JBL Charge 5 review

Our Verdict

With a new await, a little more than ruggedness and improved sound, the JBL Accuse 5 is one of the best Bluetooth speakers — just not one of the cheapest.

For

Total vocals
Rich bass
Good battery life

Against

Limited app
Few extras

Tom's Guide Verdict

With a new look, a trivial more ruggedness and improved sound, the JBL Charge 5 is one of the best Bluetooth speakers — just not one of the cheapest.

Pros

+
Total vocals
+
Rich bass
+
Proficient battery life

Cons

-
Limited app
-
Few extras

The JBL Charge 5 is the latest evolution in the long-lived Bluetooth speaker line. With each generation, JBL has tended to add a lilliputian chip more to the Charge's capabilities. With the Charge 5, it makes a few small-scale changes — specially to the blueprint — while also simplifying certain features.

The result is a basic but rugged portable Bluetooth speaker, and one that sounds good plenty to argue with the best waterproof speakers. However, it too ends up more expensive than even better-sounding speakers with more than features. Keep reading our total JBL Charge v review to find out if it's still worth your cash.

Bank check out the best bluetooth speakers
Our picks of the best cheap Bluetooth speakers

JBL Charge five: Price and Availability

The JBL Charge five has a list price of $179.95, and equally a new product you're unlikely to find it for much less than. You can buy it directly from JBL, or order it from Amazon, B&H or All-time Buy.

It'southward also worth noting the varied colour schemes bachelor. In addition to solid colors similar black, red, teal, greyness and the blue version we received, there'southward too a version with a camouflage end.

JBL Accuse 5 review: Design

JBL Charge 5 review — (Image credit: Futurity)

The Charge 5 received a fairly significant redesign from the Charge 4. The biggest change is the JBL logo: information technology'due south much bigger, so in that location's no uncertainty who fabricated this speaker.

JBL also tweaked the shape and dimensions. At 8.7 10 iii.8 10 3.seven inches, it's slightly shorter and a little plumper in the centre than the Accuse 4. The end caps, which house the passive bass radiators, are cut at a slight angle, similar to the JBL Flip 5. That gives the speaker a bit more visual flair, but also causes information technology to lean similar the Tower of Pisa if you want to stand it on 1 end instead of laying it apartment.

As with the last few versions, the Accuse 5 is wrapped in mesh — the same as you'd get on the JBL Become 3 — and has safe finish caps. Having six colors to choose from is squeamish, though this is actually a stride back from the Charge 4, which was available in 12 colors.

On the tiptop, you'll find buttons for ability, Bluetooth and volume upwardly/down. The play push button can also pause a track, or with a double click, accelerate to the adjacent vocal. The PartyBoost button pairs ii JBL speakers together in stereo mode or multiple speakers in party style to spread the sound more than widely.

On the back there'south a USB-C port for recharging the battery, and under a safe flap, a USB-A port that you tin can use to accuse other devices. At least JBL has kept the Charge's namesake feature in each generation. Only the Charge five ditches the 3.v mm auxiliary connection that other generations included.

Beneath the large JBL logo is a unmarried low-cal that shows the corporeality of battery power left. The light fades as the power decreases — a slick-looking way to see the battery life left, though it's non equally piece of cake to get an authentic read as the v lights on the Charge four.

JBL Accuse 5 review: Waterproofing

The Charge line has improved its ruggedness with each iteration. Along with being waterproof, the Charge 5 adds resistance to dust, giving it an IP67 rating. That means y'all can submerge the speaker in water upward to ane meter deep, for upwards to one-half an 60 minutes, without worry.

Sure enough, I dunked the Charge 5 in a sinkful of water and information technology continued to play without problem. Light rain or shower jets won't pose a threat in the slightest.

JBL Charge 5 review: Sound quality

The Charge 5 delivers very good sound for a speaker its size, with easy-to-hear vocals and impressive bass. It sounds more balanced than the Charge 4, but it isn't as total or wide as our electric current Bluetooth speaker elevation option: the UE Megaboom 3.

On Black Pumas's "Burn down," the horns came across bright and punchy, while the vocals were clear above the guitar and keyboards. The menacing bass and thumping drums were prominent on The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" just didn't overwhelm his singing. However, both songs sounded much fuller and richer on the Megaboom iii, although the vocals weren't as far forrad in the mix.

The difference betwixt the 2 speakers was easier to hear when listening to Fleetwood Mac's "Never Going Dorsum Again;" while Lindsey Buckingham'due south vocals were clearer on the Charge five, the fingerpicked guitars were much fuller on the Megaboom iii.

The Charge 5 put out about 94 dB at max book — impressively loud, merely the audio distorted pretty badly at that level. At a more reasonable 85 dB, the baloney disappeared and it was still loud enough to exist heard over the din of a party or traffic.

JBL Charge 5 review: Battery life

JBL says the Accuse 5 will run for 20 hours, the same as previous models and the same as the Megaboom 3. That seems accurate enough — after xv hours of use at by and large low volume, I had about 25% battery left.

Of course, a primal feature of the Charge series is its ability to act as a power bank for your phone, though this draws from the same battery every bit the speaker itself. So, if you exercise utilize the Charge v to power other devices, await a reduction in play fourth dimension.

JBL Accuse 5 review: Wireless and setup

The Charge v paired quickly with my phone. It had a good indicate up to about 50 feet indoors, with walls betwixt my phone and the speaker.

You tin can download the JBL Portable app to upgrade the Accuse v's firmware and see its battery level. The app is likewise how you manage PartyBoost, to connect to another JBL speaker in stereo mode or political party mode. I was able to go PartyBoost to work with the Charge 5 and a Flip five, just strangely, not a Accuse 4.

The app doesn't let yous make any kind of audio adjustments. At that place aren't whatever preset sound modes or an equalizer. The sound you hear out of the box is the audio you lot get. UE'southward Smash & Megaboom app, by comparison, offers a five-ring equalizer with several presets, as well as other features like an alarm and the ability to set a i-impact playlist.

JBL Accuse five review: Verdict

The JBL Charge 5 is a very good Bluetooth speaker. It doesn't accept many frills, aside from being able to charge another portable device, but it delivers impressive vocals and bass, and it can withstand the elements.

At $179, its listing price is lower than that of the Megaboom 3 — but UE's speaker has been out for much longer, and oftentimes sells at a much lower price despite the MSRP. And the Megaboom 3 is a amend all-effectually speaker, also, in terms of both sound and features. The only matter the Accuse 5 tin do that the Megaboom 3 can't is charge some other device.

Don't forget most the Sonos Roam either. This, as well, is more affordable than the Accuse five, despite offer Wi-Fi connectivity and voice banana smarts.

Nevertheless, if you're a fan of the JBL sound, want that power bank functionality or simply adopt its looks, the Charge 5 is a solid selection for a portable (and waterproof) Bluetooth speaker.

More: All the all-time soundbars we've tested

Michael Gowan covers soundbars, TVs, portable speakers and other audio- and video-related topics for Tom's Guide. He's written most music and engineering science for more than 20 years for a raft of publications including Wired, Men's Journal, PC Earth and Macworld. When he's not reviewing speakers, he's probably listening to one anyway.