Short answer: the Tozo PE1, and the price gap makes it an easy call. It ranks #20 of 47 small speakers at $19.97; the Go 5 ranks #24 at $39.95, more than double the price for four fewer places.
Output is the biggest single gap. The PE1 is rated at 10 W against the Go 5’s 4.8 W, and it’s the rare small speaker with a published bass extension figure at all, 68 Hz at -10dB. The Go 5 publishes no bass measurement, and its own cons note it’s “still lacking bass and not very clear overall.”
Check the battery claim before trusting it. Tozo advertises 32 hours; our notes measure closer to 12, which is still respectable but a real gap from the marketing number. The Go 5’s claim of 8 to 10 hours is more modest and closer to what small speakers this size typically deliver.
Where the JBL wins: water sealing and pairing. IP68 is a tested rating on both dust and water; the PE1’s IPX8 skips the dust test entirely, meaning it may be just as dust-resistant but nobody certified it, as the X in an IP rating always means. The Go 5 also has Auracast party mode, which the PE1 lacks.
Buy the PE1 for the price, the output, and the one real bass number in this comparison. Buy the Go 5 only if Auracast pairing or the fully tested IP68 rating specifically matters to you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Go 5 | Tozo PE1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.95 | $19.97 |
| Ranked | #24 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #20 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Specification says 32 hours, it is nowhere near that) (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX8 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (230 g) | 0.5 lbs (248 g) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 5.4 |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 4" x 3" x 1.7" (101 x 77 x 43 mm) | 5.1" x 3.5" x 1.7" (129 x 90 x 44 mm) |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | - |
| Drivers | 45mm | 43.5mm |
| Amplifier Power | 4.8W | 10W |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 68Hz |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Tozo PE1:
- Tozo PE1 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- Soundcore Boom Go 3i vs Tozo PE1
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Tozo PE1
- Tozo PE1 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro
- Anker Soundcore Mini vs Tozo PE1
Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 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 Go 5: $39.95 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP68 rating, up from the Go 4’s IP67. AirTouch tap-to-pair stereo linking. 7-band custom app EQ, up from the Go 4’s 5-band. USB-C wired audio input.
Cons: Still overpriced for what it delivers, not very different from the Go 4 besides the lights. Still lacking bass and not very clear overall. Mono downmixing produces an audible growling artifact, the same issue noted on the JBL Charge 6. Falls well short of similarly priced rivals like the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2. Weak off-axis dispersion and an uneven, upper-mid-heavy tonal balance. Doesn’t get meaningfully louder at max volume, just harsher.
Full JBL Go 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 4.8W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 4" x 3" x 1.7" (101 x 77 x 43 mm) |
| Drivers | 45mm |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (230 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Tozo PE1: $19.97 Amazon eBay
Pros: Tozo PE1 uses 43.5mm. Its 248 g, claimed 12 hours (Specification says 32 hours, it is nowhere near that) (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IPX8 protection and mono playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of 68Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 68Hz specification.
Full Tozo PE1 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 10W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 68Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Specification says 32 hours, it is nowhere near that) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.1" x 3.5" x 1.7" (129 x 90 x 44 mm) |
| Drivers | 43.5mm |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX8 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (248 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons