JBL Charge 5 Speaker Review

The JBL Charge 5 and the Bose SoundLink Flex perform similarly. They both offer neutral sound profiles and are well-built with IP67 ratings for dust and water resistance. The JBL's battery lasts longer than the Bose, though this can vary depending on your usage. However, the Bose is a bit smaller in size and supports voice assistants through your smartphone.

The JBL Charge 5 is a smaller, more lightweight choice compared to the JBL Xtreme 4, but this comes with some trade-offs. The Xtreme 4 can get louder and is able to play back stereo content without downmixing to mono. It also has a substantially longer battery life. That said, the Charge 5 has lower latency with both iOS and Android devices, making it a better fit for watching movies and videos on a paired device.

The JBL Xtreme 2 is a better speaker than the JBL Charge 5. While the Charge 5 has a more balanced sound profile, the Xtreme 2 can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. It can also get louder than the Charge 5, with fewer compression artifacts at max volume, and supports voice assistants through your smartphone.

The Sony SRS-XE300 and the JBL Charge 5 are similar speakers with different strengths. While the JBL offers better overall sound quality, the Sony is more versatile. The JBL has better directivity, resulting in a wider and more open-sounding soundstage, while the Sony's sounds a bit more muffled. It also has a bit less compression present at max volume, so audio sounds cleaner at louder volumes. Its sound profile is also more balanced and a bit smaller, making it easier to transport. However, the Sony can produce slightly deeper bass, and its battery life lasts almost three hours longer. It supports voice assistants through your smartphone too. Also, it can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, resulting in a richer and fuller sound. However, it's hard to notice the channel separation when passively listening due to the speaker's size.

The JBL Charge 5 is a better speaker than the JBL Flip 5. The Charge 5 has a more neutral sound profile and longer battery life, though the latter can vary depending on your usage habits. It's also better built and is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance. However, while the Charge 5 can get louder with slightly fewer compression artifacts at max volume, the Flip 5 has a somewhat wider-sounding soundstage.

The JBL Charge 5 and the JBL Pulse 5 are both portable Bluetooth speakers with strengths and weaknesses. The Charge 5 has a better sound quality out of the box, with a more balanced sound and extended low-bass. It also has a longer-lasting battery life. However, it doesn't come with RGB lights like the Pulse 5, which you may prefer depending on your tastes.

The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 is a better speaker than the JBL Charge 5. The Ultimate Ears can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono and has an outstanding soundstage, thanks to its 360-degree design. However, the JBL has a more neutral sound profile out of the box. You can connect it to two devices at once, which can come in handy when you need to switch between two audio sources quickly.

The Marshall Emberton II is a slightly better speaker than the JBL Charge 5, though they have different strengths. The Marshall is smaller, making it more portable. It offers a wider and more immersive-sounding soundstage that can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. It has a longer-lasting battery life. It also has lower Bluetooth latency with iOS and Android devices, making it more suitable for watching movies and videos. However, the JBL gets a touch louder than the Marshall, with much less compression present at max volume, so your audio doesn't degrade as much as you turn up the volume. Also, while the Marshall comes with EQ presets to adjust its sound, the JBL has a graphic EQ that gives you more control over the speaker's sound.

The Sonos Roam/Roam SL and the JBL Charge 5 are similar speakers, though they have different strengths. The Sonos is smaller and more portable than the JBL. Its Roam variant has an outstanding voice assistant performance. However, the JBL can get louder than the Sonos and has fewer compression artifacts at max volume. It can be paired to two devices at once via Bluetooth and has outstanding battery life, though this can vary depending on your usage habits, so your real-world experience may differ.

The JBL Boombox 3 is a better speaker for most uses than the JBL Charge 5. While the Charge 5 is smaller, lighter, and more portable, the Boombox 3 can get louder, and there's less compression present at max volume. The Boombox 3 also has a more balanced sound, with plenty of bass to supplement the detailed mid and treble ranges. It also has double the continuous battery life.

Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Marshall Middleton or the JBL Charge 5. The JBL's battery lasts longer, and its graphic EQ makes it a bit more customizable. However, the Marshall can reproduce a slightly more extended low-bass. It has a better soundstage as well.

The JBL Charge 5 and Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 are toe-toe in many respects, tilting the scales at the same weight and IP67 ratings. Which is better depends a bit on how you use them, but by default, the Ultimate Ears is bassier, while the JBL is a bit brighter and more balanced. Both have equalizers, though the Ultimate Ears app's EQ controls more frequencies. The JBL can get louder and has more conventional controls. It's also less likely to tip over on an uneven surface. However, the Ultimate Ears has impact resistance and a 360-degree design, ensuring your audio sounds the same across angles.

The Anker Soundcore Motion+ is a better speaker than the JBL Charge 5. The JBL is better built and has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance certifying it to be dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. It also has a better-balanced sound profile than the Anker out of the box. However, the Anker can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. Additionally, it supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though it doesn't do a good job of hearing you from afar and in noisy settings.

The Anker Soundcore Motion X600 is better than the JBL Charge 5. The Anker is a stereo speaker that gets louder than the JBL. Plus, it offers voice assistants through a paired smartphone, which the JBL lacks. More sound modes and presets are available with the Anker, so you can switch up its sound. That said, the JBL's battery life is a touch longer.

The Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Plus is better than the JBL Charge 5. While the JBL is smaller and better built, it doesn't let you use voice assistants through your paired smartphone like the Anker. Plus, the Anker gets louder and can playback stereo content without downmixing it to mono.

Depending on your preferences, you may prefer either the Ultimate Ears BOOM 3 or the JBL Charge 5. The Ultimate Ears is better built and has a wider and more open-sounding soundstage, thanks to its 360-degree design. It can also play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. That said, the JBL has a better-balanced sound profile that can produce more extended low-bass than the Ultimate Ears out of the box. It can also get slightly louder, though some compression at max volume may affect the clarity of your audio at louder volumes.

The JBL Charge 5 and the Anker Soundcore Motion Boom are similar speakers. The JBL has a more neutral sound profile out of the box that's suitable for listening to a wide variety of audio content. It's smaller, making it a bit more portable. You can also pair it to up to two devices at once, so you can easily switch between audio sources. However, the Anker can get louder with less compression at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes. It also supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't great.

The JBL Charge 5 and JBL Flip 4 are similar speakers with different strengths. The Flip 4 is smaller, making it easier to carry around when you're on the go. It can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono resulting in a more immersive soundstage. It also supports voice assistants through your smartphone. That said, the JBL Charge 5 offers a better-balanced sound profile and has a longer-lasting 14.5-hour battery life. However, battery performance can vary depending on your usage, and your experience may differ. Also, while the Flip 4 is compatible with JBL speakers that support JBL Connect+, the Charge 5 can only be paired to PartyBoost-compatible JBL speakers.

The JBL Boombox 2 is a better speaker than the JBL Charge 5. The Boombox 2 can produce deeper bass and can get louder than the Charge 5. It can also play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. The Charge 5 is smaller and more portable than the Boombox 2. It's also better built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it's dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes.

You may prefer either the Marshall Emberton or the JBL Charge 5, depending on your preferences. The Marshall is smaller and offers a soundstage that can be perceived as open and spacious. It can also play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, which sounds more immersive. That said, the JBL can get louder with less compression at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volume levels. It also has a longer battery life, lasting over 14 hours from a single charge, though this can depend on your usage. Additionally, you can connect the JBL to other PartyBoost-compatible speakers to create a stereo pair or when you want your audio to fill a large room.

The JBL Charge 5 is a better speaker than the Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition. While the JBL has a more narrow soundstage and downmixes stereo content to mono, its battery life is twice as long, and it has a more rugged build quality, including an IPx7 rating for submersion in water. It also has companion app compatibility and can be linked to other JBL speakers via the PartyBoost function. That said, unlike the Bose, it lacks any voice assistant integration.

The JBL Charge 5 is a slightly better speaker than the JBL Pulse 4. The Charge 5 is better built and has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, certifying it to be dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. It can also get louder and offers a better-balanced sound profile that can produce deeper bass than the Pulse 4. However, the Pulse 4 comes with customizable RGB lights and offers a more natural-sounding soundstage, thanks to its 360-degree design.

The JBL Charge 5 is a better speaker than the JBL Clip 4 overall, though you may prefer one over the other depending on your listening habits. The Charge 5 offers a better-balanced sound profile that can produce deeper bass than the Clip 4. It can also get louder and can last over 14 hours on a single charge, though this can depend on your usage. However, the Clip 4 is smaller and more portable thanks to its built-in carabiner hook. It also offers a wider-sounding soundstage.

The JBL Charge 5 and the EarFun UBOOM L are similarly designed portable Bluetooth speakers. However, the JBL is the better pick overall. It's better built with a longer battery life and offers better sound quality with more rumble in the bass range. Also, its companion app gives you more control over its sound thanks to its graphic EQ. It has to downmix stereo sound into mono, unlike the EarFun.

The JBL Charge 5 is a better speaker than the Sony SRS-XE200, though they perform similarly. The JBL offers a more balanced sound profile out of the box that is suitable for listening to a wide variety of audio content. It gets as loud as the Sony with less compression at max volume, so audio quality sounds cleaner and clearer when you bump up the volume. It also has better directivity, so you'll perceive its soundstage to be more open and spacious than the Sony speaker. The Sony can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. It supports voice assistants through your smartphone too.

The Sonos Move is a better speaker than the JBL Charge 5 overall. The Sonos has a better-balanced sound profile that produces a more extended low-bass than the JBL. Its sound profile is more customizable, thanks to the bass and treble adjustments featured on its companion app. It even offers outstanding voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. That said, the JBL is smaller than the Sonos, making it easier to transport when you're on the go.

The JBL Charge 5 is a slightly better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB23. The Sony offers a wider-sounding soundstage thanks to its 360-degree design and can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. It also supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't great. However, the JBL offers a better-balanced sound profile out of the box and can produce a more extended low-bass. It can also get a bit louder with less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes. Additionally, it has a longer-lasting battery life, though this can depend on your usage.

The JBL Charge 5 and the JBL Clip 5 are very different speakers that are suited for different uses. The Clip 5, with its handy carabiner, is great for on-the-go uses, where it can be brought along with no need for a bag. It features better directivity, so sound is more consistent from different listening angles. The Charge 5 has a more balanced default sound, with better bass extension, over double the battery life, and it can get much louder with less compression. It's much better suited to soundtracking small gatherings. That said, both speakers are well-built with IP67 ratings, so both can be used outdoors without worry.

The JBL Charge 5 is a slightly better speaker than the Anker Soundcore 3. The JBL offers a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low bass than the Anker out-of-the-box. It can also get louder and has a wider-sounding soundstage. However, the Anker is smaller and can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, which is more immersive.

You may prefer either the Anker Soundcore Flare 2 or the JBL Charge 5, depending on your listening habits. The JBL has a better-balanced sound profile out of the box that can produce a slightly more extended low-bass than the Anker. It's better built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance and can also get a bit louder. That said, the Anker can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono and offers a wider-sounding soundstage, thanks to its 360-degree design.

The Bose SoundLink Revolve II is a slightly better speaker than the JBL Charge 5. The Bose offers a wider and more natural-sounding soundstage thanks to its 360-degree design. It also has a slightly better-balanced sound profile than that of the JBL. Additionally, it supports voice assistants through your smartphone and does an excellent job of understanding you from afar and in noisy environments. That said, the JBL is better built and can also get slightly louder than the Bose with less compression at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio.

The JBL Charge 5 is a better speaker than the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6. The JBL is better built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it's dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. It's smaller, is more portable, and has a longer-lasting battery life than the Harman, though battery life can depend on your usage habits, and your experience may differ. That said, the Harman can produce a slightly more extended low-bass than the JBL.

The Sony SRS-XB33 is a slightly better speaker than JBL Charge 5. The JBL has a better-balanced sound profile and slightly longer battery life, though battery life can vary depending on usage, so your experience may differ. However, the Sony comes with a ClearAudio+ feature advertised to automatically adjust its sound according to your audio. It also supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't very good.

The Sony SRS-XB43 is a slightly better speaker than the JBL Charge 5, though they're similar. The JBL is smaller and has a better-balanced sound profile out of the box. However, like many Sony speakers we've tested, the Sony has a ClearAudio+ feature advertised to adjust the speaker's sound according to your audio content and can get louder than the JBL. It also supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't great.

The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) and the JBL Charge 5 are very comparable portable speakers with different strengths. Both speakers have IP67 ratings for dust and water resistance, and both have flat mid-ranges that render instruments and dialogue alike with accuracy and detail. In our tests, the JBL's battery lasted a lot longer than the Bose's, but battery life varies with usage. If voice assistants are important to you, you'll want the Bose, as it does an excellent job supporting voice assistants through your smartphone.

The JBL Charge 5 and the Sony ULT FIELD 1 are speakers with similar cylindrical designs. They're both very portable and can easily be carried around with you on your day-to-day. Some key differences between the two can help you make a buying decision, though. The Sony is better built and has a more accurate frequency response across the whole range, so it's a better choice for music lovers and can withstand the elements better. However, the JBL has much less compression at max volume, so the audio remains clear even when you crank it. The JBL also has a much longer continuous battery life, making it a solid choice for weekend trips.

The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is a better speaker than the JBL Charge 5. It has a slightly better-balanced sound profile out of the box and offers a wider-sounding soundstage thanks to its 360-degree design. It also supports voice assistants through your smartphone. However, the JBL has a longer battery life, which can vary depending on your usage habits.

The JBL Charge 5 and the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM PLAY are very similar speakers, despite their slightly different designs. However the JBL's performance justifies its higher retail price. Both have 14-hour battery lives and feature single-driver designs, so they're unable to playback stereo content without downmixing to mono and their directivity suffers as a result. The JBL has a more bass-heavy sound that's well-suited to playing back music genres like EDM and hip-hop, and there's even a graphic EQ in the companion app that lets you customize the sound. It's also capable of getting louder, with less compression at max volume. That said, the Ultimate Ears' hand strap and ergonomic control scheme make it the ideal fit for handheld use. 

The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is a better speaker than the JBL Charge 5, though they have different strengths. The Ultimate Ears is smaller, is more portable, and has much better directivity resulting in a more open and natural-sounding soundstage. It can also play stereo content without downmixing it to mono and has fewer compression artifacts at max volume. The JBL can produce deeper bass than the Ultimate Ears, and you can pair it to multiple PartyBoost-compatible speakers, which can come in handy when you want your audio to fill a large room.