Short answer: the JBL Flip Essential for better sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 for the lower price. The JBL Flip Essential ranks #66 of 136 medium speakers at $130. The Ultimate Ears Boom 4 ranks #88 at $105, $25 cheaper.
What the JBL Flip Essential offers: Aux input for wired sources. IPX7 rated. Genuinely portable at under a pound; a cheaper, more basic alternative to the Flip 5. Watch for: Less bass than a Flip 5.
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 Essential when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 is rated for 15 hours, the JBL Flip Essential only 10 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 | $105 |
| Ranked | #66 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #88 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| Weight | / 1 lbs / 471 g | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 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 | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 16W RMS | - |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Built in Microphone | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Power Input | - | USB-C |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Max Volume | - | 85dBC |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- JBL Flip 7 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 Essential: $130 eBay
Pros: Aux input for wired sources. IPX7 rated. Genuinely portable at under a pound; a cheaper, more basic alternative to the Flip 5.
Cons: Less bass than a Flip 5.
Full JBL Flip Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Weight | / 1 lbs / 471 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge 3
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- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Flip 4
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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