JBL Charge 3 vs Ultimate Ears BOOM 3

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

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Charge 3 compared with BOOM 3

	JBLCharge 3	Ultimate EarsBOOM 3
Overview
Released
Released	2016	2018
Sound
Type
Type	Portable speaker	Portable speaker
Channels
Channels	stereo	–
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos	No	No
Drivers
Drivers	Two 50 mm drivers and two external passive radiators	Two 2-inch drivers and two 2 × 4-inch passive radiators
Amplifiers
Amplifiers	2 × 10 W	–
Frequency response
Frequency response	65 Hz – 20 kHz; signal-to-noise ratio over 80 dB	90 Hz–20 kHz; maker maximum sound level 90 dBC
Connections
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	No	No
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
AirPlay
AirPlay	No	No
Voice assistants
Voice assistants	None	None
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	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	A2DP wireless audio; maker claims up to 45 m mobile playback range and pairing with up to eight source devices
Ports
Ports	Micro-USB charging, USB power-bank output (5 V / 2 A) and 3.5 mm audio input (port types from SoundGuys)	Micro-USB charging; optional POWER UP charging dock
Streaming
Streaming	–	Bluetooth audio from compatible phones, tablets and other devices
Multi-room
Multi-room	JBL Connect at launch; the maker offers a firmware upgrade to Connect+, after which it cannot link with original Connect speakers	PartyUp links up to 150 BOOM and MEGABOOM speakers across generations, according to the launch release; two BOOM 3 speakers can form a stereo pair (What Hi-Fi and TechRadar)
App
App	A later firmware update enables Siri or Google Now through a connected phone, rather than a built-in assistant	BOOM & MEGABOOM app; four equaliser presets and custom tuning; remote power control
Design
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 20 hours	Up to 15 hours
Water and dust resistance
Water and dust resistance	IPX7	IP67
Weight
Weight	0.8 kg	0.608 kg (better)
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	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.	Rechargeable lithium-ion battery; maker claims 15 hours of playback
Controls
Controls	–	Volume +/–, power and Bluetooth pairing; Magic Button for play, pause and skip. Launch playlist shortcuts supported Apple Music on iOS and Deezer Premium on Android
Microphones
Microphones	Noise- and echo-cancelling speakerphone	–
Size
Size	213 × 88.5 × 87 mm (W × H × D); 800 g, from the maker's specification sheet rather than SoundGuys' conflicting table	184 mm high, 73 mm wide
Colours
Colours	–	Launch colours Night, Sunset, Lagoon and Ultraviolet
In the box
In the box	Charge 3, 5 V / 2.3 A USB adaptor, micro-USB cable, quick start guide, safety sheet and warranty card	BOOM 3, Micro-USB cable, quick-start guide