Short answer: the JBL Charge 6, if you are buying new. The JBL Charge 4 ranks higher than the JBL Flip Essential 2 (#59 vs #80 of 182 medium speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the JBL Charge 6, is rated 4.2/5 at $149.95 and is still sold new.
The JBL Charge 4 is the longer-running choice. A rugged waterproof speaker that floats, charges your phone, lasts a long time per charge and links with other JBL speakers. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 10 for the JBL Flip Essential 2. It keeps a wired aux input, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. It links with other speakers (Connect+ up to 100 speakers), which the JBL Flip Essential 2 cannot. The tradeoff: 1 Oval driver.
The JBL Flip Essential 2 is the lighter choice. A compact, affordable waterproof speaker that gets fairly loud for its size and connects to two phones at once. At 1.1 lbs (520 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge 4 at 2.1 lbs (960 g). Watch for: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the JBL Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.
Buy the JBL Charge 6, the replacement for the discontinued JBL Charge 4; it is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip Essential 2.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 4 | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $119.95 Discontinued | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #59 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #80 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 330ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 1x 51x89mm fullrange | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.7” x 3.7” x 3.7” (220 x 95 x 93 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 30W RMS | 20W RMS |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | Yes | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Strap | No | - |
Where the Ratings Come From
- JBL Charge 4: reviews by Alan Ross, Flossy Carter and DankPods.
- JBL Flip Essential 2: reviews by Speaker Fan, Angelicaaudio and AudioTribe.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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