Short answer: the JBL Charge 5. It ranks #30 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $114.95. The JBL Flip Essential 2 ranks #80, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90, $29.05 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The Charge 5 is the bigger, fuller speaker, at 2.1 lbs (960 g) with a 53 x 93mm woofer, a separate tweeter and 40W. It measured about 99dB with bass to about 53Hz. It is warm with shouty upper mids.
The Flip Essential 2 weighs about half as much, 1.1 lbs (520 g), with a single 44 x 80mm driver and 20W. A side by side listening test found it fine for a classroom or garden but not as good as the Charge 5.
Features favor the Charge 5: IP67, a claimed 20 hours against 10, a USB-A power bank, PartyBoost and a 3-band app EQ. The Flip Essential 2 has none of those.
Buy the JBL Charge 5. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $29.05 you would save on the JBL Flip Essential 2 does not close the gap.
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 | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $114.95 | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #30 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #80 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 20W RMS |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
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