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bogasing G4
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Harman Kardon Luna
- See all 145 comparisons