Rankings
The JBL Charge 6 is a rugged, high-performance speaker with 28 h battery life, IP68 durability, AI-enhanced sound and a built-in powerbank, but its size and weight make it less portable.
The Sony SRS-XE300 is a rugged, IP67-rated speaker with long battery life, LDAC support and strong output, ideal for outdoor parties but less convenient to carry due to its weight.
The Marshall Emberton III is a third-generation portable Bluetooth speaker delivering 360° True Stereophonic sound, IP67 durability and over 32 hours of playback. It adds a built-in mic and a long Bluetooth range, though it still misses a wired aux input and extensive EQ options.
The purple JBL Flip 7 adds vibrant color options and the same rugged IP68 build as its siblings, delivering AI-enhanced sound, lossless USB-C playback and up to 16 hours of listening, though it ships without a charging cable and offers modest bass.
The JBL Grip is an ultra-compact, rugged Bluetooth speaker that offers clear mids, AI-enhanced sound and up to 14 hours of playtime, but its bass is thin and it lacks high-volume power.
The BOOM 2 Phantom Edition delivers 360° sound, solid durability and party-linking features, making it a versatile outdoor speaker. Its battery life and waterproof rating are strong points, but the lack of an aux jack and reliance on micro-USB limit convenience.
| Attribute | | | | | | Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 Portable Waterproof & Shockproof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
28 hours | 12 hours | 14 hours | 32 hoursbest | 24 hours | 15 hours | |
4,722 mAh | 2,600 mAh | 4,800 mAhbest | — | 750 mAh | — | |
| ↓ lower better | 3 hours | 3 hours | 2.5 hours | 2 hoursbest | 5 hours | 2.5 hours |
— | — | 100 metersbest | 100 metersbest | 30 meters | 30.5 meters | |
| ↓ lower better | 990 g | 385 gbest | 558 g | 670 g | 1,300 g | 539 g |
45 wattsbest | 16 watts | 25 watts | 20 watts | 16 watts | — | |
— | 43 mm | 45 mm | 51 mm | 71 mmbest | 41.3 mm | |
— | 70 Hzbest | 60 Hz | 60 Hz | 20 Hz | — |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | | | | | Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 Portable Waterproof & Shockproof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audio Performance(3) | ||||||
Output Power (watts) | 45 watts | 16 watts | 25 watts | 20 watts | 16 watts | — |
Driver Size (mm) | — | 43 mm | 45 mm | 51 mm | 71 mm | 41.3 mm |
Frequency Response (Low) (Hz) | — | 70 Hz | 60 Hz | 60 Hz | 20 Hz | — |
Connectivity(4) | ||||||
Bluetooth Version | — | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.2 | — |
Bluetooth Range (meters) | — | — | 100 meters | 100 meters | 30 meters | 30.5 meters |
USB‑C Port | true | — | true | true | true | false |
Built‑in Microphone | — | — | false | true | true | true |
Battery & Power(4) | ||||||
Battery Life (hours) | 28 hours | 12 hours | 14 hours | 32 hours | 24 hours | 15 hours |
Battery Capacity (mAh) | 4722 mAh | 2600 mAh | 4800 mAh | — | 750 mAh | — |
Charging Time (hours) | 3 hours | 3 hours | 2.5 hours | 2 hours | 5 hours | 2.5 hours |
Quick Charge Support | true | — | — | true | true | false |
Build & Design(3) | ||||||
Weight (g) | 990 g | 385 g | 558 g | 670 g | 1300 g | 539 g |
IP Rating | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | IP67 | IP67 | IPX7 |
Water Resistance Depth (meters) | 1.5 meters | 1 meters | 1.5 meters | 1 meters | 1 meters | 1 meters |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers praise the Charge 6 for its AI-driven audio processing, industry-leading IP68 durability, marathon battery and lossless audio via USB-C, while noting its bulk.
Everyday users love the deep bass, rugged build and marathon battery, but miss an included charging cable and note occasional powerbank hiccups.
“Battery lasts forever - I've used it for two full days at a camping trip.”
“The bass is deep and punchy - sounds much bigger than it looks.”
“Love the carrying strap - makes it easy to take anywhere.”
Flip 7 is the better choice for general listening and louder environments, while Grip is ideal for shower-friendly, ultra-portable scenarios.
Professional reviewers praise the Grip's design, durability, voice clarity and modern Bluetooth features, but uniformly criticize its bass, calling it thin and under-powered for bass-heavy genres.
Everyday users appreciate the Grip's waterproof build, ambient lighting, and clear vocal reproduction, often highlighting its suitability for showers, travel, and small spaces. The dominant complaint mirrors the experts: the bass is weak, and the tiny buttons are difficult to operate without looking.
Professional reviewers commend the Flip 7 for its AI-driven sound processing, industry-leading IP68 durability and Auracast multi-speaker capability, noting only the missing charging cable as a minor issue.
Everyday users rate the Flip 7 highly for sound quality, durability and battery life, but mention the missing cable, occasional battery inconsistencies and weaker bass.
Professional reviewers consistently commend the Emberton III for its premium sound, durable IP67 build and impressive battery life, while noting the lack of a wired input and limited EQ customization.
Everyday users overwhelmingly praise the design, sound quality and marathon battery life, with occasional complaints about missing rubber feet and the absence of a clear stereo-pairing feature.
Professional reviewers commend the XE300 for its robust IP67 construction, expansive soundstage from the line-shaped diffuser, and LDAC support, while noting the missing aux input and lack of power-bank capability.
Everyday users overwhelmingly praise the sound quality, durability and long battery life, though they criticize the unit's weight, occasional pairing issues and the absence of a 3.5 mm jack.
Professional reviewers commend the BOOM 2 Phantom for its full-bodied, 360° audio and rugged IPX7 construction, highlighting the UE BOOM app's stereo pairing, EQ tweaks and Party Mode linking while noting the missing aux jack and micro-USB charging as drawbacks.
Everyday users overwhelmingly praise the speaker's loud, clear sound and its ability to survive drops, sand and full submersion, while recurring complaints focus on the missing aux jack and occasional Bluetooth glitches.
