Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #27 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $110; the JBL Charge 2 ranks #69 and costs $149, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Soundcore Boom 3i offers: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the Charge 5. Watch for: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App
What the JBL Charge 2 offers: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank. ~10-12 hour battery life. Social Mode pairs up to 3 phones; works as a speakerphone. Watch for: Bass compression at higher volumes. Warm sound. slightly rolled off treble. Not as loud as other speakers.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Charge 2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Soundcore Boom 3i at IP68 (extended submersion) against the JBL Charge 2, which has IPX5 (water jets).
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | JBL Charge 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $149 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #27 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #69 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX5 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C | - |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 3.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 8.5" x 3.4" x 3" (216 x 86 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 2x 45mm fullrange |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| Output Power | 50W | 15W RMS |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Frequency Response | - | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Charge 5 vs Bose Soundlink Mini
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs JBL Charge Essential
- JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4
- Sony XB33 vs JBL Charge 2
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
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 Boom 3i: $110 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the Charge 5.
Cons: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App
Full Soundcore Boom 3i review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Teufel Rockster XS
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Mega
- See all 77 comparisons
JBL Charge 2: $149 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank. ~10-12 hour battery life. Social Mode pairs up to 3 phones; works as a speakerphone.
Cons: Bass compression at higher volumes. Warm sound. slightly rolled off treble. Not as loud as other speakers. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 3.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.4" x 3" (216 x 86 x 76 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 15W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons