Short answer: the Tozo PE1, and the price gap makes it an easy call. It ranks #20 of 47 small speakers at $19.98; the Go 5 ranks #24 at $44.95, 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.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Go 5 | Tozo PE1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $44.95 | $19.98 |
| Ranked | #24 of 46 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #20 of 46 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 |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs / 230 g | 0.5 lbs / 248 g |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| USB Audio | Yes | - |
| 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 | 3.98" x 3.03" x 1.69" (101 x 77 x 43 mm) | 5.08" x 3.54" x 1.73" (129 x 90 x 44 mm) |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | - |
| Drivers | 45mm | 43.5mm |
| Output Power | 4.8W | 10W |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 68Hz |
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Go 5: $44.95 Amazon
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.
| 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 |
| Dimensions | 3.98" x 3.03" x 1.69" (101 x 77 x 43 mm) |
| Drivers | 45mm |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Output Power | 4.8W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Audio | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs / 230 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Links
Tozo PE1: $19.98 Amazon
Pros: Pretty amazing value for the money. Very long battery life.
Cons: Bass not quite as deep as the top ranked speakers.
| 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 |
| Dimensions | 5.08" x 3.54" x 1.73" (129 x 90 x 44 mm) |
| Drivers | 43.5mm |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX8 |
| Output Power | 10W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs / 248 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 8, 2026 at 6:24 AM UTC 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.