Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i for better sound quality, the Zealot S61 for the lower price. The Soundcore Boom 3i ranks #27 of 136 medium speakers at $110. The Zealot S61 ranks #134 at $20, $90 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 Zealot S61 offers: 20W output, IPX7 waterproof, exceptional 40-hour battery life, Bluetooth 5.2, TWS stereo pairing, compact 665g design, single full-range driver, built-in microphone, AUX input, USB-C charging Watch for: Sounds like a soup can, no bass at all. Weird frequency response all over.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Zealot S61 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Zealot S61. It ranks near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Zealot S61 is rated for 40 hours, the Soundcore Boom 3i only 16 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | Zealot S61 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $20 |
| Ranked | #27 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #134 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 4.1" x 4.1" x 6.7" (103 x 103 x 170 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 66mm full-range |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g | 1.5 lbs / 665 g |
| Output Power | 50W | 20W |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- JBL Charge Essential vs Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2/ Lifejacket 3
- Tribit Xsound Plus 2 vs 1More S1001bt
- JBL Flip 5 vs Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2/ Lifejacket 3
- Sony XB33 vs Zealot S61
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Zealot S61
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
Zealot S61: $20 Amazon Aliexpress eBay
Pros: 20W output, IPX7 waterproof, exceptional 40-hour battery life, Bluetooth 5.2, TWS stereo pairing, compact 665g design, single full-range driver, built-in microphone, AUX input, USB-C charging
Cons: Sounds like a soup can, no bass at all. Weird frequency response all over.
Full Zealot S61 review and specifications →
| Aux Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1" x 4.1" x 6.7" (103 x 103 x 170 mm) |
| Drivers | 66mm full-range |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 665 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons