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 Pulse 3 Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£170Audio output power:20.00 WBattery life:12 hoursIP rating:IPX7Bluetooth version:4.2Weight:960 g

JBL Pulse 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 Pulse 3
7.0/10

Overall score

Score
7.0/ 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%

6.6

Technical score

20%

8.8

User score

â–²Better than 70% of portable speakers
7.8

Value for money

Value for money
7.8/ 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%

7.0

Overall score

30%

9.6

Price

â–²Better than 68%
6.6

Technical score

Technical score
6.6/ 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%

6.5

Audio

20%

6.8

Battery

18%

7.0

Durability

16%

5.8

Connectivity

8%

6.5

Controls

3%

8.4

Design

3%

7.5

Smart features

â–²Better than 53%
8.8

User score

User score
8.8/ 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%

9.0

User ratings

30%

8.4

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–²Better than 84%
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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 Pulse 3

Technical score
Technical score
6.6/ 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%

6.5

Audio

20%

6.8

Battery

18%

7.0

Durability

16%

5.8

Connectivity

8%

6.5

Controls

3%

8.4

Design

3%

7.5

Smart features

6.6
User score
User score
8.8/ 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%

9.0

User ratings

30%

8.4

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
8.8
Popularity
Popularity
8.4/ 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 Pulse 3 has a popularity score of 8.4 points, which is higher than 81.8% of products in this category.
8.4
Value for money
Value for money
7.8/ 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%

7.0

Overall score

30%

9.6

Price

7.8
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
40 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 40 mm which is smaller than that of 76.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 13.2% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
3
This portable speaker has 3 drivers, which is more than 70.1% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 11.5% 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
4.2
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 4.2 which is older than that of 53.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 17.8% 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
12 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 12 hours which is longer than that of 47.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 15.7% 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
?
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On-device controls placement
side; rear
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
960 g
This portable speaker weighs 960 g which is heavier than that of 54.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.4% of portable speakers.
Height
22.3 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 22.3 cm which is taller than that of 83% of portable speakers.
Width
9.2 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 9.2 cm which is narrower than that of 78.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.4% of portable speakers.
Depth
9.2 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 9.2 cm which is deeper than that of 56.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.2% 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 Pulse 3 vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • 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
  • Provides 360-degree sound
    This portable speaker provides 360-degree sound, while the average portable speaker does not provide 360-degree sound.
    Provides omnidirectional 360° sound radiation.
  • 1 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • 1 more speaker drivers
    This portable speaker has more speaker drivers than the average portable speaker (3 vs 2).
    3 vs 2
  • 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.
  • Better ingress protection
    This portable speaker has better ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IPX7 vs IPX5).
    IPX7 vs IPX5
  • Has beamforming microphones
    This portable speaker has beamforming microphones, while the average portable speaker does not have beamforming microphones.
    Uses beamforming microphone technology.
  • 10.1% higher user score
    User score
    8.8/ 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 Pulse 3
    the average portable speaker
    JBL Pulse 3 has a higher user score than the average portable speaker (8.81 vs 8).
    8.81 vs 8
  • 98.9% more popular
    JBL Pulse 3 is more popular than the average portable speaker (8.37 vs 4.21).
    8.37 vs 4.21
  • Provides 360-degree sound
    This portable speaker provides 360-degree sound, while the average portable speaker does not provide 360-degree sound.
    Provides omnidirectional 360° sound radiation.
  • 1 more speaker drivers
    This portable speaker has more speaker drivers than the average portable speaker (3 vs 2).
    3 vs 2
  • Has beamforming microphones
    This portable speaker has beamforming microphones, while the average portable speaker does not have beamforming microphones.
    Uses beamforming microphone technology.
  • 1 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 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
  • 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
  • 5 °C higher maximum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher maximum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (45 °C vs 40 °C).
    45 °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.
  • Has a programmable button
    This portable speaker has a programmable button, while the average portable speaker does not have a programmable button.
    Has a user-programmable physical button.
  • 8.9 cm narrower
    This portable speaker is narrower than the average portable speaker (9.2 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    9.2 cm vs 18.1 cm
  • 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
  • 10 mm smaller main driver
    This portable speaker has a smaller main driver than the average portable speaker (40 mm vs 50 mm).
    40 mm vs 50 mm
  • 5 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (5 °C vs 0 °C).
    5 °C vs 0 °C
  • 0.8 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (4.2 vs 5).
    4.2 vs 5
  • 9.9 cm taller
    This portable speaker is taller than the average portable speaker (22.3 cm vs 12.4 cm).
    22.3 cm vs 12.4 cm
  • 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
  • 88.9% more expensive
    JBL Pulse 3 is more expensive than the average portable speaker (£170 vs £90).
    £170 vs £90
  • 88.9% more expensive
    JBL Pulse 3 is more expensive than the average portable speaker (£170 vs £90).
    £170 vs £90
  • 10 mm smaller main driver
    This portable speaker has a smaller main driver than the average portable speaker (40 mm vs 50 mm).
    40 mm vs 50 mm
  • 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
  • 0.8 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (4.2 vs 5).
    4.2 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.
  • 5 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (5 °C vs 0 °C).
    5 °C vs 0 °C
  • 9.9 cm taller
    This portable speaker is taller than the average portable speaker (22.3 cm vs 12.4 cm).
    22.3 cm vs 12.4 cm

Video reviews

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

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

T
techradar.com
06/09/2019
Summary of the review
S
soundguys.com
05/08/2021
Summary of the review
U
uk.pcmag.com
20/09/2017
Summary of the review
T
techhive.com
16/01/2018
Summary of the review
M
majorhifi.com
14/09/2017
Summary of the review
L
lbtechreviews.com
16/08/2018
Summary of the review
I
ilounge.com
14/05/2021
Summary of the review
P
pcmag.com
20/09/2017
Summary of the review
T
techwelike.com
15/12/2017
Summary of the review
W
whatgear.net
25/06/2017
Summary of the review
A
au.pcmag.com
21/09/2017
Summary of the review
D
digit.in
01/08/2023
Summary of the review
A
augustman.com
13/10/2017
Summary of the review
C
chip.de
02/07/2018
Summary of the review
A
areadvd.de
24/11/2017
Summary of the review
M
maclife.de
11/08/2017
Summary of the review
A
appgefahren.de
14/12/2017
Summary of the review
H
hifi-journal.de
19/03/2018
Summary of the review
L
lesnumeriques.com
23/07/2017
Summary of the review
L
leclaireur.fnac.com
25/07/2017
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 Pulse 3

  • Mesmerizing 360-degree LED light show that flashes to the beat of the music
  • Excellent IPX7 waterproof rating, allowing it to float and be submerged safely
  • Impressive 360-degree sound projection that fills rooms evenly
  • Sturdy, premium-feeling build quality with durable materials
  • JBL Connect+ capability allows pairing with over 100 compatible speakers
  • Clear highs and full, punchy bass performance for its size

What customers don't like about JBL Pulse 3

  • Mediocre battery life when the light show is set to maximum brightness
  • Bulky and somewhat heavy design makes it less ideal for tossing into backpacks
  • Smooth plastic acrylic outer shell is prone to light scratches, dents, and smudges
  • Higher price point compared to speakers with identical or better sound quality
  • Uses an outdated micro-USB port for charging instead of USB-C
  • Unlit, flat control buttons can be difficult to locate and operate in dark rooms

Verdict

The JBL Pulse 3 is a portable Bluetooth 4.2 speaker that delivers 20W of output power via three 40mm transducers and a frequency response of 65Hz to 20kHz. Its defining characteristic is a customizable 360-degree LED lightshow integrated alongside 360-degree audio delivery. Key pros include its fully submersible IPX7 waterproof rating, a built-in echo-cancelling speakerphone, and a 6000mAh battery providing up to 12 hours of playtime. Additionally, it supports voice assistant integration and JBL Connect+ to link over 100 compatible speakers. On the downside, its battery life decreases significantly at maximum brightness, it lacks modern low-latency streaming codecs, cannot be used as a power bank to charge smartphones, and its older Connect+ technology is not backward compatible with newer JBL pairing systems.

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

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