Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 on measured sound quality, the Xdobo X8 on price. The JBL Charge 5 ranks #28 of 142 medium speakers at $179.95. The Xdobo X8 ranks #125 at $35, $144.95 cheaper.
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 Xdobo X8 offers: A compact 860g speaker with a useful practical feature set: IPX5 splash resistance, USB-C charging, aux and microSD playback, speakerphone and TWS pairing. Reviews consistently find it surprisingly loud and full-bodied for the size, making it a plausible inexpensive outdoor/background-music option. Watch for: The single full-range driver is the limitation. Reviews note a harsh midrange, rolled-off treble and audible distortion, while bass extension is only about 65Hz. It can play loud, but it does not have the clarity or control for attentive listening.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Xdobo X8 when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
The Xdobo X8 is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 142 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | Xdobo X8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.95 | $35 |
| Ranked | #28 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #125 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | ~65Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | - |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.9 lbs (860 g) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 8.7" x 3.7" x 2.8" (220 x 95 x 72 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 66mm full-range driver |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX5 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 60W |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
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- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge 5
- JBL Charge 5 vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 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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The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 5: $179.95 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. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
Full JBL Charge 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| 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
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 6 or the JBL Charge 5? don’t go home till you watch this! More from alanrossreviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge 6 🎶👌Unboxing 📦vs Jbl Charge 5 Short Test Audio i Hz. More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 6 Review - Worth Upgrading Even If You Have The JBL Charge 5 More from GYMCADDY →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021?
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Plus and Sony XB33 - ultimate travel speaker 2021 🤗
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- Oluv Patreon: JBL Charge 5 - unboxing & first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bogasing M4 Review - vs JBL Charge 5 & Motion Plus - a new contender?
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE 5 Vs. CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 #shorts
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei sound joy vs JBL Charge 5 and Flip 6 - top mono speaker! 🤓
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 "LIGHTS VS BASS?!" More from techderaudios →
- Storytripper HD: Klipsch Nashville vs JBL Charge 5 More from storytripperhd →
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Storytripper HD: KEF MUO vs JBL Charge 5
- KULAS TECH SHOW: JBL Charge 5 vs Tronsmart Mirtune S100 - Sound Comparison💥🔥 More from KULASTECHSHOW20 →
- 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 More from DigitalSlang →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge 5 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
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Xdobo X8: $35 eBay
Pros: A compact 860g speaker with a useful practical feature set: IPX5 splash resistance, USB-C charging, aux and microSD playback, speakerphone and TWS pairing. Reviews consistently find it surprisingly loud and full-bodied for the size, making it a plausible inexpensive outdoor/background-music option. Measured bass extension of ~65Hz (-10dB).
Cons: The single full-range driver is the limitation. Reviews note a harsh midrange, rolled-off treble and audible distortion, while bass extension is only about 65Hz. It can play loud, but it does not have the clarity or control for attentive listening.
Full Xdobo X8 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 60W |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~65Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.7" x 3.7" x 2.8" (220 x 95 x 72 mm) |
| Drivers | 66mm full-range driver |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.9 lbs (860 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons