Short answer: the Xiaomi Mi Portable. It ranks #58 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $55; the JBL Flip 5 ranks #62 and costs $89.95, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Xiaomi Mi Portable offers: Good battery life for a 16W speaker - around 12 hours at moderate volume. The catch: A bit of a sharp treble.
The case for the JBL Flip 5: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. Set against that: Not stereo. Boosted upper bass. Piercing sound when turned up. Peaky lower treble at higher volumes.
Buy the Xiaomi Mi Portable. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip 5 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Xiaomi Mi Portable | JBL Flip 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $55 | $89.95 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #58 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #62 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 373 g | 1.2 lbs / 540 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 2.9" x 2.9" (213 x 74 x 74 mm) | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.9" (181 x 69 x 74 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 16W | 20W RMS |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/1A) | - |
| Stereo | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Drivers | 2x 57mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 59Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 200ms |
| Max Volume | - | 92dB |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| EQ | - | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Flip 4 vs JBL Charge Essential
- JBL Flip 4 vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Flip 4 vs LG Xboom Grab
- JBL Flip 5 vs Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2/ Lifejacket 3
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Sony XB23
The Two Speakers In Full
Xiaomi Mi Portable: $55 Amazon
Pros: Good battery life for a 16W speaker - around 12 hours at moderate volume. USB-C charging, stereo pairing support.
Cons: A bit of a sharp treble
Full Xiaomi Mi Portable review and specifications →
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 13 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 2.9" x 2.9" (213 x 74 x 74 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 57mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/1A) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 373 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Sony XB33
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Bose Soundlink Mini
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Soundcore 3/Soundcore Select 2
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs JBL Flip 4
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Sony XB23
- Xiaomi Mi Portable vs Tronsmart Element Force
JBL Flip 5: $89.95 Discontinued Amazon
Pros: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. IP67 rated.
Cons: Not stereo. Boosted upper bass. Piercing sound when turned up. Peaky lower treble at higher volumes. Discontinued.
Full JBL Flip 5 review and specifications →
| Aux Input | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.9" (181 x 69 x 74 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 92dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs / 540 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beoplay A1 Denon 250bt JBL Flip 5 Anker Flare 2
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus
- Techder Audios: #JBL Flip 5 VS #JBL Flip Essential “IMPRESSIVE COMPARISON!?”
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs JBL Flip 5 & Soundcore Boost - true stereophonic 🤓
- Reddit Search for JBL Flip 5 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons