Short answer: the Charge 5, and the ranking gap is substantial. It ranks #30 of 179 medium speakers at $114.95; the XB33 ranks #73 at $110, $4.95 less. The Sony XB33 is discontinued; its replacement is the Sony ULT Field 3.
The XB33’s feature list includes app-controlled LED lighting and Party Connect for up to 100 speakers. Our notes describe real tonal issues: upper bass peaks, a midrange dip, upper midrange peaks, and a speaker that turns itself down automatically rather than holding at max volume.
The Charge 5 isn’t a great value pick either. Our notes call it overly expensive for what it delivers, with warm, shouty, boosted-bass tuning. It still measures better than the XB33, and it doubles as a USB power bank.
Buy the Charge 5 for the better measured sound and the power bank function. Buy the XB33 if the lighting and the lower price matter more to you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
A rugged, fully waterproof speaker with punchy, warm sound and long battery life that also charges your phone.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | Sony XB33 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $114.95 | $110 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #30 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #73 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (3 band) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | 110ms |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 97dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 9.7” x 3.8” x 4.2” (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 16W RMS |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| Lights | - | Yes |
Watch Them Compared
Videos and reviews that test both speakers side by side.
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Plus and Sony XB33 - ultimate travel speaker 2021 🤗
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Charge 5: