These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The Soundcore Boom 3i ranks #29 of 144 medium speakers by sound quality at $118.99; the Zealot S97 ranks #49 of 82 large speakers by sound quality at $65.86.
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. The catch: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close.
What the Zealot S97 does well: For a compact 3.3kg boombox, the S97 delivers unusually deep, clean-enough bass with a more sensible default balance than many inexpensive Zealot models. The tradeoff: It is not especially loud for its size, battery life is only a claimed 12 hours, and the bass preset can swamp the rest of the music.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i ($118.99) for a medium speaker; the Zealot S97 ($65.86) suits a large speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | Zealot S97 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $118.99 | $65.86 with coupon YZZL10 |
| Ranked | #29 of 144 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #49 of 82 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX6 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 12.6” x 7.3” x 5.9” (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 2x 76mm (3”) woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (783 g) | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 80W |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | - |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
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 26, 2026 at 11:14 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 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
- 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 Teufel Rockster XS
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bogasing G4
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- See all 116 comparisons
Zealot S97: $65.86 with coupon YZZL10 AliExpress eBay
Pros: For a compact 3.3kg boombox, the S97 delivers unusually deep, clean-enough bass with a more sensible default balance than many inexpensive Zealot models. It also brings IPX6 protection, aux and microSD playback, power-bank outputs, three EQ presets and PartyAdd linking.
Cons: It is not especially loud for its size, battery life is only a claimed 12 hours, and the bass preset can swamp the rest of the music. There is no app or fine-grained EQ, so the Vocal preset is the only practical way to improve the balance. It is still heavy for a speaker with this output ceiling.
Full Zealot S97 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6” x 7.3” x 5.9” (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 76mm (3”) woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons