Short answer: the Soundcore 3. It ranks #62 of 157 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.4/5, at $59.99; the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #104, rated 2.9/5, and costs $134.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The Soundcore 3 is the better-sounding, deeper-bass pick. Identical in acoustic design and performance to the retailer variant Soundcore Select 2. Its bass reaches about 60Hz before falling 10dB, against 91Hz for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 15 for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. At 0.8 lbs (372 g) it weighs much less than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 at 1.3 lbs (608 g).
Why pick the Ultimate Ears Boom 3: 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. The catch: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the Soundcore 3. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore 3 | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.99 | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #62 of 157 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #104 of 157 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (via app) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 180ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| 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) |
| Amplifier 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 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) | SBC |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | No | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Soundcore 3:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Soundcore 3
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Soundcore 3
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Soundcore 3
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Soundcore 3
- Minirig 4 vs Soundcore 3
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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
Soundcore 3: $59.99 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Soundcore 2 (ranked lower, rated 3/5).
Pros: Soundcore 3 uses 2x 38mm (1.5”) titanium diaphragm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators. Its 372 g, claimed 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IPX7 protection, up to 99dB and stereo playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Identical in acoustic design and performance to the retailer variant Soundcore Select 2. Measured bass extension of 60Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 60Hz specification.
Full Soundcore 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (372 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5.
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. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
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 →
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Klipsch Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- See all 92 comparisons