Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #29 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $118.99. The JBL Flip Essential 2 ranks #71, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90, $33.09 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
Why pick the Soundcore Boom 3i: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. 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.
The case for the JBL Flip Essential 2: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. The tradeoff: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $33.09 you would save on the JBL Flip Essential 2 does not close the gap.
If battery life is a priority, the Soundcore Boom 3i is rated for 16 hours versus 10 hours for the JBL Flip Essential 2.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $118.99 | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #29 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (783 g) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 20W RMS |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | - |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Soundcore Boom 3i compares with other leading options:
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Earfun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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: $118.99 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. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
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 →
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (783 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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JBL Flip Essential 2: $85.90 Amazon eBay
Older model: the JBL Flip Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. In a side by side loudness test it got louder than the JBL Grip, and listeners comparing it with the Marshall Emberton found it more open sounding and clearer. IPX7 waterproof, 520 g, USB-C charging and Bluetooth 5.1 with two phones connected at once.
Cons: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight. No app, no EQ, no PartyBoost or stereo pairing, a claimed 10 hours of battery, and IPX7 covers water but not dust.
Full JBL Flip Essential 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- AudioTribe: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Flip Essential 2 FULL TEARDOWN in Just 15 Minutes!
- Speaker Fan: JBL Flip 6 VS JBL Flip Essential 2 VS JBL Grip Loudness Test - Which Is Louder?
- HQ AUDIO Exchange: JBL Flip Essential 2 vs. Flip 6 | Bass Sound Test!
- Cristian Catalin’s Sound&Video: JBL Flip Essential 2 VS Marshall Emberton - sound comparison
- Angelicaaudio: Mini JBL Flip Essential 2 vs. JBL Charge 5 Bluetooth Speaker Review
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