Short answer: the Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2. It ranks #54 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $49.99; the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #89 and costs $129.90, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2 offers: Good battery life - 20+ hours on a charge. IPX7 rated. PartyCast mode links multiple speakers; app EQ presets. Watch for: A little less bass than similar size speakers.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 offers: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. 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 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Buy the Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Battery life favors the Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2: rated for 24 hours against 15 hours for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2 | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99 | $129.90 |
| Ranked | #54 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #89 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (via app) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 180ms | - |
| Max Volume | 99dB | 87dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 372 g | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 6.9" x 2.2" x 2.3" (174 x 57 x 59 mm) | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) |
| Output Power | 16W | - |
| Drivers | 2x 38mm (1.5") titanium diaphragm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Tribit Stormbox Pro vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- JBL Charge Essential vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Klipsch Nashville vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- JBL Flip 7 vs Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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
Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2: $49.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Good battery life - 20+ hours on a charge. IPX7 rated. PartyCast mode links multiple speakers; app EQ presets.
Cons: A little less bass than similar size speakers.
Full Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 180ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9" x 2.2" x 2.3" (174 x 57 x 59 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 38mm (1.5") titanium diaphragm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 372 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Anker Soundcore 3 vs Tribit Maxsound Plus - Best £50 speaker More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Boost vs Soundcore 3 - Best small bluetooth speaker❓
- HQ AUDIO Exchange: Anker SoundCore 3 Vs. SoundCore Select 2 Bass Sound Test
- Reddit Search for Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2 Review
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Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $129.90 Amazon eBay
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. 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 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XB20
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