Short answer: the Soundcore Motion 300. It ranks #3 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 4.5/5) at $79.99 and is still sold new; the JBL Flip Essential ranks #90 (rated 3.2/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The JBL Flip Essential’s replacement, the JBL Flip Essential 3 SE, is rated 3.6/5 at $113.82.
The Soundcore Motion 300 is the better-sounding pick. Pretty deep bass for the small size. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Flip Essential lacks. It links with other speakers (PartyCast up to 100 speakers), which the JBL Flip Essential cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Flip Essential lacks. 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 Flip Essential is the lighter pick. A genuinely portable 1 lbs (471 g) speaker with IPX7 water resistance, a 3.5mm aux input and 16W output from two full-range drivers. At 1 lbs (471 g) it weighs much less than the Soundcore Motion 300 at 1.7 lbs (772 g). It keeps a wired aux input, which the Soundcore Motion 300 lacks. The catch: Bass is lighter than the JBL Flip 5 and the 80Hz claimed low-frequency limit means it cannot deliver real low-end weight.
Buy the Soundcore Motion 300. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the JBL Flip Essential is discontinued.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Motion 300 | JBL Flip Essential | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $130 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #3 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #90 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, LDAC, SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| 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 | - |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (772 g) | / 1 lbs (471 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.6” x 2” (200 x 92 x 50 mm) | 6.7” x 2.5” x 2.5” (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50.8mm (2”) full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Amplifier Power | 30W | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | 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 Flip Essential: $130 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the JBL Flip Essential 3 SE, ranked higher, estimated 3.6/5, released Apr 2026. See every JBL Flip Essential generation.
Pros: A genuinely portable 471g speaker with IPX7 water resistance, a 3.5mm aux input and 16W output from two full-range drivers. It is a simple, no-app option for wired sources, travel and casual listening where its cylindrical shape and modest size are a genuine advantage.
Cons: Bass is lighter than the JBL Flip 5 and the 80Hz claimed low-frequency limit means it cannot deliver real low-end weight. Battery life is only a claimed 10 hours, there is no speakerphone, EQ or party mode, and its older Bluetooth 4.1 platform and discontinued status make it a basic used-market choice.
Full JBL Flip Essential review and specifications →
| Released | Nov 2019 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 16W RMS |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7” x 2.5” x 2.5” (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | / 1 lbs (471 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge Essential
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge 2
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- See all 101 comparisons