Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #31 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $118.99; the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #114, rated 2.9/5, and costs $134.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The Soundcore Boom 3i is the better-sounding, deeper-bass pick. Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the JBL Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Its bass reaches about 56Hz before falling 10dB, against 91Hz for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 lacks. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. Watch for: Not quite as good as a JBL Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close.
The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is the lighter option. Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. At 1.3 lbs (608 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Soundcore Boom 3i at 1.7 lbs (783 g). It links with other speakers (PartyUp up to 50 speakers), which the Soundcore Boom 3i cannot. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Soundcore Boom 3i. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $118.99 | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #31 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #114 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (783 g) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Soundcore Boom 3i:
- 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 October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Soundcore Boom 3i: $118.99 Amazon $118.99 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the JBL Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the JBL Charge 5. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not quite as good as a JBL 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 →
| Released | Jun 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| 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
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Boom 3i - first impressions & EQs More from Oluv’Sone →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Picky Audio: Compact Speaker BEAST! 🔥 soundcore Boom 3i More from pickyaudio →
- Clinch Audio Bass: Mirtune C3 Plus 50w VS SoundCore Boom 3i 50w
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Cleer Audio Scene
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bogasing M4
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Teufel Rockster XS
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bogasing G4
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Harman Kardon Luna
- See all 145 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon $134.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Klipsch Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- See all 99 comparisons