Short answer: the JBL Flip 4. It ranks #63 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $70; the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 ranks #88 and costs $105, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL Flip 4 offers: Less bass than a Flip 5. Peaky lower treble. Watch for: Battery failures are common.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 offers: 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. Watch for: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Buy the JBL Flip 4. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 4 | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $70 Discontinued | $105 |
| Ranked | #63 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #88 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 66Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 300ms | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs / 510 g | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 6.9" x 2.8" x 2.6" (175 x 70 x 65 mm) | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 16W RMS | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Max Volume | 92dB | 85dBC |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| App | - | Yes |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| EQ | - | Yes (via app) |
| Built in Microphone | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Flip 5
- Sony XB33 vs JBL Flip 5
- Sony XB23 vs JBL Charge Essential
- Tribit Stormbox 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- W-King D320 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
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 Flip 4: $70 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Less bass than a Flip 5. Peaky lower treble.
Cons: Battery failures are common. Discontinued.
Full JBL Flip 4 review and specifications →
| Aux Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 66Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 300ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9" x 2.8" x 2.6" (175 x 70 x 65 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 92dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs / 510 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- GYMCADDY: Best $100 Speaker? JBL Flip 4 Vs Sony XB20 Vs UE WONDERBOOM Vs Altec Mini Lifejacket 2 More from GYMCADDY →
- GYMCADDY: Best $100 Speaker? JBL Flip 4 Vs Sony XB20 Vs UE WONDERBOOM Vs Altec Mini Lifejacket 2
- Reddit Search for JBL Flip 4 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $105 Amazon eBay
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 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- 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 74 comparisons


