Beats Pill+ vs JBL Charge 3
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| BeatsPill+ | JBLCharge 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | October 2015 | 2016 |
| Sound | ||
| Type | Portable speaker | Portable speaker |
| Channels | – | stereo |
| Dolby Atmos | No | No |
| Drivers | Two tweeters and two woofers (What Hi-Fi? and TechRadar) | Two 50 mm drivers and two external passive radiators |
| Amplifiers | – | 2 × 10 W |
| Frequency response | – | 65 Hz – 20 kHz; signal-to-noise ratio over 80 dB |
| Connections | ||
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| AirPlay | No | No |
| Voice assistants | None | None |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth audio and speakerphone; no NFC pairing (TechRadar) | Bluetooth 4.1; A2DP 1.3, AVRCP 1.5, HFP 1.6 and HSP 1.2; up to three phones or tablets can connect and take turns |
| Ports | Lightning charging, 3.5 mm auxiliary input and USB charge-out; auxiliary cable not included | Micro-USB charging, USB power-bank output (5 V / 2 A) and 3.5 mm audio input (port types from SoundGuys) |
| Multi-room | Two units support Stereo and Amplify modes; original app also offered DJ control from two mobile devices (TechRadar and What Hi-Fi?) | JBL Connect at launch; the maker offers a firmware upgrade to Connect+, after which it cannot link with original Connect speakers |
| App | At launch, the original Pill+ app was available for selected iOS and Android devices | A later firmware update enables Siri or Google Now through a connected phone, rather than a built-in assistant |
| Design | ||
| Battery life (maker's claim) | Up to 12 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Water and dust resistance | – | IPX7 |
| Weight | 0.75 kg (better) | 0.8 kg |
| Battery life detail | Maker's 12-hour listening claim and three-hour full charge reported by The Next Web; five-light battery gauge (TechRadar) | Up to 20 hours depending on volume and content; 6,000 mAh / 22.2 Wh lithium-ion polymer battery; 4.5 hours to charge; included 5 V / 2.3 A adaptor. The final specification sheet supersedes the CES announcement's 15-hour claim. |
| Controls | Power, volume, playback, track and call buttons | – |
| Microphones | Built-in speakerphone microphone (TechRadar) | Noise- and echo-cancelling speakerphone |
| Size | 210 × 63.6 × 69.2 mm (length × height × depth), with 0.75 kg weight, reported by TechRadar | 213 × 88.5 × 87 mm (W × H × D); 800 g, from the maker's specification sheet rather than SoundGuys' conflicting table |
| Colours | Black and White at launch | – |
| In the box | Speaker, carrying bag, Lightning cable and power adaptor (TechRadar) | Charge 3, 5 V / 2.3 A USB adaptor, micro-USB cable, quick start guide, safety sheet and warranty card |
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