Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Forbes
Forbes
Lifestyle
Forbes Finds, Contributor

JBL Charge 3 Vs JBL Charge 4 Vs JBL Flip 4: Which JBL Portable Speaker Is Right For You? (UPDATE)

Portable speakers are becoming increasingly popular, and they’re getting better too. Companies like Ultimate Ears, JBL, and more, are all working on great-sounding speakers that are portable and easy to use. JBL, in particular, has been building portable speakers like the JBL Charge 3 and JBL Flip 4, for a while now, and they’re among the best out there. Not only that, but the company also recently released updated versions of the speakers, including the JBL Charge 4.

But which of the speakers is better? And should you buy any of them? Just because they’re built by the same company, that doesn’t mean that they’re both as good as each other. We put the JBL Charge 3 and JBL Flip 4 head to head to find out — and we’ll discuss the newer speakers too. 

For a breakdown on other audio devices, check out these articles:

Design

As usual, the first thing to notice about a new product is its design, and both the JBL Charge 3 and JBL Flip 4 look pretty nice — though they also look pretty similar, though the Charge 3 is quite a bit larger than the Flip 4. Then there’s the Charge 4, and it looks pretty similar to its predecessor too — though it’s slightly more angular. 

The JBL Charge 3 comes in a range of six different colors. On the top of the speaker, you’ll find playback control buttons, including a power button, volume buttons, and play/pause button. The speaker is designed to sit horizontally, and when positioned you’ll find battery status lights at the bottom of the device. The Charge 4 steps things up to 11 colors, and it also offers playback controls on the top, along with a battery indicator at the bottom.

The Flip 4 features many of the same controls, though positioned slightly differently. Also on the Flip 4 is a rubber foot, though it’s a lot smaller and less pronounced — so you may not immediately know how to position the speaker. 

Perhaps more important than overall look are the functional aspects of design. For starters, the speakers offer an IPX7 waterproof rating, meaning that you’ll be able to submerge them in up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes, if you so choose. We don’t recommend doing so — but the fact is, if your speaker accidentally gets a little wet, it should be fine.

There’s also battery life, and as you would expect, the JBL Charge 3’s battery life is a little longer than the Flip 4. That makes sense — the Charge 3 is a whole lot bigger than the Flip 4, and as such there’s more room for a battery in the device. When it comes to raw numbers, the Charge 3 offers a 20-hour battery life, while the Flip 4 comes in at 12 hours. The Charge 4 offers the same 20-hour battery life.

Sound

Design will be important for some, but sound-quality will likely be even more important. After all, delivering great sound is what speakers were made for. Thankfully, both the JBL Charge 3, Charge 4, and JBL Flip 4 sound great — but they don’t sound the same.

Let’s start with their similarities. The three speakers all offer directional speakers, meaning there is a front and a back. That’s unlike some other wireless speakers which offer omnidirectional sound, where it doesn’t matter where you are, it’ll sound the same.

The JBL Charge 3 and Charge 4 are bigger than the Flip 4, and as such they offer a louder, and more powerful sound. There’s a little more bass response in the speakers too, so if you’re looking for the most well-rounded wireless speaker, then the Charge 3 or Charge 4 might be the better options for you. The Charge 3 and Charge 4 also offer pretty well-tuned midrange, and while some might wish there was a little more detail in the high-end, for most the high-end response will be perfectly fine.

That doesn’t mean that the Flip 4 doesn’t have a lot going for it — it does. For its size, it still sounds pretty great. It may not be the most well-rounded speaker in terms of audio quality, but you’ll still get relatively pumping bass response, with a slightly laid-back mid range and a pretty good high-end response too. The audio doesn’t seem to distort when pushed a little, which is also good.

Conclusions

The JBL Charge 3, Charge 4, and JBL Flip 4 have a lot to offer. If you’re simply looking for the best wireless speaker to get, then the Charge 4 is clearly the better choice — but the trade-off is that it’s not as portable. Alternatively, you could go for the slightly older Charge 3, which won’t get quite as loud as the newer Charge 4, and has a slightly older-looking design. If you want something that’s a little easier to carry around, then the JBL Flip 4 is still a very solid option, and boasts decent audio quality with a pretty fun design.

Shop Now:  JBL Charge 3 

Shop Now: JBL Charge 4  

Shop Now: JBL Flip 4 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
From analysis to the latest developments in health, read the most diverse news in one place.
Already a member? Sign in here
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.