Jbl Charge Essential Vs Charge 4

After several weeks of testing I have found that JBL Charge 4 wins the boxing of JBL Charge 4 vs UE Nail 3. It comes down to better sound quality and battery life. While UE Nail 3 has omnidirectional sound and a groovy design, it lacks Charge's depth and richness.

Product	JBL Charge 4	Ultimate Ears Boom 3
Photo
Design	4/5	4.5/5
Battery life	iv/5	3.5/5
Durability	four/five	iv.5/5
Sound quality	four.5/5	4/v
	Buy on Amazon	Purchase on Amazon

Read on equally I compare these two in sound, design, durability, ability, and software.

Sound

Accuse iv easily wins this category. I like Boom three's omnidirectional sound, simply that's the just advantage information technology has here.

Charge 4's sound is fantastic for its price and size. The bass is stronger and the sound richer and louder compared to Boom 3. Charge iv is similar to the higher-tier Megaboom 3, and information technology's set at a great price at $150. Yet, yous do need to be in forepart of the speaker for the best experience. Information technology'south good outdoors, but not ideal due to the directional sound.

Compared to the previous Charge 3, this new version has a single 30W driver while Charge iii has 2 10W drivers. While I usually prefer two drivers, the higher power of Accuse 4 results in stronger bass. The treble also sounds amend. However, the sound quality isn't an extraordinary spring and both are good for their price and size.

Smash 3 comes with ii drivers and two passive radiators. The sound isn't bad when you're listening to it by itself, just you really discover the reduced quality when information technology's next to Charge four. It does have more than bass than JBL Flip four, but there'due south no contest between Blast 3 and Charge 4.

The one thing in Boom three'southward favor is the omnidirectional sound, which makes information technology better for gatherings and outdoor use. In that location are also four equalizer settings, and you can change the bass, treble, and mids via the app.

While the omnidirectional audio is skilful, it isn't enough to win this battle. JBL Charge 4 sounds stronger and better, making information technology the winner.

Audio winner: JBL Charge 4

Cheque Price: JBL Charge 4 ->

Check Cost: Boom iii ->

Design

While Charge 4 has a pretty adept design, Boom three blows it out of the water. UE is one of the all-time when information technology comes to designing their speakers, and it shows.

Charge 4 weighs ii.1lbs and is 8.7 inches, still small enough to exist held in one hand. While the design isn't smashing, it at least has a base for sitting horizontally (this is defective in the JBL Flip 4). Information technology also comes in 10 colors: Black, Blue, Forest Green, Grayness, Pink, Red, Sand, Teal, and White. Merely, the colors are bland in my opinion.

The port embrace latches for waterproofing, only it's like shooting fish in a barrel to open when needed. Some speakers, like the Flip 4 again, can be a challenge. At that place's also a iii.5mm port to connect sound devices.

UE Nail three weighs 1.3lbs and is 7.2 inches. It's much smaller and lighter than Accuse four, which in my opinion wasn't a dealbreaker. You tin can choose from iv colors: Lagoon Bluish, Nightblack, Sunset Red, and Ultraviolet Purple. All colors have a two-tone mesh cloth that looks amazing, and UE has promised to release more colors.

I loved Boom two's designs, only there were three flaws that Boom 3 corrected. The charging port was on the bottom, and then listening and charging was challenging. The port has been moved to the side, or y'all can use a wireless charging dock. Nail ii required you lot to use gestures that were often inaccurate, but Boom 3 uses the Magic Push button. Blast 2 had an ugly safe strip that has been removed for a better, more minimalist design.

You tin get the battery life by pushing both book buttons simultaneously. Information technology lacks a 3.5mm port, but this won't affair too much unless you accept an audio device to connect.

With a better look and more than useful design, the win goes to Nail 3.

Pattern winner: UE Boom 3

Check Price: JBL Accuse four ->

Bank check Cost: Boom three ->

Immovability

Durability is good for both, simply Blast iii sneaks ahead because it doesn't have whatsoever weaknesses whereas Accuse 4 has one exposed area.

Charge 4 is IPX7 waterproof rated, so it can terminal in a meter of water for xxx minutes. While this will keep it safe, yous volition demand to let information technology air out equally water gets in the radiator and sides. The sound will be deadened until the speaker is dry. It floats, making it simple to retrieve from the h2o.

Blast 3 has the same IPX7 waterproof rating, and it's besides dustproof. While both brands withstand a drop, Boom 3 does it amend. Charge 4 has exposed radiators that might break. Boom 3 too floats if it's dropped in the h2o.

Both are adept, but Boom 3 is the more durable of the two.

Immovability winner: UE Boom 3

Check Cost: JBL Charge four ->

Check Price: Boom 3 ->

Power

Not only does Charge 4 have better bombardment life, but it as well has an extra feature that makes information technology useful. Notwithstanding, some might be charmed by Boom three's wireless charging port.

Both brands overshoot their battery life. Accuse 4 is listed every bit having twenty hours of battery life, but it'south actually 8.5 hours at 60% and half-dozen.five hours at 85%. This is still quite good. The seven,500mAh battery has a USB port and can accuse your phone and devices. You can accuse the bombardment with a USB-C cablevision.

Boom 3 is listed as having 15 hours of battery life, but it's actually half-dozen hours at 60% and 3.five hours at 85% volume. While the bombardment life isn't as expert, i affair I love is the U.s.a. charge base of operations for $forty. It's astonishing and can run the speaker while you're charging. Plus, you tin can leave the speaker here and always take information technology at 100% bombardment when you're set up to leave.

Wireless charging aside, Accuse 4 has the improve overall bombardment life.

Power winner: JBL Accuse 4

Check Price: JBL Charge iv ->

Check Price: Boom three ->

Software

JBL is terrible when it comes to software. It isn't just Charge 4, it's all of their speakers. Boom three wins by a landslide.

Charge 4 uses Bluetooth 4.ii and y'all tin can connect two devices simultaneously. While Charge iii allowed three devices at in one case, this is actually practiced because limiting information technology to two devices improves the connection stability. The JBL is terrible. Not only is it hard to pair with Charge 4, but it has no useful features if you practise.

All the same, I tin can say the Bluetooth range is fifteen feet better than Boom 3. Thankfully y'all don't need the app to pair current generation JBL speakers. Just push the Connect+ push on both speakers to pair them. The pairing is shaky at times though.

UE has one app for both Boom and Megaboom speakers to simplify the process. On top of that, the UE app is one of the best. The Block Party characteristic lets you connect three devices to one speaker then everyone has control. At that place's besides Party Up. This lets you pair 150 UE speakers either as duplicates or to create stereo sound. However, similar any other Bluetooth speaker, the connectedness tin exist shaky at times.

Boom 3 also uses Bluetooth 4.2 with a listed range of 150 feet. I only got about 30 feet, which was worse than Charge 4. There are frequent firmware updates, so the speaker will become better with time. The app lets you turn the speaker on and off. If you don't like the "power on" sounds, and so you can plow this off in the app. While there'south no mic for a smart assistant, it'due south fine considering these often aren't useful with portable speakers.

You can preload upwardly to four Apple Music playlists. Start them by pushing the Magic Button for two seconds.

With all the extra features and a useful app, information technology'southward easy to see why Boom 3 wins this category.

Software winner: UE Boom 3

Check Price: JBL Charge 4 ->

Cheque Price: Boom 3 ->

Final Thoughts

While UE Boom 3 has some strong points here and there, especially with pattern and software, JBL Charge 4 wins this boxing due to its amend sound. In that location is a very noticable difference betwixt them and I call up nearly people would be happier with Charge 4, just Boom 3 has some features that might sway your opinion.