Short answer: the JBL Charge 5. It ranks #30 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $114.95; the Bose Portable Smart Speaker ranks #75, rated 3.4/5, and costs $399, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The JBL Charge 5 is the better-sounding, longer-running option. A rugged, fully waterproof speaker with punchy, warm sound and long battery life that also charges your phone. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 12 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. Watch for: Shouty upper mids.
Why pick the Bose Portable Smart Speaker: A smart speaker with Alexa and Google Assistant built in that streams over Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth on the go. The tradeoff: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it.
Buy the JBL Charge 5. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | Bose Portable Smart Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $114.95 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #30 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #75 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
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