Just last April 2021, JBL released the all-new JBL Charge 5 as the latest speaker in the JBL Charge speaker series. Because of this, the JBL Charge 4, its predecessor, is now cheaper, which is why many people wonder if it is still worth considering.
Although the JBL Charge 5 is overall better, the JBL Charge 4 is still an outstanding speaker with decent bass and treble. However, since it lacks a tweeter, it sounds significantly different from the JBL Charge 5 in terms of highs. But still, the JBL Charge 4 can stand up against the JBL Charge 5 sound-wise.
But to make the right purchase decision on which JBL Charge speaker is better for you, you must know the specific differences between them.
Table of Contents
Price
Since the JBL Charge 4 belongs to the category of portable medium-sized speakers, it has an expensive price tag, but its build and sound make up for it.
But because of the new release of the JBL Charge 5, the price of the JBL Charge 4 dropped significantly.
The JBL Charge 5 retails for $179, while the JBL Charge 4 is now $149 and could be lower check today’s price here.
Although there is only a little price difference, it is still worth noting, especially for those on a tight budget.
If you want to save money on top of your purchase, I highly recommend you wait for a sale day or sale event, and you won’t have to worry about waiting long since JBL routinely goes on sale now and then.
Get the JBL Charge 4 if: Budget is your Priority.
View JBL Charge 4 Price on:
The JBL Charge 4 is an outstanding speaker with decent bass and treble. However, since it lacks a tweeter, you can hear differences in terms of high notes, making it sound less clear than the charge 5 but still good enough for most people’s taste!
Get the JBL Charge 5 if: Sound is your Priority.
View JBL Charge 5 Price on:
Design
Like most JBL Charge speakers, the JBL Charge 4 has a mostly fabric body that can withstand constant abuse such as accidental drops, scratches, or bumps.
The JBL Charge 4 comes in 9 colors which are the following:
- Gray
- Pink
- Blue
- Sand
- Forest Green
- Black
- Black and White Camouflage
- Camouflage
- Teal
Top Speaker Buttons
You will find six buttons on top of the JBL Charge 4, and these are the following:
- JBL Connect Plus Button
- Volume Down Button
- Volume Up Button
- Power Button
- Bluetooth Button
- Play and Pause Button
JBL Connect Plus
The JBL Connect Plus button lets you connect your JBL Charge 4 to other JBL Connect Plus speakers: the JBL Flip 4, JBL Pulse 3, JBL Xtreme 2, and JBL Boombox.
Back Speaker Ports
At the back of the JBL Charge 4, you will find three ports which are the following:
- USB C port
- USB A port
- 3.5mm Audio Jack
Battery
In terms of battery life, the JBL Charge 4 has the same battery life as the new JBL Charge 5, which is 7,500 battery mAh.
The JBL Charge 4 and JBL Charge 5 have an advertised battery life of 20 hours, but this can only be achieved when playing the speaker at 50% volume or lower.
At casual use with the volume set at 80%, you will likely get more or less 12 hours from the JBL Charge 4 and JBL Charge 5.
It is also worth noting that the JBL Charge 4 is the first JBL Charge speaker ever to have USB C charging. In addition to that, you can still use the JBL Charge 4 to charge other devices since it still has a USB A port.
Bluetooth Version
When it comes to the Bluetooth version, the JBL Charge 4 utilizes Bluetooth 4.2, which was good when the Charge 4 was released.
You can expect to have little to no delays while watching videos or movies with this speaker, and it does have decent range and connectivity.
Waterproof Rating
The JBL Charge 4 is fully waterproof since it has an IPX7 rating. This means that the JBL Charge 4 can be submerged into waters of 1-meter depth for 30 minutes with no problems whatsoever.
You won’t have to worry about this speaker getting splashed by water or dropped accidentally in a pool.
Speaker Specifications
The JBL Charge 4 runs on 30 watts, which is a decent upgrade from its predecessor, the JBL Charge 3 runs on 20 watts.
But this time, it has a different speaker setup. The JBL Charge 4 has a mono speaker setup which means it only has one frontward-firing transducer speaker.
The JBL Charge 4 has one speaker at the front and its classic dual passive radiators at the sides.
Sound
When it comes to the sound performance of the JBL Charge 4, it is still an outstanding speaker. It is one of the best-sounding medium-sized speakers out there, and it has a good amount of bass with fair mids and highs.
It now has a more open sound stage than the JBL Charge 3 since it has 10 watts more power.
Overall, the JBL Charge 4 is a great speaker with an amazing sound for its size.
| Pros | Cons |
| Durable Design | Mono Speaker Setup |
| Come in Many Colors | |
| Cheaper | |
| Outstanding Sound | |
| IPX7-rated | |
| USB C charging | |
| Easy to Carry | |
| Good for Indoor and Outdoor Use | |
| Decent Bluetooth Connectivity | |
| 30 Watts | |
| It still has an Audio Jack. |
Get the JBL Charge 4 if: Budget is your Priority.
View JBL Charge 4 Price on:
The JBL Charge 4 sounds significantly different from the Charge 5 in terms of highs but can still stand up against it sound-wise. The bass and treble are on point for an excellent listening experience!
Get the JBL Charge 5 if: Sound is your Priority.
View JBL Charge 5 Price on:
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend the JBL Charge 4 for those who are a little short on budget. Still, if you can afford the JBL Charge 5, I suggest you go for that speaker since it has a better waterproof rating, Bluetooth connectivity, sound, output power, and speaker setup.
Nonetheless, the JBL Charge 4 is still very worth considering, and I can promise you that this speaker won’t disappoint.
Lastly, you can save more money with this speaker since it is the cheaper option, but if you want to get the JBL Charge 5 with the short money you have, as mentioned, you can wait for a sale day or sale event to get a discount.
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