5

JBL Charge 5 Review

Enrest Walugembe Avatar
Updated Jan 25, 2024 6:27 PM

True Score

84
85
13

Experts

94
35.6k

Consumers

Product Awards

Top 5

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

Top experts were pleased with the JBL Charge 5, and they approved it for music, podcasts, and the outdoors. They linked its balanced sound profile, portable design, and great battery life. Testers are also pleased with its IP67-rated waterproof design. However, they were displeased with its lack of voice assistants and lack of stereo.

$179.95

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The JBL Charge 5 is a mid-range portable Bluetooth speaker released in 2021, promising waterproof construction and a power bank for on-the-go users. It runs on Bluetooth 5.1, boasting an incredible 328.1-foot Bluetooth range. Find speakers with a similar Bluetooth range in our list of the top-rated speakers. This device also supports dual-device Bluetooth pairing. Featuring a PartyBoost button, it connects to other PartyBoost-compatible speakers. Continue browsing our JBL Charge 5 review below and see how it measures up against the top Bluetooth speakers today.

Best For

  • Best Overall

  • Golf Cart

  • Jbl

  • Mini

  • Outdoor

  • Shower

  • Small

Consensus

our Verdict

Experts praised the JBL Charge 5, endorsing it for music, podcasts, and the outdoors. Reviewers at Sound Guys adored the IP67 waterproof, dust-proof construction. Testers at Tech Hive loved its 58.2Hz to 18.5KHz frequency response range and near-neutral 0.29 slope, producing well-balanced music. It weighed just 2.0 lbs during testing. However, if you need a smaller speaker, consider the JBL Clip 4 review. Reaching an 88.9 dB maximum SPL with a 3.16 dB DRC, this unit is loud, although there’s sound compression at the highest volume. Check out our JBL Boombox 2 review if you require a louder speaker. It has a graphic EQ, and testing revealed a remarkable 14.5-hour battery life. A 125 ms iOS Bluetooth latency and 102 ms Bluetooth latency proved to be high. It lacks low-bass and has a 4.27 dB directivity index, offering a mediocre soundstage. Explore our iFox iF012 review for a wider soundstage. Also, the Charge 5 doesn’t have speakerphone functions. It doesn’t support stereo or any voice assistants.

ReasonS to Buy

  • IP67-rated waterproof and dustproof construction
  • Well-balanced sound profile
  • Portable 2.0-lb construction
  • 14-5 hour battery life
  • Dual-device Bluetooth 5.1 connection

Reason to Avoid

  • Lacks support for stereo
  • Narrow soundstage
  • Doesn’t support any voice assistants
  • Mediocre low-bass
  • Poor Bluetooth latency is not good for movies

JBL Charge 5 Specs

Battery Charge TimeBattery Charge Time4 hrs
Battery LifeBattery Life20+ hrs
Built In MicrophoneBuilt In MicrophoneNo
Charge TimeCharge Time4 hrs
DepthDepth3.67"
HeightHeight3.76"
IPX RatingIPX RatingIP67
SizeSize
Smart AppSmart AppJBL Portable
Speaker PairingSpeaker PairingYes
Water ResistantWater ResistantYes
WattageWattage30W
WidthWidth8.7"
Wireless RangeWireless Range10 m

All Specs

Test Results

Battery Life (Hours)17.375
Volume Output (dB)91.45
Low End Roll Off (Hz)63.496
High End Roll Off (Hz)6,639.818

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Product Comparison

JBL Charge 5 Review

True Score

84
81
80
82

Ranking

#

5

/

109

#

26

/

109

#

39

/

109

#

14

/

109

Market Context

The JBL Charge 5 is a mid-range portable Bluetooth speaker released in 2021, promising waterproof construction and a power bank for on-the-go users. It runs…

The JBL Charge 5 is a mid-range portable Bluetooth speaker released in 2021, promising waterproof construction and a power bank for on-the-go users. It runs on Bluetooth 5.1, boasting an incredible 328.1-foot Bluetooth range. Find speakers with a similar Bluetooth range in our list of the top-rated speakers. This device also supports dual-device Bluetooth pairing. Featuring a PartyBoost button, it connects to other PartyBoost-compatible speakers. Continue browsing our JBL Charge 5 review below and see how it measures up against the top Bluetooth speakers today.

The JBL Charge 5 has a more neutral 0.29 frequency response slope, offering more balanced music than the JBL Flip 5 with its -0.31 slope….

The JBL Charge 5 has a more neutral 0.29 frequency response slope, offering more balanced music than the JBL Flip 5 with its -0.31 slope. Additionally, the Charge 5 also has an IP67 dustproof and waterproof rating, unlike the Flip 5. However, the Flip 5 speaker has a lower 96 ms Android Bluetooth latency than the 125 ms latency of the JBL Charge 5 speaker. Browse our JBL Flip 5 review for details about the Flip 5 speaker.

Weighing 2.0 lbs, the JBL Charge 5 is more portable than the 4.2-lb JBL Xtreme 3 speaker. However, the Xtreme 3 speaker supports stereo, unlike…

Weighing 2.0 lbs, the JBL Charge 5 is more portable than the 4.2-lb JBL Xtreme 3 speaker. However, the Xtreme 3 speaker supports stereo, unlike the JBL Charge 5, which downmixes stereo to mono.

Featuring a 14.5-hour battery life, The JBL Charge 5 runs for twice as long as the Bose SoundLink Flex, which has 7.2-hour battery life. However,…

Featuring a 14.5-hour battery life, The JBL Charge 5 runs for twice as long as the Bose SoundLink Flex, which has 7.2-hour battery life. However, the Bose speakers support voice assistants through a smartphone, unlike the JBL Charge 5, which doesn’t support voice assistants.

Battery Charge Time

4 hrs

Battery Life

20+ hrs

12 hrs

15 hrs

12 hrs

Built In Microphone

No

No

n/a

Yes

Charge Time

4 hrs

2.5 hrs

2.5 hrs

4 hrs

Depth

3.67"

2.71"

2.06"

Height

3.76"

2.9"

3.56"

IPX Rating

IP67

IPX7

IP67

Size

11.8" (w) x 5.3" (d) x 5.4" (h)

Dig Deeper

JBL Flip 5 Review →

JBL Xtreme 3 Review →

Bose Soundlink Flex Review →

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

85

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

94

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

84

Any product with a True Score above 80 is a Absolutely Fresh

Expert Scores

  • Rtings
    100.6

    Category Trust Rating

    68
    JBL launched a bunch of products at CES this year, but few looked to be… Read More

    By:

    Andy White
  • Sound Guys
    81.17

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    This portable Bluetooth speaker delivers astounding audio considering its relatively diminutive scale. Our main criticism… Read More

    By:

    James Barber
  • PC Mag
    43.6

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    JBL’s portable Charge 5 speaker delivers surprisingly powerful Bluetooth audio from a compact, waterproof frame,… Read More

    By:

    Mike Lowe
  • Tom’s Guide
    65.58

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    The JBL Charge 5 is alright for music. Thanks to its balanced mids, it reproduces… Read More

    By:

    Lewis Leong
  • Trusted Reviews
    45.5

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    Whether your season is full of trips to the beach or backyard parties, you’ll need… Read More

    By:

    Will Sattelberg
  • Techradar
    43

    Category Trust Rating

    90
    With a new look, a little more ruggedness and improved sound, the JBL Charge 5… Read More

    By:

    Sara Carbone