The JBL Go 3 is a portable Bluetooth speaker that's designed to bring your favorite songs with you on the go. It's one of the manufacturer's smaller offerings, with a built-in hook so you can attach it to your bag or backpack, as well as an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. This simple speaker doesn't offer access to any of JBL's companion apps, and you can't customize its sound, but it's still a solid Bluetooth device for your next outdoor adventure.
Our Verdict
The JBL Go 3 is middling for music. It's designed to help you bring your favorite tunes with you on the go, with a small and compact build that means you don't get a lot of thump in the low-bass. Still, it's suitable for lots of other genres, as voices and lead instruments reproduce with clarity and accuracy. It's loud enough to keep you entertained on your next hike. However, it can't fill larger rooms with sound. You can't customize its frequency response, either.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- No sound customization features.
- Lacks low-bass.
The JBL Go 3 isn't really designed for movies, and it's not meant to connect to your TV. Still, it's an okay choice for watching videos from a paired smartphone. Latency with iOS and Android devices is fairly low, so you don't have to deal with lip-synching issues. Dialogue is clearly reproduced, too. Of course, given its small size, it doesn't get loud enough or bring as much rumble in the bass as more home-cinema oriented speakers.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- Lacks low-bass.
- Not as loud as other speakers.
The JBL Go 3 is decent for podcasts. With its balanced mids, voices are reproduced with great clarity and accuracy, so dialogue is easy to follow in your favorite shows. Its lightweight design makes it easy to bring with you, too, so you can move your show from room to room as you listen. It's better for smaller rooms since it doesn't get loud enough to fill more open areas with sound.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- Portable design.
- No sound customization features.
- Not as loud as other speakers.
This speaker doesn't support voice assistants.
The JBL Go 3 is acceptable for outdoor use. This speaker has a really small and lightweight design that's ideal for taking your music with you on the go, and you can clip it to your bag using its built-in hook. It's sturdy and solid, too, with an IP67 rating to protect it against exposure to dust and water. It doesn't get very loud, but if you just want to clip it to your bag on your next outdoor hike, it's a solid pick.
- Portable design.
- IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.
- Lacks low-bass.
- Not as loud as other speakers.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 24, 2024: The Compared To Other Speakers section mentions the JBL Go 4.
- Updated Dec 21, 2023: Minor text edits for clarity. No changes in test results.
- Updated Jul 05, 2023: Added market comparison with the Sony SRS-XB100 in the Frequency Response Accuracy box.
- Updated Apr 18, 2023: Added the Go 3 Eco series to the Variants box.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This speaker comes in lots of different color variants, including 'Red', 'Black', 'Blue', "Teal', 'White', 'Yellow', 'Squad' (Camo), 'Green', 'Orange', 'Pink', 'Grey', and 'Blue/Pink'. We tested the 'Red' variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect the other color variants to perform similarly.
Also, you can find the Go 3 Eco series in 'Blue', 'Green', and 'White'. These versions are made of recycled materials.
If you come across another version, let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The JBL Go 3 is a budget-friendly speaker with a portable design. It's designed for on-the-go listening thanks to its built-in hook and IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. Of course, there are some trade-offs in the sound, given its smaller size, especially when it comes to dynamics and bass reproduction. It lacks a lot of features common with more premium speakers too, like sound customization. That said, it has been surpassed in most regards by the JBL Go 4, which has app support and a slightly longer battery life.
Check out our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best portable Bluetooth speakers, and the best JBL speakers.
The JBL Go 4 is better than the JBL Go 3, though they're quite similar. The Go 4 has a longer battery life and adds companion app support alongside Auracast to connect to multiple compatible speakers at a time. At high volumes, the Go 3 compresses a little less, but the difference is not worth picking the Go 3 instead.
The JBL Clip 4 is a slightly better speaker than the JBL Go 3. While both speakers have a great build quality and are very portable, the Clip 4 can reproduce slightly more bass and has a wider soundstage. It also has lower audio latency on iOS and Android, although some apps compensate for this differently. However, the Go 3 can reach max volume with fewer compression artifacts.
The Sony SRS-XB100 is better than the JBL Go 3. They're both small portable Bluetooth speakers, but the Sony performs better. Its low-frequency extension is better, so you get more bass in the mix. Its battery life is better, too, and its companion app makes it easier to control through your paired smartphone. Plus, with a 360-degree design, the Sony has a better soundstage than the JBL.
The Bose SoundLink Micro is a better speaker than the JBL Go 3. The Bose has a better soundstage and longer battery life. It also supports voice assistants, though its performance is sub-par. However, the JBL has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it's certified to be dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes.
Test Results
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