One of the speaker series that made JBL iconic is the JBL Clip speaker series. This line of speakers is specially designed to be easy to carry on the go with you that comes with a carabiner so you can hang it to almost everything.
With regards to the JBL Clip 4, many people are wondering if this speaker is worth upgrading or buying. Compared to its predecessor, the JBL Clip 3, there is no doubt that the JBL Clip 4 is the superior option here since it has a better overall sound, Bluetooth connectivity, waterproof rating, etc.
Nonetheless, the JBL Clip 3 is still worth considering so for you to make the right purchase decision, here is everything you need to know about the differences between the JBL Clip 3 and JBL Clip 4.
Table of Contents
JBL Clip 4 Overview
| Pros of the JBL Clip 4 | Cons of the JBL Clip 4 |
|---|---|
| New Design | No Audio Jack |
| 5 Watts | |
| More Bass | |
| Louder Volume | |
| IP67-rated | |
| USB C Charging | |
| Easy to Carry | |
| Better Carabiner | |
| Bluetooth 5.1 | |
| Best JBL Clip Speaker | |
| Many Color Options |
View JBL Clip 4 Price on:
Get the JBL Clip 4 if your priorities are sound quality, portability, and upgraded features. This 2020 speaker is sure to be still future-proof for the following years to come thanks to its updated features.
Price
Since the JBL Clip 4 belongs to the category of small speakers, it is expected that it has an affordable price that is suitable for people on a budget.
The JBL Clip 4 has a retail price of $79 and for comparison, the JBL Clip 3 can be purchased at $49.
Obviously, the JBL Clip 3 is the cheaper option since the JBL Clip 4 is the latest speaker released for this lineup.
If you want to get a discount when your purchase this product, I highly recommend that you wait for a sale day or sale event. It is good that JBL regularly goes on sale every month so that you won’t have to worry about waiting long.
Design
Of course, both speakers are easy to carry on the go with you regardless of what activity you are going to do (e.g., walking your dog, jogging, biking, hiking, etc.) since the JBL Clip 4 still has that portable size.
At first glance, you can tell immediately that the JBL Clip 4 looks way different compared to its predecessors.
For starters, the JBL Clip 4 no longer has the classic red JBL logo emblem at the front instead, it has the logo engraved on the front of the speaker and it is much larger.
In terms of color variants, the JBL Clip 4 has 6 colors with some color variants mixed together.
- Gray, Gold, and Pink
- Camouflage and Orange
- Black
- Red
- Pink
- Blue
But you do have the option to personalize your own color through JBL’s website. So, if you prefer a certain color or color theme, you can request it on JBL’s website.
For the design, as mentioned, the JBL Clip 4 looks way different with a new design. The JBL Clip 4 now has its body totally covered in durable fabric, unlike its predecessors which had soft rubber materials on the body that can easily get scratched.
With the JBL Clip 4, you won’t have to worry about this issue since its new body is can withstand constant abuses such as scratches, accidental drops, and bumps.
The carabiner of the JBL Clip 4 is wider compared to the JBL Clip 3 which means the JBL Clip 4 is easier to hang onto things.
JBL Clip 4 Buttons
The JBL Clip 4 only has 5 buttons that are easy to navigate which are great for beginners.
- Power Button
- Play and Pause Button
- Volume Up Button
- Volume Down Button
- Bluetooth Button
Battery
The JBL Clip 3 and JBL Clip 4 still have the same battery life of 10 hours which is still decent but it would have been better if there was an upgrade to this.
Keep in mind that to achieve 10 hours of playtime, the volume must be set at 50% volume or lower.
For a normal use case with the speaker set at 80% volume, you are looking to get around 5-6 hours of playtime with both the JBL Clip 2 and JBL Clip 3.
Another great upgrade of the JBL Clip 4 is its USB C charging which is future-proof, faster, and more convenient since mobile phones nowadays are utilizing USB C charging.
However, keep in mind that the USB C port on the JBL Clip 4 is strictly for charging only so you cannot use that port for wired connections.
Bluetooth Version
One of the features that audiophiles commended this speaker is its Bluetooth version which has now been upgraded to Bluetooth 5.1.
From a performance standpoint, the Bluetooth 5.1 of the JBL Clip 4 is way better than its predecessors when it comes to overall connectivity and range.
You certainly won’t have to worry about delays from this speaker as well when you are watching a movie or video with the JBL Clip 4.
In addition to that, the JBL Clip 4 is strictly using SBC. The JBL Clip 4 cannot also be paired with other speakers, unlike other JBL speakers that have JBL Party Boost which is used for pairing up multiple JBL speakers and playing at the same time.
Below are the following JBL speakers that have JBL Party Boost:
- JBL Boombox 2
- JBL Xtreme 3
- JBL Flip 6
- JBL Flip 5
- JBL Pulse 4
Waterproof Rating
The waterproof rating of the JBL Clip 4 has also been upgraded which is now IP67-rated. The IP67 rating on the JBL Clip 4 is a little better than the IPX7 of the JBL Clip 3.
Both speakers are fully capable of being submerged in waters of 1-meter depth for 30 minutes but the IPX7 rating of the JBL Clip 3 does not come with dust protection which goes to show that the JBL Clip 4 has a better waterproof rating since it comes with dust protection.
Speaker Specifications
Another upgrade of the JBL Clip 4 is its output power which is now 5 watts. Keep in mind that the JBL Clip 3 only had an output power of 3.3 watts which proves that the JBL Clip 4 has a slightly punchier bass and louder volume.
Sound
Because of the output power upgrade of the JBL Clip 4, there is no doubt that this speaker has more bass and volume compared to all of its predecessors.
As expected, the JBL Clip 4 sounds more open with a better sound range. The mids and highs of the JBL Clip 4 are noticeably improved.
Final Thoughts
Don’t let the size of the JBL Clip 4 fool you into thinking that it sounds average because this speaker is really impressive for its size especially when you compared it to its predecessors.
There is no doubt that this speaker is perfect for both indoor and outdoor use and you do have a decent battery life with this speaker.
View JBL Clip 4 Price on:
Get the JBL Clip 4 if your priorities are sound quality, portability, and upgraded features. This 2020 speaker is sure to be still future-proof for the following years to come thanks to its updated features.
Overall, with the upgraded design, Bluetooth version, waterproof rating, and output power of the JBL Clip 4, this speaker is really worth considering and I strongly recommend it but if you want more power but still a small speaker, I suggest you check JBL Flip speakers as well.
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