It won’t interface with any of your smart home gear either. This means it can’t double as a speaker for most desk monitors. The only way to play music over this speaker is Bluetooth-you can’t even plug in an auxiliary audio device like an MP3 player, as there’s no 3.5mm input jack. The JBL Charge 5 is a bit inflexible: it's Bluetooth-only (no 3.5mm input or Wi-Fi), and it can't climb trees-I put it there. While those features aren’t exactly standard, they’re available on the similarly priced Sonos Roam. You’re not getting Wi-Fi (which means no Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay, etc.) nor any built-in voice assistant compatibility. Other than its power-bank ability and the proprietary JBL PartyBoost option, the Charge 5 doesn’t deliver some of the features you might expect for what you’re paying. What we don’t like A little bit inflexible Even still, the 20 hours you’re getting here (especially for how loud this thing is in general) is an excellent result. But I have to imagine that chain of connections also affects total battery life to some degree. The one thing I didn't test when it comes to battery life was connecting a bunch of PartyBoost speakers-I just don’t have enough JBL speakers sitting around. If I’d had the Charge 5, I wouldn’t have had to fret so much. Have you ever gone on a longer, multi-day hiking or camping weekend and found yourself constantly turning your phone off, switching battery modes, trying to eke out as much juice as possible over a few days? I know I have I missed out on a lot of photo opportunities on those weekends because I didn’t want my only lifeline to civilization wholly depleted. There's plenty of bass and midrange support, but without skimping on higher treble frequencies either.Ī rubber-capped USB input on the back of the Charge 5 allows you to charge any USB-based device, like an iPhone or tablet. Whether I was using it inside or out, the Charge 5 provided robust sound quality with both ample volume and well-balanced frequency distribution. The Charge 5’s ability to charge up another device may earn it its namesake, but it wouldn’t be worth much if it didn’t sound good while doing it.
But generally, the approach here seems to be the age-old, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" theory. In addition, the speaker has received some minor cosmetic changes.
#JBL CHARGE 5 BEST BUY UPGRADE#
Otherwise, what really differentiates the Charge from something like JBL’s Flip line is the built-in power bank.Īs mentioned, The Charge 5 is now dustproof, and has also received an upgrade to its Bluetooth version (from 5.0 to 5.1). You’re getting the standard Bluetooth connectivity here (no Wi-Fi, etc.) as well as JBL’s “PartyBoost” feature, which allows you to chain connections to other JBL PartyBoost-equipped speakers, creating a multi-speaker setup. Just like the Charge 4 and Flip 5, the Charge 5 doesn’t overcomplicate things-it’s fairly frills-free as features go. Special features: PartyBoost, built-in powerbank.Speakers/drivers: 52x90mm woofer 20mm tweeter.Battery life: Up to 20 hours per charge.Colors: Black, Blue, Grey, Red, Teal, and Squad (Camo).Width x Height x Depth: 8.7 x 3.76 x 3.67 inches.JBL's Charge 5 gets its name from its ability to charge USB-based devices like a smartphone while it plays music. Regardless, the Charge 5 is an excellent Bluetooth speaker in every respect, and the latest version's new dust-proof design should make it the most rugged in the lineup to date. In addition, it only makes minimal improvements over the more affordable Charge 4, so if you want this functionality at a bit of a discount, that's worthy of consideration. If you really don’t think you need the charging ability, you could save some money and get the Flip instead. The Flip 5 is nearly the same product, minus the pass-thru charging and boosted battery life, and you’re paying a not-inconsiderable surcharge for those features. That doesn’t mean the Charge 5 is perfect for everyone, of course. A rugged, waterproof option that delivers a robust, bass-forward take on music and has enough battery life to last for extra-long outings and charge the device you’re playing music from, keeping the jams jamming to the jamth degree.
#JBL CHARGE 5 BEST BUY PORTABLE#
The latest in the Charge lineup offers great sound and battery-life, with added durability to boot.Īs you may have guessed, the Charge 5 marks JBL’s fifth iteration in the Charge line of portable Bluetooth speakers, and this is the best version yet.