Short answer: the Soundcore Motion 300. It ranks #3 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.5/5, at $79.99. The JBL Charge Essential 2 ranks #39, rated 3.8/5, at $74.91, $5.08 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The Soundcore Motion 300 is the better-sounding pick. Pretty deep bass for the small size. It links with other speakers (PartyCast up to 100 speakers), which the JBL Charge Essential 2 cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Charge Essential 2 lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the JBL Charge Essential 2. The catch: Without the above EQ or turning the top 2 treble EQ bars to max, this speaker is very rolled off in the treble and will rank around #50 in the rankings.
The JBL Charge Essential 2 is the longer-running pick. A tough, compact 2.1 lbs (930 g) speaker with IPX7 water resistance, USB-C charging, a USB-A power-bank output and a claimed 20-hour battery life. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 13 for the Soundcore Motion 300. The catch: It is a pared-back Charge: no app EQ, no PartyBoost/party mode and no stereo-pair option.
Buy the Soundcore Motion 300. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $5.08 with the JBL Charge Essential 2 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Motion 300 | JBL Charge Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $74.91 |
| Ranked | #3 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #39 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, LDAC, SBC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | Yes (9 band with adjustable frequency) | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 216ms ldac, 200ms aac, 116ms sbc | - |
| Maximum SPL | 101dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (772 g) | 2.1 lbs (930 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.6” x 2” (200 x 92 x 50 mm) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50.8mm (2”) full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 30W | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Soundcore Motion 300:
- EarFun Uboom L vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Denon Envaya DSB-250BT
- Minirig 4 vs Soundcore Motion 300
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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Soundcore Motion 300: $79.99 Amazon $79.99 eBay
Older model: the Soundcore Motion+ (ranked lower, rated 4.4/5). See every Soundcore Motion generation.
Same family: the Soundcore Motion 100 (smaller model, ranked lower, rated 3.7/5), the Soundcore Motion X500 (larger model, rated 4.1/5) and the Soundcore Motion X600 (larger model, rated 4.3/5).
Pros: Pretty deep bass for the small size. Pocket size in a big pocket. Can be used in stereo facing you, or omnidirectional lying down. Ability to have a custom EQ for each orientation, standing, lying flat, hanging. Try the Uboom L EQs from Oluv for a more neutral sound. Measured bass extension of 50Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Without the above EQ or turning the top 2 treble EQ bars to max, this speaker is very rolled off in the treble and will rank around #50 in the rankings. Bassup mode is worse than Signature. Not quite as detailed or neutral as higher ranked speakers. Slight bass distortion when turned up.
Full Soundcore Motion 300 review and specifications →
| Released | Oct 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 30W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, LDAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 216ms ldac, 200ms aac, 116ms sbc |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.6” x 2” (200 x 92 x 50 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50.8mm (2”) full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (9 band with adjustable frequency) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 101dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (772 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen & Soundcore Motion 300 sound test More from Oluv’Sone →
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Motion 300 vs VIFA Helsinki
- Oluv Patreon: (Anker) Soundcore Motion 300 - first impressions
- Oluv Patreon: Soundcore Motion 300 = Bose Soundlink Flex = Earfun UBoom L?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Travel Speakers! Soundcore Motion 300 or Bose Flex or Tribit Stormbow Flow More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion 300 or JBL Flip 6 or Soundcore Boost v2? we all have issues!
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Beats Pill (by Apple) 2024 version review vs JBL and Soundcore!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: On A Ledge 🪟 Soundcore Motion 300 vs Tozo PA1 ⚒ Battle of the Budget Handheld Bluetooth Speakers More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Flow vs Soundcore Motion 300 (LDAC) 😵 Budget Bose Soundlink Flex "Inspired" Speakers
- Storytripper HD: Klipsch Nashville vs Harman Kardon Luna vs Soundcore Motion 300 More from storytripperhd →
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs EarFun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Denon Envaya DSB-250BT
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Minirig 4
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Minirig 3
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Minirig 2
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs B&O Beosound A1
- See all 136 comparisons
JBL Charge Essential 2: $74.91 Sam’s Club $74.91 eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, ranked lower, rated 3.7/5, released Apr 2026. It adds app control, adjustable EQ, stereo pairing and party mode.
Older model: the JBL Charge Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5). See every JBL Charge Essential generation.
Pros: A tough, compact 930g speaker with IPX7 water resistance, USB-C charging, a USB-A power-bank output and a claimed 20-hour battery life. It delivers much of the JBL Charge 5’s familiar punch and volume in a simpler package, with bass that reaches roughly 55Hz for this size. Measured bass extension of ~55Hz (-10dB).
Cons: It is a pared-back Charge: no app EQ, no PartyBoost/party mode and no stereo-pair option. It plays mono, has a little less bass authority than the JBL Charge 5, and its IPX7 rating does not promise dust protection. Choose it for a good sale price, not for extra features.
Full JBL Charge Essential 2 review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (930 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Huawei Sound Joy
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Teufel Rockster XS
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs EarFun Uboom Slim
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Soundcore Motion 100
- See all 141 comparisons