JBL Charge 4 vs Charge 5

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Differences Summary
Connectivity and Software
Audio Quality
Build Quality
Verdict

Differences Summary

The JBL Charge 5 has a much stronger bass response and gets slightly louder.
The Charge 4 has an aux port, but not the Charge 5.
The Charge 5 has a better water and dustproofing rating (IP67) than the Charge 4 (IPX7).
The Charge 5 can have its equalization adjusted in the JBL Portable app.
The two devices use different methods of connecting multiple speakers together. The Charge 4 uses JBL Connect+ and the Charge 5 uses JBL PartyBoost.

The JBL Charge 5 is to the Charge 4 what the Clip 4 is to the Clip 3. If you’re okay with less sub-bass, the overall sound quality of the Charge 4 isn’t that much worse, and both devices are quite durable in real world use.

Connectivity and Software

Wireless Connectivity

Both devices connect using Bluetooth. The Charge 4 uses Bluetooth 4.2 and the Charge 5 uses 5.1. I was able to keep both playing up to 50 feet away, but beyond that the Charge 4 stuttered a bit.

Occasionally, the Charge 4 also wouldn’t play music smoothly up close and would only make a loud repeating “hic” sound like a disc skipping. This was resolved when restarting the Charge 4.

I don’t know exactly what caused this; I was swapping between 4 different JBL speakers regularly over the last few days to test. I would have left it out of this review, but after it happened the third time, I decided it couldn’t be ignored.

Power Bank

Both devices have two different ports. One (USB-C) is for charging the actual speaker and the other is for plugging in other devices like phones to charge them. Expectedly, the speaker has to be on for the latter to work.

The Charge 5’s battery capacity isn’t listed, but the Charge 4 has a 7500 mAh battery. For context, the Pixel 6’s battery is 4614 mAh, so you should theoretically be able to get well over a full charge using the Charge 4.

I wasn’t sure where to put this tidbit, but I used the Charge 4 and 5 for about 10 hours right out the box without charging and they barely went under half power. So the advertised 20 hour battery life seems spot on.

Software (JBL Portable App)

The JBL Portable App mainly lets you do 3 different things. You can use it to pair multiple JBL speakers together, update firmware, and adjust the equalizer.

However, my Charge 4’s firmware was already at its latest version out the box and even with that, it does not get access to an equalizer like the Charge 5 does.

Multiple Speaker Pairing

Normally, Android and iOS can only play audio to one Bluetooth device at a time. However, with the JBL Portable app, it can link multiple speakers together. So you can have the same song from one phone playing to over 100 different JBL speakers at the same time.

All you have to do is open the JBL Portable app and turn on either JBL Connect + or PartyBoost and follow the instructions there. Once you have multiple speakers connected, you can press the respective icon on the speaker itself to unlink or relink it to the other speakers at will.

This is a fun, effective way to fill up an entire backyard or house with sound at equal volume wherever you’re standing.

There are a few rules/limitations to remember before buying one or multiple JBL speakers.

First off, JBL Connect+ and PartyBoost function the same way, but they are not compatible with each other. Meaning, you can connect several different JBL Connect+ compatible speakers to each other OR PartyBoost compatible speakers to each other. But you cannot connect a JBL Connect+ with a PartyBoost speaker.

In short, you can’t actually connect the Charge 4 to the Charge 5. PartyBoost is the newer implementation that later JBL speakers like the Flip 5 and Flip 6 have access to, so if you want a bit of future-proofing, that’s a good reason to get the Charge 5.

Secondly, when you pair two speakers together of the same model, you can use them in stereo mode. This lets the left channel play in one speaker and the right in the other. However, if you have two different models of speakers - for example, the Charge 5 and the Flip 5 - then you can only use “party” mode.

Party mode plays both channels in all speakers. When connecting 3 or more speakers (even of the same model), you also must use party mode.

Lastly, custom EQ is not available when using PartyBoost. I assume the same is true for JBL Connect+, but as I’ll mention shortly, EQ isn’t really applicable to the Charge 4 anyway.

Equalizer (Charge 5 only)

When you update the firmware of the Charge 5 to its latest version, it gets access to an equalizer in the JBL Portable app.

It’s a very simple 3-band EQ and there are no frequency numbers added, so you don’t know exactly what you’re changing. You just see basic, “bass”, “mid”, and “treble” columns with notches that can go up or down by 2. I’m guessing this is by dB, but I honestly don’t know.

Either way, the EQ works as expected and it lets you tune the device to your liking. If you don’t like how the Charge 5’s bass overpowers most of the mix, you can compensate for that with the equalizer.

The only problem I have with it is when you turn it off and on, the sound may cut for a split second.

Sound Quality

Both speakers have great clarity and volume especially considering their size and price. They both filled up my entire backyard, but the Charge 5 is slightly louder. The Charge 5 has a dedicated tweeter, but I didn’t feel too much difference in the highs and mids. The biggest difference is the bass and sub-bass (the lowest frequencies).

The Charge 5’s sub-bass has far more power and the vibration of it could be heard and felt from my garage to all throughout my entire 2-story house. In fact, it even bothered the neighbors at max volume. Sorry about that!

The Charge 4’s bass is a bit cleaner, however. You can hear the detail a bit better at the sacrifice of sheer power and vibration. Even with the Charge 5’s bass dropped to its minimum in the JBL Portable app, it’s a bit mudder than the Charge 4. One of the advantages to the emphasized bass is the sound thins out less over longer distances.

* Speaker Spoiler * Speaker A in the above distance test is the JBL Charge 5 while Speaker B is the Charge 4.

The overall quality of both is pretty similar, so it comes down to which you care about more. More strength in the sub-bass (Charge 5) or a much weaker rumble but added texture and clarity in the low end.

For a party or any gathering that I’d want to use these devices, I’d personally choose bigger bass all day!

Recording Limitations

charge 4 and 5 on rocks in backyard — Charge 4 and Charge 5 (right).

Unfortunately, there’s no way to accurately record these speakers without most of the fidelty, power, and clarity being lost.

So while the above samples are an okay start, if you have the opportunity, try connecting your phone to them at a local store if they have them available.

Build Quality

Both devices have all plastic builds and a cloth-feeling plastic mesh on the outside. They’re easy to hold in one hand, but too big to fit in a pocket. JBL has smaller speakers like the Go, Clip, and Flip lineup if you need that.

The only major build difference is the Charge 5’s rubber grip on the bottom keeps it more stable.

The Charge 4 is rated IPX7 which means it can survive being submerged in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. The Charge 5 has an even better IP67 rating which means it can do 30 minutes under 1 meter of water and it has dustproofing.

The Charge 4 and 5 both passed my water hose test with ease. While wet, the sound was slightly muffled as expected, but the water got pushed out by the drivers pretty fast.

Remember that in order to charge the devices, the USB-C charging port does have to be completely dry.

Verdict

The JBL Charge 5 is a louder and more bass oriented device than the Charge 4. The Charge 5 also gets access to EQ adjustments and uses JBL’s newer speaker pairing functionality, PartyBoost.

My recommendation is to spring for the Charge 5 if you can find it on sale ($150 or under). The extra bass and features are worth more money, but the launch price of $180 is a bit steep.

If you can’t find the Charge 5 on sale, I’d get the Charge 4. The sound won’t hit as hard, and you’ll lose out on the ability to pair to newer PartyBoost enabled JBL speakers, but it’s still an incredible value pick.

Differences Summary