Siblings in Edifier's MR series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Edifier MR5 digs deeper - 46Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Built-in power | B | Edifier MR5 has the bigger amplifier (110W vs 36W RMS). |
| Connections | evenly matched | The same set of inputs and streaming options. |
| Size | depends | Edifier MR3 is easier to place; Edifier MR5 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Edifier MR3 is cheaper - $150 against $350, about 57% less; arguably a different class. |
A Edifier MR3 B Edifier MR5
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Edifier MR5 measures better, Edifier MR3 costs about about 133% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 52Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Edifier MR3 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Edifier MR5 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Edifier MR3 is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.