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Bluetooth Speakers

True Score Methodology v1.0

Anker Soundcore 3 Review

December 8, 2023

True Score

Mixed Reviews

Experts

Consumers

Expert Rankings

(

)

The Anker Soundcore 3 delighted expert reviewers with its high build quality, incredible portability and fitness for outdoor use. Reviewers also liked that it had long battery life and that it produced clear and concise vocals. Still, they were not as pleased with its missing AUX input, narrow soundstage, and sound distortion at loud volumes.

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Table of Contents

Overview
What Is Not on the Box
Product Comparison
All Stores
Score Card
Expert Score Breakdown
Customer Score Breakdown
Learn More About Bluetooth Speakers

Overview

The Anker Soundcore 3 is an entry-level portable Bluetooth speaker launched in early 2017. The wireless speaker has an IPX7 waterproof rating, which makes it an excellent choice for outdoor use. Because the speaker comes with a microphone, it can also be integrated with voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Siri, but this has to be correctly set up first through a smartphone. Its long battery life is in line with some of the best speakers in the industry (including the best Bluetooth speakers) since it offers up to 13.6 hours of playback time and only takes 3.6 hours to charge fully.

What Is Not on the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

our Verdict

Expert testers were impressed with the build quality of the Anker Soundcore 3 and also commended its long battery life. Critics from Tom’s Guide were happy that at only 13 ounces, the Soundcore 3 was pretty easy to carry around. They were also pleased with its long battery life, which meant they could listen to music or watch movies for a long time before plugging it in. Reviewers from Rtings liked that its water resistance allowed for submersion and that its companion app had a graphic equalizer. During their sound tests, they were impressed with how balanced and clear the vocals were and agreed that the speaker would be ideal for listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

However, like the Anker Soundcore Flare 2 (which we’ve covered in our Anker Soundcore Flare 2 review, it also doesn’t have an AUX input. Testers were also not too pleased with its narrow soundstage, lack of WiFi connectivity, and reduced sound quality at max volume.

True Score

Reasons to Buy

Portable and lightweight
Great battery life
Support for voice assistants
Clear vocal reproduction
Water-resistant

Reasons to Avoid

No AUX input
Narrow soundstage
Sound distorts at higher volume

Specifications

	Battery Life	24 hrs
	Built In Microphone	Yes
	Charge Time	4 hrs
	Size	6.9" (w) x 2.4" (h) x 2.2" (d)
	Smart App	Soundcore
	Speaker Pairing	Yes
	Water Resistant	Yes
	Wattage	16W
	Wireless Range	20 m

All Specs

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Product Comparison

	Anker Soundcore 3 Review	Anker Soundcore Motion+ Review	Anker Soundcore 2 Review	JBL Flip 5 Review
True Score	71	77	73	84
Ranking	# 53 / 106	# 28 / 106	# 43 / 106	# 9 / 106
Market Context	The Anker Soundcore 3 is an entry-level portable Bluetooth speaker launched in early 2017. The wireless speaker has an IPX7 waterproof rating, which makes it… The Anker Soundcore 3 is an entry-level portable Bluetooth speaker launched in early 2017. The wireless speaker has an IPX7 waterproof rating, which makes it an excellent choice for outdoor use. Because the speaker comes with a microphone, it can also be integrated with voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Siri, but this has to be correctly set up first through a smartphone. Its long battery life is in line with some of the best speakers in the industry (including the best Bluetooth speakers) since it offers up to 13.6 hours of playback time and only takes 3.6 hours to charge fully.	The Anker Soundcore 3 is often compared to the Anker Soundcore Motion+ by buyers. The comparisons made are many, and some of them are based… The Anker Soundcore 3 is often compared to the Anker Soundcore Motion+ by buyers. The comparisons made are many, and some of them are based on weight and battery life. The Soundcore 3 is smaller in size and weighs 1.1 pounds, while the Motion+ weighs 2.3 pounds, but the Motion+ has a longer-lasting 15.5-hour battery life compared to the Soundcore 3’s 13.6-hour battery life. The Motion+ also has an AUX input, while the Soundcore 3 does not.	The Anker Soundcore 3 has a graphic equalizer preset while the Anker Soundcore 2 does not, but the Soundcore 2 has a longer 15-hour battery… The Anker Soundcore 3 has a graphic equalizer preset while the Anker Soundcore 2 does not, but the Soundcore 2 has a longer 15-hour battery life compared to the Soundcore 3, which has a 13.6-hour battery life. However, the Soundcore 3 has a companion app, while the Soundcore 2 does not. We’ve covered much more about it in our Anker Soundcore 2 review.	The Anker Soundcore 3 supports voice assistant use while the JBL Flip 5 does not, and it can also act as a speakerphone, unlike the… The Anker Soundcore 3 supports voice assistant use while the JBL Flip 5 does not, and it can also act as a speakerphone, unlike the Flip 5. The Soundcore 3’s battery life of 13.6 hours is much longer than the Flip 5, which lasts 8.2 hours. However, the Flip 5 only takes 2.6 hours to charge compared to the Soundcore 3, which takes 3.6 hours.
Battery Life	24 hrs	12 hrs	24 hrs	12 hrs
Built In Microphone	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Charge Time	4 hrs	4 hrs	3 hrs	2.5 hrs
Size	6.9" (w) x 2.4" (h) x 2.2" (d)	3.1"(h) x 10.1"(w) x 3.2"(d)	16.5 cm (w) x 5.6 cm (h) x 4.6 cm (d)	2.91" (h) x 7.12" (w) x 2.71" (d)
Smart App	Soundcore	Soundcore	Yes	JBL Portable
Speaker Pairing	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dig Deeper		Read review →: Anker Soundcore Motion+ Review	Read review →: Anker Soundcore 2 Review	Read review →: JBL Flip 5 Review

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Score Card

Expert Score

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

Customer Score

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight

A
Trust Score
56
The Anker Soundcore 3 is passable for music. With its ‘Bass Up’ feature turned on,… read more
By:
Lee Dunkley
C
Trust Score
64
Anker’s Soundcore 3 is big on sound and battery life, but lightweight enough to be… read more
By:
Michelle Powell
C
Trust Score
90
The Anker Soundcore 3 is a portable and affordable little unit with exceptional battery life…. read more
By:
Dagobiet Morales Alfaro