Short answer: the Tronsmart T8. It ranks #54 of 182 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.6/5, at $49.99; the JBL Flip Essential 2 ranks #80, rated 3.3/5, and costs $85.90, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The Tronsmart T8 is the better-sounding, longer-running option. An affordable waterproof speaker with upward firing drivers that spread sound around, plus lights, app EQ, an aux input and stereo pairing. It is rated for 18 hours of battery against 10 for the JBL Flip Essential 2. It keeps a wired aux input, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. The tradeoff: Against the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor, listeners in Mateusz Cholewa’s comparison found the T8 harsh and tiring, and Techder Audios’ test showed the Xiaomi Sound Party with deeper, heavier bass.
The JBL Flip Essential 2 is the lighter option. A compact, affordable waterproof speaker that gets fairly loud for its size and connects to two phones at once. At 1.1 lbs (520 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Tronsmart T8 at 1.8 lbs (800 g). Watch for: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the JBL Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.
Buy the Tronsmart T8. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip Essential 2 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 14, 2026 at 6:17 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Tronsmart T8 | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99 | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #54 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #80 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Stereo | Partially | No |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 20W RMS |
| App | Yes (Tronsmart) | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 18 hours at 50% volume, lights off (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Charging Time | 4.5 hours | - |
| Dimensions | 8.6”H x 3.2”W x 3.2”D (218 x 82 x 82 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x upward firing full-range drivers + 1x woofer + 2x passive radiators | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (app) | No |
| Frequency Response | 56Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) | - |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (0.80 kg) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Tronsmart T8: reviews by Mateusz Cholewa, Techder Audios and Jagist.
- JBL Flip Essential 2: reviews by Speaker Fan, Angelicaaudio and AudioTribe.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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