Short answer: the JBL Grip. It ranks #99 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.1/5, at $99.95. The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 ranks #110, rated 2.9/5, at $79.99, $19.96 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The JBL Grip is the deeper-bass choice. Ambient light on the back with settable themes. Its bass reaches about 68Hz before falling 10dB, against 76Hz for the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3. It links with other speakers (Auracast), which the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 lacks. The tradeoff: Lacking deeper bass, definitely the worst of the JBL line until you get to the smaller clip.
Why pick the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass.
Buy the JBL Grip. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $19.96 saving on the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is not enough to make up the difference.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Grip | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.95 | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #99 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #110 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~68Hz | 76Hz |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (385 g) | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| Drivers | 1x 43x80mm fullrange | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| Dimensions | 2.5” x 6” x 2.6” (64 x 152 x 65 mm) | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 16W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Strap | Yes (strap) | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 166ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 87dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Grip
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Grip
- JBL Grip vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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 Grip: $99.95 Amazon $99.95 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Ambient light on the back with settable themes. Measured bass extension of ~68Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Lacking deeper bass, definitely the worst of the JBL line until you get to the smaller clip. Not as much clarity as higher ranked speakers, rolled off highs and wavy midrange
Setup: EQ from Oluv in his post can help it a bit but still isn’t very neutral
Full JBL Grip review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~68Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 2.5” x 6” x 2.6” (64 x 152 x 65 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 43x80mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (385 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3: $79.99 Amazon $79.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5, released Jun 2024.
Older models: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. 14 hour battery: longer than the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2. Measured bass extension of 76Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. Boosted 93Hz upper bass. Cuts bass heavily at high volume. 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 2022. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 166ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: The biggest upgrade since time began! 💪 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow has deeper bass than the Bose Flex but………..
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: JBL Flip 6 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (Indoor Mode)⚔️ Battle of the Handheld Bluetooth Speakers. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Danny Pops: Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker? Wonderboom 3 VS Sony XB-13 More from DannyPops →
- YouTube Review
- YouTube: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Anker Soundcore Mini 2 Sound Comparison
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Soundcore 2
- See all 76 comparisons