Why You Can Trust CNET JBL Charge 3 review: Waterproof Bluetooth speaker plays louder, but sound quality takes a step back
The JBL Charge 3 boosts volume and adds full waterproofing, but its sound quality takes a hit.
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There are a zillion wireless Bluetooth speakers you can buy these days, but three brands rise to the top of the heap: Bose, Ultimate Ears and JBL. And of those three, only JBL makes models that also double as backup batteries for phones and other USB-powered devices: the Charge line.
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
The JBL Charge 3 looks similar to the highly rated JBL Charge 2+ and has the same list price of $150 and £150. In Australia, the sticker price is AU$229, but you'll be able to pick one up for under AU$200. While the Charge 2+ is water resistant, its successor model is fully waterproof, with IPX7 certification, which means it can be completely submersed in water for a short period. Like its predecessors, you can lay it flat or stand it up vertically. And, for better or worse, the new model is about 20 percent larger and heavier.
It delivers an impressive 20 hours of battery life and also has speakerphone capabilities. Using the JBL Connect app you can wirelessly link think this to other JBL Connect enabled speakers to amplify the sound and widen the soundstage.
The speaker is fully waterproof.
The big question, of course, is does this sound better than the JBL Charge 2+, which we loved at $150 and is now available for less? The short answer is no. The new model plays louder and delivers more bass, but the Charge 2+ sounds a little tighter -- and by that I mean it's a better balanced speaker with better bass definition and smoother sounding treble.
However, using this Charge 3 outside in a big open area such as a patio, its bigger sound will be an asset; it will carry further.
The bottom line is I'm not sure how much of an upgrade the Charge 3 is over the Charge 2+. It does play louder, is fully waterproof, and has strong battery life, so it has a lot going for it. But my reservations about its sound quality are a relative disappointment, given the fact is a larger and newer speaker should sound better than its predecessor.
The Charge 3 is available in multiple colors, including this blue version.
It's worth noting that when JBL first released its Charge 2 speaker (the 2014 predecessor to the 2015 Charge 2+), it had some issues with its sound quality. The company quietly released a firmware upgrade after a few months that significantly improved the sound, but didn't really tell anybody about it.
It wouldn't surprise me if it did the same thing this time. If that happens, we'll update this review accordingly.