Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #27 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $110; the JBL Flip Essential ranks #66 and costs $130, 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 Flip Essential offers: Aux input for wired sources. IPX7 rated. Genuinely portable at under a pound; a cheaper, more basic alternative to the Flip 5. Watch for: Less bass than a Flip 5.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip Essential and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Soundcore Boom 3i is rated for 16 hours versus 10 hours for the JBL Flip Essential.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | JBL Flip Essential | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $130 |
| Ranked | #27 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #66 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| 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 | - |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g | / 1 lbs / 471 g |
| Output Power | 50W | 16W RMS |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- JBL Charge 5 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- JBL Charge 3 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Sony XB33 vs JBL Flip Essential
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
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JBL Flip Essential: $130 eBay
Pros: Aux input for wired sources. IPX7 rated. Genuinely portable at under a pound; a cheaper, more basic alternative to the Flip 5.
Cons: Less bass than a Flip 5.
Full JBL Flip Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Weight | / 1 lbs / 471 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Flip Essential vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Flip Essential vs Sony XB23
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