The JBL Pulse 4 is a small and portable speaker with a unique design. It has customizable RGB lights around the speaker's body, as well as a transparent plastic exterior. It has a balanced mid-range that can accurately reproduce vocals and lead instruments, though it lacks low-bass and can sound a bit dark. Thanks to its 360-degree design, it has outstanding directivity, resulting in a large and open soundstage. It also has an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Unfortunately, it doesn't have voice assistant support.
Our Verdict
The JBL Pulse 4 has acceptable performance for music. It has a well-balanced mid-range, so it can accurately reproduce vocals and lead instruments. However, it lacks low-bass, and its treble range is slightly underemphasized, so higher frequencies may sound a bit dull. It also can't get very loud, although there's not much compression present at max volume. While it has to downmix stereo content into mono, it has outstanding directivity, resulting in a wide and open soundstage.
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Not much compression at max volume.
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11.5 hour battery life.
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Good directivity.
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Supports multi-device pairing.
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Lacks low-bass.
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Has to downmix stereo content into mono.
The JBL Pulse 4 is sub-par for videos and movies. While its latency over Bluetooth with Android devices is low, it has high latency with iOS devices, so it's not well-suited for watching videos. However, some apps may compensate differently for latency, so user experience may vary. This speaker lacks low-bass, so you won't feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed movie scenes. Thankfully, it has outstanding directivity, so its soundstage is perceived as large and open.
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Not much compression at max volume.
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Lacks low-bass.
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Has to downmix stereo content into mono.
The JBL Pulse 4 is good for podcasts. It has a well-balanced mid-range, so dialogue is reproduced accurately and clearly. However, its treble range is slightly underemphasized, so sibilants like S and T sounds may be perceived as a bit dull and veiled. While it can't get very loud, there isn't much compression present at max volume, so the sound remains clean and pure.
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Not much compression at max volume.
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11.5 hour battery life.
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Good directivity.
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Supports multi-device pairing.
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Doesn't get very loud.
The JBL Pulse 4 doesn't have voice assistant support.
The JBL Pulse 4 is reasonable for outdoor use. It has a sturdy build and comes with an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Also, its battery lasts over 11 hours, so it's suitable for taking with you on-the-go. Although it doesn't get very loud, there isn't much compression present at max volume. Unfortunately, it lacks low-bass, and it has to downmix stereo content into mono, which isn't as immersive.
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Sturdy build.
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IPX7 rating for water resistance.
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Lightweight and portable.
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Not much compression at max volume.
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11.5 hour battery life.
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Lacks low-bass.
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Doesn't get very loud.
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Has to downmix stereo content into mono.
- 6.1 Music
- 5.7 Videos/Movies
- 7.6 Podcasts
- 3.2 Voice Assistant
- 6.9 Outdoors
- Updated Mar 08, 2023: Added market comparison with the JBL Pulse 5 to the App box.
- Updated Dec 19, 2022: Changed Track Next/Previous from No to Forward Only (Physical).
- Updated Feb 19, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Feb 17, 2021: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The JBL Pulse 4 comes in two color variants: 'Black' and 'White'. Both variants have 360-degree RGB lights surrounded by a transparent plastic cover. We tested the 'White' variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect both variants listed to perform similarly in tests.
If you come across a variant not mentioned here, let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.
Compared To Other Speakers
The JBL Pulse 4 is a fairly small and lightweight speaker with a unique transparent exterior. There are 360-degree RGB lights around the speaker's body, which you can customize through its companion app. It has a sturdy build and an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Its mid-range is well-balanced, so vocals and lead instruments sound clear and present. However, it lacks low-bass, and higher frequencies may sound a bit dull since its treble range is slightly underemphasized.
See also our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers, and the best JBL speakers.
The JBL Pulse 5 is the next generation of the JBL Pulse 4 and is the better speaker overall. While both speakers have similar designs with built-in RGB lights, the Pulse 5 has some extra features, such as ambient noise settings and a graphic EQ in the app. It's also able to reproduce a bit more low-bass than the 4. However, the 5 doesn't have play/pause or volume controls on the device like the 4, so you have to control those settings through the app, which isn't always ideal.
The JBL Charge 5 is a slightly better speaker than the JBL Pulse 4. The Charge 5 is better-built, with 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. That said, the Pulse 4 comes with customizable RGB lights and offers a more natural-sounding soundstage, thanks to its 360-degree design.
The JBL Pulse 4 is a better speaker than the JBL Charge 4. While the Charge can reproduce a more extended low-bass, the Pulse has a more balanced sound profile, and its soundstage is perceived as more open. It also has customizable RGB lights and a unique transparent design. That said, the Charge has a slightly longer battery life, as well as less latency over Bluetooth, although some apps compensate differently for this.
The JBL Flip 5 and the JBL Pulse 4 are similarly performing speakers with slightly different features. The Pulse has fewer compression artifacts present at max volume, and it comes with customizable RGB lights. Its soundstage is also perceived as more open, and its battery lasts longer. However, the FLIP has a better build quality and is more portable, thanks to its removable carrying strap that lets you easily bring it with you on-the-go.
The JBL Xtreme 2 is a better speaker than the JBL Pulse 4. The Xtreme has a more balanced sound profile and a more extended bass. Unlike the Pulse, it's compatible with your smartphone's voice assistant. It can also get louder, and its battery lasts longer. However, the Pulse is smaller and lighter, and it has a unique transparent exterior, along with customizable RGB lights.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is a better speaker than the JBL Pulse 4. The Bose is a better-built speaker with a more balanced sound profile, and it's compatible with your smartphone's voice assistant. It also has a longer battery life and takes less time to recharge. That said, the JBL has less compression present at max volume, and it has 360-degree RGB lights that you can customize with its companion app. Its soundstage is also perceived as larger and more open.
Test Results
The JBL Pulse 4 is a cylindrical speaker that's meant to sit vertically. Both of its color variants have a unique transparent exterior. It also has 360-degree RGB lights that can be customized through buttons on the speaker or using its companion app.
The JBL Pulse 4 is incredibly portable. Since it's fairly small and lightweight, you can carry it in one hand. It also uses a battery, so you can bring it outside without having to find an outlet.
The JBL Pulse 4 has a decent build quality. The speaker is wrapped in transparent, glass-like plastic, which feels solid. However, it easily attracts fingerprints, so you may need to clean it regularly. It sits on three plastic feet that raise it above the surface it's on. It's also rated IPX7 for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. The driver and controls are all located at the top.
The JBL Pulse 4 has passable controls. The buttons are located at the top of the speaker, and they're all easy to press. There are buttons for adjusting the volume, and a play/pause button that you can press twice to skip a track. However, there's no option for going to a previous track. There's also a 'PartyBoost' button, which allows you to link multiple 'PartyBoost' compatible speakers. The power button, Bluetooth pairing button, and 'PartyBoost' button all light up when in use. The speaker's 360-degree RGB lights can be adjusted using the 'Light' button, and you can shake the speaker to sync the lights with other connected 'PartyBoost' speakers. There's also a light on the back that indicates the battery level. Although the speaker beeps when it reaches max volume, there's no sound to indicate when it reaches minimum volume.
The JBL Pulse 4's frequency response accuracy is sub-par. It struggles to reproduce low-bass, so you may not feel the deep thump and rumble in bass-heavy genres like EDM. It also has a slightly underemphasized treble range, so sibilants like S and T sounds may be perceived as a bit dull. Unfortunately, it doesn't have an EQ to help you adjust its sound profile. That being said, it has a well-balanced mid-range, so vocals and lead instruments sound present and clear.
The JBL Pulse 4 has a good soundstage. It has outstanding directivity, resulting in a wide and open soundstage. However, it has to downmix stereo content into mono, which doesn't sound very immersive.
The JBL Pulse 4 portable Bluetooth speaker has mediocre dynamics. It doesn't get very loud, so it may not be suitable for playing music at parties or in large rooms. However, there isn't much compression at max volume, so its audio reproduction remains clean and pure.
This speaker has a satisfactory battery performance. Its battery lasts for over eleven hours on a single charge, and it shuts off after around 20 minutes without audio input. That said, battery life can vary depending on usage, so your results may differ. While the battery is advertised to take 3.5 hours to charge, in our tests it took over six hours.
This speaker doesn't support voice assistants.
The JBL Portable app is okay. It's compatible with iOS and Android, and you can use it to make patterns for the speaker's RGB lights. You can pair two speakers together to create a stereo pair or link them with the 'Party Mode' feature to amplify audio for a larger space. The 'Equalizer' feature makes a light pattern, but the app doesn't include any sound adjustments like an EQ. If you want a similar speaker that's more customizable, check out the next-generation JBL Pulse 5.
This speaker can't be used wired. It comes with a USB-C to USB-A cable for charging.
The JBL Pulse 4 has very good Bluetooth connectivity. It supports multi-device pairing, so it can connect with up to two devices at a time. It also has low audio latency with Android devices, which makes it suitable for watching videos. While its latency with iOS devices is a bit higher, some apps compensate for latency differently, so your experience may vary.