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 Pulse 5 ranks #48, rated 3.7/5, and costs $219.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The Soundcore Motion 300 is the better-sounding, deeper-bass option. Pretty deep bass for the small size. Its bass reaches about 50Hz before falling 10dB, against 58Hz for the JBL Pulse 5. At 1.7 lbs (772 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Pulse 5 at 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg). It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Pulse 5 lacks. Watch for: 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 case for the JBL Pulse 5: JBL Pulse 5 uses 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter. Watch for: Bass is limited by its ~58Hz specification.
Buy the Soundcore Motion 300. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Pulse 5 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Motion 300 | JBL Pulse 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $219.99 |
| Ranked | #3 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #48 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, LDAC, SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | Yes (9 band with adjustable frequency) | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| 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 | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (772 g) | 3.3 lbs (1500 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.6” x 2” (200 x 92 x 50 mm) | 4.2” x 8.4” x 5.2” (107 x 214 x 131 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50.8mm (2”) full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 30W | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | - | Yes |
| 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 Pulse 5: $219.99 Amazon $219.99 eBay
Newer model: the JBL Pulse 6, ranked lower, estimated 3.7/5, released 2026. It adds USB audio input, AAC and LC3. Water resistance goes from IP67 to IP68. See every JBL Pulse generation.
Pros: JBL Pulse 5 uses 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter. Its 1500 g, claimed 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IP67 protection and mono playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. A cool light show, though it is not synced to the music like the Pulse 2. Measured bass extension of ~58Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its ~58Hz specification. Bass does not reach as deep as others, and the plastic scratches easily.
Full JBL Pulse 5 review and specifications →
| Released | 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.2” x 8.4” x 5.2” (107 x 214 x 131 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1500 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 "LIGHTS VS BASS?!" More from techderaudios →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons