JBL Charge 5 Bluetooth Speaker

The JBL Charge 5 represents the sweet spot in portable Bluetooth speakers - powerful enough for parties, portable enough for personal use, and rugged enough for any environment. This fifth generation improves on an already excellent formula. Sound quality is the Charge 5's strongest suit. The optimized long excursion driver and separate tweeter deliver clear highs, detailed mids, and surprisingly deep bass. The dual passive radiators (those visible end caps) pump out low-end that's remarkable for a speaker this size. Volume gets impressively loud without distortion, easily filling outdoor spaces or large rooms. The 20-hour battery life is genuinely useful. Unlike speakers that claim long battery life at minimum volume, the Charge 5 delivers 20 hours at reasonable listening levels. The USB-C charging port (input) and USB-A port (output) mean you can charge your phone from the speaker's battery, making it a power bank when needed. IP67 waterproofing is comprehensive - fully submersible up to 1 meter for 30 minutes, plus dustproof. Take it to the beach, pool, camping, or hiking without worry. The rugged fabric exterior and rubberized ends withstand drops and bumps. PartyBoost allows pairing with other compatible JBL speakers for multi-room audio or stereo pairing. The downsides are notable for some users. JBL removed the aux input from this generation, making it Bluetooth-only. There's no voice assistant support (Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa). At 2.11 pounds, it's solid and hefty - durable, but not the lightest for extended carrying. For most users seeking a reliable, great-sounding portable speaker, the JBL Charge 5 hits every important mark. It's the speaker you can confidently take anywhere.