Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 2, because it matches the JBL’s bass strength for far less. The Boom 2 has pretty deep bass for the size and at $99.99 costs well under the Xtreme 3, though only its tweeters play stereo. The JBL Xtreme 3 offers better treble and deeper bass than the Xtreme 2, but its bass is boosted.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Xtreme 3 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Battery life favors the Soundcore Boom 2: rated for 24 hours against 15 hours for the JBL Xtreme 3.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 2 | JBL Xtreme 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $269.95 |
| Ranked | #10 of 93 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #18 of 93 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | 133ms |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) | 4 lbs (1.83 kg) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 11.7” x 7.3” x 4” (297 x 185 x 102 mm) | 11.7” x 5.4” x 5.3” (298 x 136 x 134 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 53.5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 100W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | No | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Soundcore Boom 2: $99.99 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Older model: the Soundcore Motion Boom (ranked lower, rated 4.5/5).
Pros: Pretty deep bass for the size. Cool lights in the side passive radiators. For the best sound quality use Oluv’s EQ or Alan Ross’s EQ. With the stock tuning, this speaker would rank around #24, due to the boosted bass and rising treble. Measured bass extension of 47Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Only a single midrange driver, so you only get stereo for the tweeters. Sound processing issues with inconsistent bass notes that disappear at low levels like the Soundcore Boom and Soundcore Boost, not great for listening at low levels. Quite bass heavy with BassUp turned on, which is best left off. A little bit of a bright tuning in the treble, about +5db.
Full Soundcore Boom 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7” x 7.3” x 4” (297 x 185 x 102 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 3D Audio Show: Tribit StormBox Lava vs SoundCore Boom 2 - sound quality demo More from Oluv’Sone →
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs SoundCore Boom 2 - David vs Goliath
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA vs Soundcore BOOM 2 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - indoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - outdoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Best portable speakers 2025 - get the best bang for your buck $$$
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Boom 3i - first impressions & EQs
- Alan Ross Reviews: Ultimate Soundcore Boom 2 Review - Is It Worth The Hype? More from alanrossreviews →
- Oluv Patreon: Anker Soundcore Boom 2 - first impressions
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Boom 2 💣vs Mifa Wildbox 🪇 Basement Battle of the Bluetooth Boombox Welterweights ⚖️ More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New Release! Soundcore Boom 2 😯 Bluetooth Boombox Speaker 🔊 Unboxing, First Look & Sound Demo
- CEONTHEMAKING: Soundcore Boom 2 - HANDS DOWN The Best Speaker Under $150! More from CEONTHEMAKING →
- Josh’s Gadgets and More: Budget Monster ZZA K8 vs Soundcore Boom 2
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Sony ULT Field 5 vs Anker SoundCore Boom 2 - listening test
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Minirig 3 with subwoofer
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- See all 93 comparisons
JBL Xtreme 3: $269.95 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the JBL Xtreme 5, ranked higher, rated 4.6/5.
Pros: Better treble and deeper bass than the Xtreme 2. More balanced sounding than the Xtreme 4. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Boosted bass. Not as deep bass as better speakers. Not as balanced as better speakers.
Full JBL Xtreme 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 133ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7” x 5.4” x 5.3” (298 x 136 x 134 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 53.5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.83 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA - Unboxing.📦 Short Test vs Xtreme 4 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Sony XB43 - boombox champ? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion Boom vs JBL Xtreme 3 LG PN7 & Minirig mk3 💯👍
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs JBL Xtreme 2 and Xtreme 1 - review and sound test
- Alan Ross Reviews: Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Plus vs JBL Xtreme 3 - Extreme review!
- DLX Willington: Who Sounds The Best Of Sony XG300, XB43 & JBL XTREME3 With Sound Sample BLIND CHALLENGE Reveal. More from DLXWillington →
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XG300 Vs JBL Xtreme 3 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King X10 vs JBL Xtreme 3, Xtreme 2 and Xtreme 1! Xtreme Review 🤓
- Smart Home Sounds: Best Premium Bluetooth Speakers: Sonos Move, JBL Xtreme 3, Marshall Middleton & More… More from Smart Home Sounds →
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Xtreme 4 vs JBL Xtreme 3 Sound Test 😍 Best upgrade in the history? 😂 More from Dominik Reviews →
- Audio Inside Scoop: Klipsch Detroit VS JBL Xtreme 3 Hear With Me!!
- GYMCADDY: JBL Xtreme 3 Vs Sony XG300 - Its Not Even Close More from GYMCADDY →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Motion Boom vs Rave Neo - Boombox Battle!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ortizan M8🦨 Bluetooth Speaker. Is This The Budget JBL Xtreme 3 Killer? Better Than Zealot S67? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Danny Pops: It’s shaped like a Football - JBL Xtreme 3 Review vs Marshall Tufton and Flips Party Mode More from DannyPops →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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