Short answer: the JBL Flip 7, if you are buying new. The JBL Flip 5 measures as well as the JBL Flip Essential 2 (#79 vs #80 of 179 medium speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the JBL Flip 7, is rated 4.2/5 at $149.95 and is still sold new.
Nearly the same speaker. Both use a single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver with 20W, rated down to 65Hz, in an IPX7 body of about the same size. Expect very similar sound: boosted upper bass, and a sound that gets piercing when turned up.
What changed: the Flip Essential 2 has newer Bluetooth 5.1 with two phones connected at once, but a smaller battery with a claimed 10 hours against the Flip 5’s 12. It drops the app EQ and PartyBoost linking the Flip 5 has.
The Flip 5 is discontinued, so the Flip Essential 2 is the way to buy this driver new.
Buy the JBL Flip 7, the replacement for the discontinued JBL Flip 5; it is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip Essential 2.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 5 | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $64.97 Discontinued | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #79 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #80 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (540 g) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2.7” x 2.9” (181 x 69 x 74 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | 20W RMS |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| App | Yes | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) | - |
| Power Bank | - | No |
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