JBL Pulse 2 vs Charge 3 — Bluetooth Speakers With Awesome Battery Life (2023)

People who love music know that investing in the right Bluetooth speaker is a prerequisite to attaining the best sound quality, which translates to an excellent listening experience.

However, it’s not easy identifying the right Bluetooth speaker, which is why our experts have compared two excellent JBL Bluetooth speakers, JBL Pulse 2 vs Charge 3, to see which one is a better investment.

JBL Pulse 2 or Charge 3?

Best for Wireless Connectivity
JBL Pulse 2
Best for Battery Life
JBL Charge 3

Features of JBL Pulse 2 and Charge 3

Design and Build

The JBL Charge 3 comes in five different colors, wrapped in a protective fabric. It has a robust design with a rubber panel. It weighs 800g and has a dimension of 8.5 inches x 3.5 inches, which is relatively large for a Bluetooth speaker. 

The JBL Pulse 2, on the other hand, can come in black and silver colors but provides a colorful way of expressing music with its glowing multi-colored light via JBL’s Color Sensor Lens.

The JBL Pulse 2 measures 7.7 inches x 3.3 inches and weighs 775g. With this, the JBL Pulse 2 is more compact than the JBL Charge 3, meaning you can easily conceal and carry it around more conveniently.

The JBL Pulse 2 lacks a control panel on the body, meaning that you’ll find it challenging to access the volume control panel unless you do so on the device connected to the speaker. On the flip side, the JBL Charge 3 has it.

Pulse 2 and Charge 3 Sound Quality

Although the Pulse 2 comes with a subwoofer, lacking in Charge 3, its speakers are not stereo. That will hamper quality sound delivery to some extent. Nevertheless, the Pulse 2 having a subwoofer is a plus, as it’ll deliver higher quality sound, which will compensate for the lack of stereo speakers.

 

Both devices produce audio at the highest frequency (20000Hz), so the sound clarity is unbelievable. However, Charge 3 has more audio output power than the Pulse 2 (10W to 8W), meaning the Charge 3 will create higher sound levels in a large open space. The Pulse 2 is capable of only filling a relatively medium-sized room with its audio power.

Charge 3 has the edge over Pulse 2 due to its 65Hz low frequency and two passive radiators in terms of bass quality. Our team heard undistorted sounds when the music played at high volume on Charge 3 but noticed some distortion when playing in the same volume range in Pulse 2.

Additionally, Charge 3 has a noise-canceling microphone that filters out background noise for better sound clarity.

Weather and Water Resistance

This JBL Charge 3 vs Pulse 2 review will not be complete without comparing their weather and water resistance. Aside from understanding how they work as Bluetooth speakers, you will know additional features making each of them unique.

Both Bluetooth speakers are designed as splash-proof, meaning they can withstand a few water splashes, light rain, and abuse when used outdoors. However, the Pulse 2 isn’t dustproof and water-resistant, unlike the JBL Charge 3 that’s rated IPX7 waterproof.

The dustproof and water-resistant features prolong the lifespan of devices, and since the JBL Charge 3 includes both elements, it means that it’d be more weather tolerant than the Pulse 2.

Wireless Connectivity

In terms of wireless options, Pulse 2 has it all. It’s NFC-enabled and comes with Wi-Fi connectivity [1]. The best part is it comes with a remote control for convenient control. All these are significant reasons why it’s more expensive than Charge 3.

The lack of fast Bluetooth pairing via NFC and Wi-Fi support is a significant letdown on Charge 3. Nevertheless, you can still connect it with several Bluetooth devices like Pulse 2. Note that the JBL Pulse 2 supports wireless charging, while the Charge 3 doesn’t.

Pulse 2 and Charge 3 Connections

Charge 3 and Pulse 2 have a 3.5mm audio jack, an auxiliary input for external audio connection, and USB ports to connect to external devices. Both devices come with JBL Connect, a trademark feature that connects two or more JBL speakers. With the JBL Connect, you can play music from the same source.

For better pairing, here’s how to setup a JBL Clip 2 to other devices easily. 

Battery Life

Both JBL speakers have long battery lives, all thanks to the in-built high-capacity 6000mAh battery. Pulse 2 can provide up to 10 hours of playtime, while the Charge 3 provides up to 20 hours of incredible playtime, which is 10 hours longer battery life than the Pulse 2.

Our team of experts could play lots of music on the Charge 3 speaker for long hours, and there was still ample energy left to charge our smartphones simultaneously. Charge 3 can act as a power bank and come in handy when your phone is out of juice, proving that the Charge 3 device is incredibly long-lasting and highly versatile.

Both devices’ batteries are rechargeable, although Pulse 2 takes one hour longer to charge the battery fully. Both have a battery level indicator that shows you when the device is low in power.

Pulse 2 and Charge 3 Price

The price is another significant factor that distinguishes both JBL Bluetooth speakers. Surprisingly, the JBL Charge 3 is cheaper than the Pulse 2.

Judging by their designs, features, power, connectivity, and audio quality, Charge 3 will provide more value for money, making it the better speaker in this regard.

Overall Winner: JBL Charge 3

After examining their features, it’s clear that the JBL Charge 3 is a better Bluetooth Speaker. Thus, it is our choice as the overall winner in this JBL Pulse 2 vs Charge 3 comparison article.

JBL Charge 3 has an excellent long-lasting battery, and that you can use it as a power bank is one massive plus. It also charges quicker, which is incredible.

Additionally, it’s dustproof and IPX7 waterproof. You can submerge it to a depth of one meter, and it will still survive.

More importantly, it’s bass quality is fantastic, and the sound production is loud enough to fill a large open space.

To avoid the downside of connecting with Bluetooth speakers, you can read a helpful guide to pair devices properly:

Writer

Willie Greer
Willie Greer
Willie Greer is the founder of The Product Analyst. A cinephile, he has made it a personal quest to achieve the awesomest home theater possible. He now shares what he has learned through the years on the site, and has enlisted the help of tech-savvy colleagues in providing more insight about today’s most sought-after gadgets.