Short answer: the JBL Charge 5. It ranks #26 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $134.95; the JBL Charge 2 ranks #69 and costs $149, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the JBL Charge 5 offers: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. IP67 rated, survives a 1m dunk for 30 minutes. ~20 hour battery life. Watch for: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
What the JBL Charge 2 offers: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank. ~10-12 hour battery life. Social Mode pairs up to 3 phones; works as a speakerphone. Watch for: Bass compression at higher volumes. Warm sound. slightly rolled off treble. Not as loud as other speakers.
Buy the JBL Charge 5. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Charge 2 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the JBL Charge 5 is rated for 20 hours, the JBL Charge 2 only 12 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | JBL Charge 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $134.95 | $149 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #26 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #69 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Max Volume | 99dB | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 960 g | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 3.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 8.5" x 3.4" x 3" (216 x 86 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 2x 45mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX5 |
| Power Input | USB-C | - |
| Output Power | 40W | 15W RMS |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Wisetiger P3
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Tribit Xsound Go
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore 2
- JBL Charge 5 vs Sony ULT Field 3
- JBL Charge 2 vs Sony SRS-XE300
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 PM 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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The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 5: $134.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. IP67 rated, survives a 1m dunk for 30 minutes. ~20 hour battery life.
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
Full JBL Charge 5 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 960 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Oluv Patreon: JBL Charge 5 - unboxing & first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
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- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE 5 Vs. CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 #shorts
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- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 “LIGHTS VS BASS?!” More from techderaudios →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: UE Megaboom 3 review vs JBL Charge 5 & Motion Boom! how bad can it be??
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Stockwell 2 Review and huge sound test! - vs JBL Charge 5! 💯
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Boom vs Sony XB43 - a step to far? 🤪
- DIGI-EARS: Xdobo X8 Max vs. JBL Charge 5 vs. Anker Soundcore Motion+ vs. Tribit Stormbox Pro Sound Test Battle
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge 5 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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JBL Charge 2: $149 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank. ~10-12 hour battery life. Social Mode pairs up to 3 phones; works as a speakerphone.
Cons: Bass compression at higher volumes. Warm sound. slightly rolled off treble. Not as loud as other speakers. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 3.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.4" x 3" (216 x 86 x 76 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 15W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons