Scored using Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0

JBL Charge 3 Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£160Audio output power:20.00 WBattery life:20 hoursIP rating:IPX7Bluetooth version:4.1Weight:800 g

JBL Charge 3 Review: Compare 130 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Portable Speakers category and whether it is worth buying.

JBL Charge 3
7.4/10

Overall score

Score
7.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of products in the Portable Speakers category, based on technical analysis and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference for identifying the best products in the Portable Speakers category.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

80%

6.9

Technical score

20%

9.7

User score

â–²Better than 87% of portable speakers
8.1

Value for money

Value for money
8.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

7.4

Overall score

30%

9.7

Price

â–²Better than 86%
6.9

Technical score

Technical score
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

32%

6.1

Audio

20%

8.4

Battery

18%

7.2

Durability

16%

5.7

Connectivity

8%

6.6

Controls

3%

8.3

Design

3%

7.6

Smart features

â–²Better than 68%
9.7

User score

User score
9.7/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

9.5

User ratings

30%

10

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
★Better than 99%
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Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of portable speaker JBL Charge 3

Technical score
Technical score
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

32%

6.1

Audio

20%

8.4

Battery

18%

7.2

Durability

16%

5.7

Connectivity

8%

6.6

Controls

3%

8.3

Design

3%

7.6

Smart features

6.9
User score
User score
9.7/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

9.5

User ratings

30%

10

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
9.7
Popularity
Popularity
10/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you prefer products in the Portable Speakers category that have been chosen and reviewed by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Popularity:
JBL Charge 3 has a popularity score of 10 points, which is higher than 92% of products in this category.
10
Value for money
Value for money
8.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

70%

7.4

Overall score

30%

9.7

Price

8.1
Audio output power
20 W
This portable speaker has an audio output power of 20 W which is higher than that of 46.1% of portable speakers and equal to that of 11.4% of portable speakers.
Driver unit size
50 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 50 mm which is larger than that of 43.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 10.2% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
2
This portable speaker has 2 drivers, which is more than 24.5% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 45.5% of portable speakers.
Frequency response tolerance
?
Lowest frequency
65 Hz
This portable speaker has a lowest frequency of 65 Hz which is higher than that of 57.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 2.6% of portable speakers.
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
4.1
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 4.1 which is older than that of 71.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 4.9% of portable speakers.
Maximum Bluetooth range
10 m
This portable speaker has a maximum Bluetooth range of 10 m which is longer than that of 4.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 70.2% of portable speakers.
Bluetooth profiles supported
A2DP; AVRCP; HFP; HSP
Bluetooth LE Audio
no
This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth LE Audio. 2.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Battery life
20 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 20 hours which is longer than that of 80.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 7.3% of portable speakers.
Battery capacity
6,000 mAh
This portable speaker has a battery capacity of 6,000 mAh which is larger than that of 88.1% of portable speakers and equal to that of 1.5% of portable speakers.
Charging time
4 hours
This portable speaker has a charging time of 4 hours which is longer than that of 67% of portable speakers and equal to that of 19.3% of portable speakers.
Maximum charging input power
11 W
This portable speaker has a maximum charging input power of 11 W which is higher than that of 70.5% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.4% of portable speakers.
Built-in rechargeable battery
yes
This portable speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery. 18.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
IP rating
IPX7
This portable speaker has an IP rating of IPX7 which provides better ingress protection than 47.6% of portable speakers and the same ingress protection as 25.2% of portable speakers.
Water resistance
yes
This portable speaker is water resistant. 38.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Dust resistance
no
This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant. 51.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Waterproof depth rating
1 m
This portable speaker has a waterproof depth rating of 1 m which is deeper than that of 52.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 47.4% of portable speakers.
Drop resistance
?
Show more
On-device controls placement
top
Touchscreen
no
This portable speaker does not have a touchscreen. 0.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Smartphone app control
yes
This portable speaker supports smartphone app control. 46.1% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Compatible mobile app provides speaker control or settings.
Remote control
no
This portable speaker does not include a remote control. 15% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Fast pairing
?
Show more
Weight
800 g
This portable speaker weighs 800 g which is lighter than that of 49.5% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.7% of portable speakers.
Height
?
Width
21.3 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 21.3 cm which is wider than that of 61% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.4% of portable speakers.
Depth
8.7 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 8.7 cm which is deeper than that of 52.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.8% of portable speakers.
Carry options
?
Show more
Companion app name
JBL Portable
Firmware updates
yes
This portable speaker supports firmware updates. 52.9% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Supports user-accessible firmware updates.
Firmware update method
OTA; App
Voice assistant support
yes
This portable speaker supports voice assistants. 73.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Supports direct voice-assistant control.
Spotify Connect
no
This portable speaker does not support Spotify Connect. 10.8% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more

JBL Charge 3 vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • 2 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (3 vs 1).
    3 vs 1
  • 1 m deeper waterproof rating
    This portable speaker has a deeper waterproof depth rating than the average portable speaker (1 m vs 0 m).
    1 m vs 0 m
  • 3,400 mAh more battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a larger battery capacity than the average portable speaker (6,000 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    6,000 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • 8 hours longer battery life
    This portable speaker has a longer battery life than the average portable speaker (20 hours vs 12 hours).
    20 hours vs 12 hours
  • Has built-in stereo speakers
    This portable speaker has built-in stereo speakers, while the average portable speaker does not have built-in stereo speakers.
    Provides true stereo output within the unit.
  • Has a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • Supports party mode
    This portable speaker supports party mode, while the average portable speaker does not support party mode.
    Supports synchronized multi-speaker party/group playback.
  • Supports multi-room audio
    This portable speaker supports multi-room audio, while the average portable speaker does not support multi-room audio.
    Supports synchronized multi-room playback.
  • 20.8% higher user score
    User score
    9.7/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    JBL Charge 3
    the average portable speaker
    JBL Charge 3 has a higher user score than the average portable speaker (9.67 vs 8).
    9.67 vs 8
  • 2.38x more popular
    JBL Charge 3 is more popular than the average portable speaker (10 vs 4.21).
    10 vs 4.21
  • 7.3% better value for money
    JBL Charge 3 offers better value for money than the average portable speaker (8.1 vs 7.5).
    8.1 vs 7.55
  • Has built-in stereo speakers
    This portable speaker has built-in stereo speakers, while the average portable speaker does not have built-in stereo speakers.
    Provides true stereo output within the unit.
  • 2 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (3 vs 1).
    3 vs 1
  • 3,400 mAh more battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a larger battery capacity than the average portable speaker (6,000 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    6,000 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • 8 hours longer battery life
    This portable speaker has a longer battery life than the average portable speaker (20 hours vs 12 hours).
    20 hours vs 12 hours
  • Has a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • Includes a power adapter
    This portable speaker includes a power adapter, while the average portable speaker does not include a power adapter.
  • 1 W higher charging input power
    This portable speaker has higher charging input power than the average portable speaker (11 W vs 10 W).
    11 W vs 10 W
  • 1 m deeper waterproof rating
    This portable speaker has a deeper waterproof depth rating than the average portable speaker (1 m vs 0 m).
    1 m vs 0 m
  • Better ingress protection
    This portable speaker has better ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IPX7 vs IPX5).
    IPX7 vs IPX5
  • 20 °C higher maximum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher maximum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (60 °C vs 40 °C).
    60 °C vs 40 °C
  • Supports party mode
    This portable speaker supports party mode, while the average portable speaker does not support party mode.
    Supports synchronized multi-speaker party/group playback.
  • Supports playback mute
    This portable speaker supports playback mute, while the average portable speaker does not support playback mute.
    Speaker playback audio can be directly muted.
  • Supports multi-room audio
    This portable speaker supports multi-room audio, while the average portable speaker does not support multi-room audio.
    Supports synchronized multi-room playback.
  • Supports voice assistants
    This portable speaker supports voice assistants, while the average portable speaker does not support voice assistants.
    Supports direct voice-assistant control.
  • Supports firmware updates
    This portable speaker supports firmware updates, while the average portable speaker does not support firmware updates.
    Supports user-accessible firmware updates.
  • Is not rated as dust resistant
    This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant, while the average portable speaker is dust resistant.
  • 1 hours longer charging time
    This portable speaker has a longer charging time than the average portable speaker (4 hours vs 3 hours).
    4 hours vs 3 hours
  • 20 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (-20 °C vs 0 °C).
    -20 °C vs 0 °C
  • 0.9 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (4.1 vs 5).
    4.1 vs 5
  • 2 dB SPL lower maximum sound pressure
    This portable speaker has a lower maximum sound pressure level than the average portable speaker (90 dB SPL vs 92 dB SPL).
    90 dB SPL vs 92 dB SPL
  • 5 Hz less deep bass extension
    This portable speaker has less deep bass extension than the average portable speaker (65 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    65 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • 77.8% more expensive
    JBL Charge 3 is more expensive than the average portable speaker (£160 vs £90).
    £160 vs £90
  • 3 older
    This portable speaker was released earlier than the average portable speaker (2016 vs 2019).
    2016 vs 2019
  • 77.8% more expensive
    JBL Charge 3 is more expensive than the average portable speaker (£160 vs £90).
    £160 vs £90
  • 2 dB SPL lower maximum sound pressure
    This portable speaker has a lower maximum sound pressure level than the average portable speaker (90 dB SPL vs 92 dB SPL).
    90 dB SPL vs 92 dB SPL
  • 5 Hz less deep bass extension
    This portable speaker has less deep bass extension than the average portable speaker (65 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    65 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • 0.9 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (4.1 vs 5).
    4.1 vs 5
  • 1 hours longer charging time
    This portable speaker has a longer charging time than the average portable speaker (4 hours vs 3 hours).
    4 hours vs 3 hours
  • Is not rated as dust resistant
    This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant, while the average portable speaker is dust resistant.
  • 20 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (-20 °C vs 0 °C).
    -20 °C vs 0 °C
  • 3.2 cm wider
    This portable speaker is wider than the average portable speaker (21.3 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    21.3 cm vs 18.1 cm
  • 3 older
    This portable speaker was released earlier than the average portable speaker (2016 vs 2019).
    2016 vs 2019

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

W
whathifi.com
13/11/2018
Summary of the review
S
soundguys.com
14/07/2021
Summary of the review
T
techradar.com
20/11/2019
Summary of the review
C
cnet.com
23/06/2016
Summary of the review
P
pcmag.com
11/07/2016
Summary of the review
T
tomsguide.com
05/07/2016
Summary of the review
T
techhive.com
27/06/2016
Summary of the review
M
mashable.com
16/07/2018
Summary of the review
M
me.pcmag.com
11/07/2016
Summary of the review
L
legitreviews.com
10/08/2016
Summary of the review
A
androidheadlines.com
12/08/2016
Summary of the review
T
techgearlab.com
05/04/2017
Summary of the review
E
expertreviews.co.uk
29/06/2018
Summary of the review
T
themasterswitch.com
14/03/2019
Summary of the review
L
lbtechreviews.com
17/08/2018
Summary of the review
F
fwd.nl
11/08/2016
Summary of the review
C
consumentenbond.nl
2016
Summary of the review
L
letemsvetemapplem.eu
29/05/2016
Summary of the review
T
tweakers.net
27/11/2017
Summary of the review
T
tweakers.net
10/10/2016
Summary of the review

Third-party reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
Reviews last updated: August 2026 · How we calculate this

What customers like about JBL Charge 3

  • Powerful audio performance with deep, thumpy bass and high volume output
  • Excellent battery life offering up to 20 hours of continuous playback
  • IPX7 fully waterproof and rugged design that can withstand submersion and floats
  • Built-in 6,000mAh power bank functionality to charge external mobile devices via USB
  • Reliable Bluetooth connectivity with a strong wireless range and stable pairing
  • Includes a built-in echo and noise-cancelling speakerphone for clear voice calls
  • JBL Connect feature allows pairing with multiple compatible speakers for synchronized sound

What customers don't like about JBL Charge 3

  • Slightly heavy and bulky cylindrical design, making it less backpack-friendly
  • Waterproofing material causes slightly muffled or recessed midrange frequencies
  • Lack of 360-degree audio due to the strictly forward-facing internal drivers
  • Controls do not support backward track navigation to return to the previous song
  • Exposed side passive bass radiators can be prone to scratching or damage from sharp objects
  • Relies on an older micro-USB charging port rather than modern USB-C fast charging
  • Does not support high-fidelity aptX Bluetooth audio codecs for premium streaming

Verdict

The JBL Charge 3 is a rugged portable Bluetooth 4.1 speaker featuring dual 50mm transducers with a total rated power of 20W, a 65Hz–20kHz frequency response, and an IPX7 waterproof housing. Its defining characteristic is a high-capacity 6,000mAh lithium-ion polymer battery providing up to 20 hours of playtime alongside a 5V/2A USB-A power bank to charge external mobile devices. Main pros include a durable fabric and rubber design, powerful audio output with dual external passive bass radiators, a noise-canceling speakerphone, and multi-speaker daisy-chaining via JBL Connect. However, significant cons include its bulky and heavy 800g chassis, the complete lack of backward track navigation controls, and slightly muffled high-frequency audio clarity resulting from its thick waterproof material layers.

Compare JBL Charge 3 with other products in the Portable Speakers category

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