Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i on measured sound quality, the JBL Flip 5 on price. The Soundcore Boom 3i ranks #27 of 136 medium speakers at $110. The JBL Flip 5 ranks #62 at $64.97, $45.03 cheaper.
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 Flip 5 offers: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. IP67 rated. Watch for: Not stereo. Boosted upper bass. Piercing sound when turned up. Peaky lower treble at higher volumes.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the JBL Flip 5 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | JBL Flip 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $64.97 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #27 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #62 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C | - |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.9" (181 x 69 x 74 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g | 1.2 lbs / 540 g |
| Output Power | 50W | 20W RMS |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 200ms |
| Max Volume | - | 92dB |
| Frequency Response | - | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- JBL Flip 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- JBL Charge 5 vs W-King D8 Mini
- JBL Flip 4 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Sony XB33 vs JBL Flip 5
- JBL Flip 5 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
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 Flip 5: $64.97 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. IP67 rated.
Cons: Not stereo. Boosted upper bass. Piercing sound when turned up. Peaky lower treble at higher volumes. Discontinued.
Full JBL Flip 5 review and specifications →
| Aux Input | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.9" (181 x 69 x 74 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 92dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs / 540 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beoplay A1 Denon 250bt JBL Flip 5 Anker Flare 2 More from alanrossreviews →
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus
- Techder Audios: #JBL Flip 5 VS #JBL Flip Essential “IMPRESSIVE COMPARISON!?” More from techderaudios →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs JBL Flip 5 & Soundcore Boost - true stereophonic 🤓
- Reddit Search for JBL Flip 5 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons