Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential. It ranks #68 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $73.99; the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 ranks #88 and costs $105, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the JBL Charge Essential side: Doubles as a power bank. Watch for: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 gets right: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. The tradeoff: Not much improvement over the old ones.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $73.99 | $105 |
| Ranked | #68 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #88 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | - | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| Max Volume | - | 85dBC |
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- JBL Charge 2 vs Tribit Xsound Go
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- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge Essential: $73.99 Amazon
Pros: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential.
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
Full JBL Charge Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Techder Audios: JBL EXTREME 3 VS JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL More from techderaudios →
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL VS CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 COMPARATIVO AMBIENTE EXTERNO
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge Essential Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Charge 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip Essential
- JBL Charge Essential vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sony XB23
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip 4
- See all 27 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $105 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app.
Cons: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 85dBC |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox
- See all 23 comparisons