Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #27 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $110; the JBL Pulse 5 ranks #42 and costs $199.12, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the JBL Pulse 5 side: Cool light show, although not synced to the music like the Pulse 2. Watch for: Not quite as deep bass as others.
What the Soundcore Boom 3i gets right: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. The tradeoff: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Pulse 5 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Pulse 5 | Soundcore Boom 3i | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.12 | $110 |
| Ranked | #42 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #27 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1500 g | 1.7 lbs / 783 g |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | 94mm woofer + tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Output Power | 40W | 50W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Soundcore Glow vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- Huawei Sound Joy vs JBL Charge 5
- JBL Charge 6 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- B&O Beosound A1 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Pulse 5: $199.12 Amazon
Pros: Cool light show, although not synced to the music like the Pulse 2.
Cons: Not quite as deep bass as others. Plastic scratches easily.
Full JBL Pulse 5 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1500 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Glow
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Motion 100
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve
- JBL Pulse 5 vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- See all 21 comparisons
Soundcore Boom 3i: $110 Amazon Bhphotovideo
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.
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 →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- 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 Teufel Rockster XS
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Mega
- See all 24 comparisons