Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, if you are buying new. The Minirig 3 ranks higher than it (#8 vs #43 of 164 medium speakers, 4.3/5 vs 3.7/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is still sold new at $199.95.
The Minirig 3 is the better-sounding, longer-running pick. Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. It is rated for 30 hours of battery against 20 for the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. At 1.2 lbs (550 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE at 2.1 lbs (960 g). It supports aptX Bluetooth, which the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE lacks. Watch for: Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating.
The JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is the tougher pick. Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. It is rated IP67 against Splash resistant for the Minirig 3. Watch for: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, since the Minirig 3 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Minirig 3 | JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $140 Discontinued | $199.95 |
| Ranked | #8 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #43 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 0ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 60ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | Proprietary USB cable | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| TWS | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (550 g) | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.4 |
| 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 | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Auracast) |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Minirig 3:
- 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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 Essential 3 SE: $199.95 JBL eBay
Older models: the JBL Charge Essential 2 (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the JBL Charge Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. IP67 water and dust protection, a claimed 20 hours of battery life, a USB-C power bank output, Auracast stereo pairing and multi-speaker linking, Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, and app EQ.
Cons: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural. Against the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen it sounds muddier and more strident, with less detail and a smaller soundstage. At full price it costs as much as the Charge 6, which is the better speaker.
Full JBL Charge Essential 3 SE review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Earfun Uboom Slim
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Soundcore Motion 100
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs JBL Pulse 5
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- See all 100 comparisons