So for the past few weeks, my dad has been absolutely obsessed over this new speaker, raving about how much he needs and wants it. So now that we have it, is it worth it? This is the JBL Charge 5. Let’s talk about it. This review is going to be split into 5 different chapters that will all explain the value of this speaker.
Features and Design Overview
First, let’s talk about the overall features of this device of which there are quite a few. Starting at a price of $180 retail, it is quite the pricey little speaker. But, little it is not… At least, not really. Its dimensions are 8.8 inches by 3.7 inches in length and thickness. While its height is 3.8 inches. So, it might not be as portable as, say, the Flip 6.
Taking a look at the externals, the device has a small array of buttons, including volumes up and down, power on/off, bluetooth device discovery, play/pause, and the Connect+ button as well. Which allows you to sync multiple JBL Charge 5s to play music simultaneously if you’re interested in a dance party of the sort.
Battery and Connectivity
Moving down, we see a battery life indicator at the bottom that simply tells you how much longer your device will last. Which the speaker is rated for 20 hours of battery life. And ours gets around 18 hours at… higher than average volume because my dad likes to blast it. And it charges to full in 4 hours, which isn’t half bad. But, no fast charging.
Below the battery life indicator, we see our connectivity. There are two ports: USB-A and USB-C. Note that one great feature of this device is that it acts as a powerbank for your phone as well. So, this massive speaker can be used to charge your phone using the USB-A port at the bottom.
Taking a look at the device itself, this entire speaker is covered in this nice mesh for great protection, which allows for it to have its IP67 water and dust resistance rating. Moving on to the side of the device, you can see these rubber grooves protecting the speaker cones, which you should NOT touch.
Niche Features and Charging Complaint
Moving on to the more niche features, we’ve got quite a few. Looking at the quick start guide, we have the JBL Portable App. That allows you to use PartyBoost, enabling the pairing of up to 100 speakers in mono or 2 speakers in stereo, which is super rad. And besides that, the speaker comes with some warranty information in the box that I can’t show because I haven’t registered it yet.
Now, I do have one complaint about this speaker before moving on to its quality. It comes with its charging cable but no brick. Which would be fine if most people hadn’t stopped using the USB-A charging bricks because most phones don’t come with them anymore. Meaning this device does not come with its charger and you might not have one on you either. So, mmm, not great. But besides that, the features themselves are pretty solid.
Sound Quality and Competitors
So, let’s move on to the sound quality. It is great, and it is LOUD. And one little way that I know speakers are good is if I find small notes in songs that I never noticed before. Like, “Oh, wow. I never noticed that small insignificant noise before. That makes the song even better!”. Maybe it’s just because the speaker is louder and I just notice things more, but, yeah, I’d say it’s good!. Even my talking on the speaker sounds good, as usual. And here’s what the speaker sounds like in comparison to others I have in the house. And this distance from the phone in that gazebo, the music’s still playing.
Market Comparison
Now, is it the loudest speaker on the market? Of course not. And it does have many competitors in this same price and size bracket.
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Bose SoundLink Flex: Which is cheaper than the Charge 5 but isn’t as loud and doesn’t have the bass of the JBL speaker.
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Anker SoundCore Motion Plus: Which starts at a far lower price and has a decent sound compared to the JBL speaker.
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Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3: Which starts at a similar price but is actually noted to have better sound quality and bass.
So, we have a few competitors that you gotta weigh in.
Reviewer Acclaims and Criticisms
Now, let’s hear what other reviewers have to say. Moving on to the acclaims and criticisms.
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TechSpot: The author noted the speaker had balanced sound but also had no headphone jack.
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Old Time Music: The author said it’s well-water proofed but complained that, although it’s lightweight, it’s not very portable.
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PCMag: The author wrote it’s great as a power bank, but it can’t be used as a speakerphone.
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Dad: And lastly, this is from dad.
So, yeah, this speaker overall is not half bad and has some great ratings. But, more on that in my conclusion section.
Final Verdict
So after all is said and done, what do I think about this device? Well to put it bluntly, I think it’s great!. It is a very loud speaker that has a pretty solid range and sounds quite good. For my full rating, I’d give this speaker an 8.5/10. Reason being is that it’s a little expensive and other small things, like the charger not being fully included, make it less of a full package.
We got ours on sale during the Holiday season, meaning ours wasn’t as pricey. But for full retail, definitely make sure you got some cash on hand to spend on this guy. Because it’s a pretty penny. But, yeah, I really like this speaker despite what many people think about the company that makes it.
Many people have called JBL the “Apple” of speaker companies. Which is funny because it’s actually owned by Samsung. But, what they mean by that is that it’s “basic” and not as high-quality as other speakers. And while I can’t say its quality is the absolute best, especially compared to other numerous speakers. I can say that “basic” is not an insult. Rather, I think it’s a good thing. JBL is a company that delivers on what it promises, good speakers that last a while and work. Basic is just another way of saying “simple”. And, frankly, I like simple. Make it simple.
The JBL Charge 5 is a great speaker that lasts a long time, works, and, as a result, is absolutely worth it. And if you have the money, definitely make sure to check it out. And that was my amazing, wonderful, fantastic, and humble review of the JBL Charge 5. If you have anything to share, please leave it in the comment section down below. My name is Cyrus. It’s spelled like “Cyrus,” pronounced like “See Rooster,” just take out the “ter”. Thank you very much for reading and have a wonderful day!. Peace.
