Short answer: the Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021. It ranks #13 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $60; the JBL Charge 5 Wifi ranks #25 and costs $250, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 offers: A great sounding neutral speaker. Watch for: This old version has micro-usb charging. Only IPX5.
What the JBL Charge 5 Wifi offers: Has Wifi. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version Watch for: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive. No party mode on the wifi version
Buy the Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Charge 5 Wifi and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Battery life favors the JBL Charge 5 Wifi: rated for 20 hours against 12 hours for the Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 | JBL Charge 5 Wifi | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $60 Discontinued | $250 |
| Ranked | #13 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #25 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes (dual microphones) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 | IP67 |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 590 g | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.3 |
| Drivers | 1.75" x 2 active drivers + passive radiator | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| Output Power | 20W (10W × 2) | 40W |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 53Hz |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Wifi | - | Yes |
| Dimensions | - | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 97 x 94 mm) |
| Frequency Response | - | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music |
| Max Volume | - | 99dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- JBL Flip 7 vs Huawei Sound Joy
- JBL Flip 7 vs Sonos Roam 2
- JBL Flip 6 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
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 Boost “original model” pre-2021: $60 Discontinued eBay
Pros: A great sounding neutral speaker.
Cons: This old version has micro-usb charging. Only IPX5. Discontinued.
Full Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1.75" x 2 active drivers + passive radiator |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W (10W × 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 590 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 vs JBL Flip 6
- Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 vs JBL Flip 7
- Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 vs JBL Charge 6
- Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 vs B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen
- Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 vs B&O Beosound A1
- Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 vs B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen
- Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 vs Xiaomi Sound Party
- Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 vs Tribit Xsound Mega
- See all 73 comparisons
JBL Charge 5 Wifi: $250 Amazon eBay
Pros: Has Wifi. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive. No party mode on the wifi version
Full JBL Charge 5 Wifi review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 97 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
| Wifi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing M4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs JBL Charge 5
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing G4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Harman Kardon Luna
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Tribit Xsound Mega
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Xiaomi Sound Party
- See all 84 comparisons