Short answer: the JBL Charge 5, if you are buying new. The Minirig 3 ranks higher than it (#8 vs #30 of 164 medium speakers, 4.3/5 vs 4.0/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the JBL Charge 5 is still sold new at $139.95.
The Minirig 3 is the louder, longer-running option. Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. Alan Ross Reviews measured it at 105dB at full volume, against 99dB for the JBL Charge 5. It is rated for 30 hours of battery against 20 for the JBL Charge 5. At 1.2 lbs (550 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge 5 at 2.1 lbs (960 g). The catch: Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating.
The JBL Charge 5 is the tougher option. Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. It is rated IP67 against Splash resistant for the Minirig 3. The catch: Shouty upper mids.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 new; the Minirig 3 is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Minirig 3 | JBL Charge 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $140 Discontinued | $139.95 |
| Ranked | #8 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #30 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 0ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (dual microphones) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 60ms | 125ms |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Proprietary USB cable | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| TWS | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (550 g) | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 4” x 2.9” (101.6 x 73 mm) (diameter x height) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 70mm custom driver | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 40W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Minirig 3 compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Minirig 3
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Minirig 3
- Denon Envaya DSB-250BT vs Minirig 3
- Minirig 3 vs Minirig 4
- Minirig 2 vs Minirig 3
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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Minirig 3: $140 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Minirig 4, ranked higher, rated 4.3/5.
Pros: Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating. App is buggy. Wireless TWS pairing is buggy. A bit expensive. Has reliability issues more often than any other speaker. Discontinued; Minirig now sells only the Minirig 4, and the old product page redirects to it.
Full Minirig 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 60ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4” x 2.9” (101.6 x 73 mm) (diameter x height) |
| Drivers | 70mm custom driver |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary USB cable |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (550 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: B&O Beoplay A1 2nd gen vs Minirig mk3 bluetooth speaker More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: minirig 3 vs minirig 2 - minirig 3 overview part 1
- Speakertech: Anker soundcore Boost (Upgraded) vs minirig mini in stereo /2.0 (and changing the equalizer)
- Alan Ross Reviews: Minirig 4 vs Minirig 3, stuff they tell you, stuff they don’t! 😂
- Beautiful Zar DJ: MINIRIG 4 Vs MINIRIG 3 (50-100%Volume Audio Test)
- James from Canada: SOUND TESTS - Soundboks, Minirig 3, dB Technologies, Bose S1 Pro, etc - RAVE TEST
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
JBL Charge 5: $139.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge 6, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5.
Pros: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. IP67 rated, survives a 1m dunk for 30 minutes. ~20 hour battery life. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
Full JBL Charge 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| 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 | Yes (3 band) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge 6 🎶👌Unboxing 📦vs Jbl Charge 5 Short Test Audio i Hz. More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 6 Review - Worth Upgrading Even If You Have The JBL Charge 5 More from GYMCADDY →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021?
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Plus and Sony XB33 - ultimate travel speaker 2021 🤗
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex Review! vs JBL Flip 6 and JBL Charge 5. Travel heaven?? 🤞
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Charge 5 - unboxing & first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bogasing M4 Review - vs JBL Charge 5 & Motion Plus - a new contender?
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE 5 Vs. CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 #shorts
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei sound joy vs JBL Charge 5 and Flip 6 - top mono speaker! 🤓
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 "LIGHTS VS BASS?!" More from techderaudios →
- Storytripper HD: Klipsch Nashville vs JBL Charge 5 More from storytripperhd →
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Storytripper HD: KEF MUO vs JBL Charge 5
- KULAS TECH SHOW: JBL Charge 5 vs Tronsmart Mirtune S100 - Sound Comparison💥🔥 More from KULASTECHSHOW20 →
- Alan Ross Reviews: UE Megaboom 3 review vs JBL Charge 5 & Motion Boom! how bad can it be??
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Stockwell 2 Review and huge sound test! - vs JBL Charge 5! 💯
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Boom vs Sony XB43 - a step to far? 🤪
- DIGI-EARS: Xdobo X8 Max vs. JBL Charge 5 vs. Anker Soundcore Motion+ vs. Tribit Stormbox Pro Sound Test Battle More from DigitalSlang →
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge 5 vs BOGASING S8 Pro MAX
- Head-to-Head Comparisons