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JBL Charge 5 review: Is it still worth buying in 2025?
June 5, 2025
JBL Charge 5
The JBL Charge 5 is one of the most popular Bluetooth speakers for outdoor use, and it is easy to see why. With a rugged design and quality sound, it’s built for the trail, the beach, and everything in between. In this JBL Charge 5 review, we test the speaker in real-world conditions, including a trip to the mountains, to find out if it’s still the best portable speaker for your next adventure.
- On June 5th, 2025, for formatting, and to mention the newer JBL Charge 6 and JBL Flip 7.
With its IP67 protection rating and robust build, the JBL Charge 5 is for any listener after a portable speaker with decent output that can take on the great outdoors, or even just the backyard.
What’s it like to use the JBL Charge 5?
The JBL Charge 5 is about the size and weight of a football, making it easy to toss in a backpack or bag. Its enclosure is wrapped in tough fabric with silicone bumpers on the sides to protect its passive radiators. Rubber strips on the bottom also help keep it steady when placed out in the wild. With an IP67 rating, making it both dustproof and waterproof, you can count on the Charge 5 to handle beach days, hikes, or weekend camping trips without issue.
Up top, the JBL Charge 5 has backlit power and Bluetooth buttons, along with raised playback controls that give a satisfying click when pressed. Around the back, there’s a USB-C port for charging the speaker and a handy USB-A outlet to top off your devices while you’re out and about.
All in all, the JBL Charge 5 hits a nice sweet spot between power and portability. It is small enough to toss in a backpack but still packs enough punch to handle bigger gatherings, whether you’re indoors or outside.
Should you download the JBL Portable app?
I recommend downloading and installing the JBL Portable app. Here, you’ll find access to a 3-band customizable EQ and the option to pair a second Charge 5 for stereo performance. If your best pal shows up with a Flip 6 or Xtreme 3, don’t worry; you don’t have to tell them to leave. You can use the PartyTogether feature and pair the speakers for a bigger sound, but they will only play back in mono.
That said, in our testing, we discovered that the newer Charge 6 and Flip 7 now use Auracast to pair with other recent JBL speakers like the Xtreme 4, Clip 5, and Go 4. Unfortunately, this means you cannot link a Charge 5 with these newer models, which is a bit of a bummer.
How does the JBL Charge 5 connect?
The Charge 5 connects to your device via Bluetooth 5.1, and pairing is easy enough—press and hold the Bluetooth symbol on the top of the speaker and select it from your device’s Bluetooth menu. The Charge 5 also offers Bluetooth multipoint, so if you and a friend want to take turns playing music through your speaker, you won’t have to switch source devices each time.
JBL states the Charge 5 can achieve 20 hours of playback off a single charge. Unfortunately, it does not offer fast charging.
How does the JBL Charge 5 sound?
The Charge 5 delivers a full sound right out of the box that works well across most genres. On rock tracks like “Mother” by Danzig, the kick drum lands with a satisfying punch, vocals come through clearly, and a slightly emphasised midrange gives the distorted guitars enough presence to cut through without dominating the mix or sounding too “in your face”.
Electronic tracks like “Sunset” by synthwave masters The Midnight also shine on the Charge 5. The synth bass delivers solid low-end presence without masking the rest of the mix, and the swirling synths and electric guitar solo remain clear and detailed.
Overall, the Charge 5 sounds great right out of the box and makes a great addition to any gathering, indoors and out. Still, if you want to fine-tune things, the app’s 3-band EQ is worth checking out. You can easily boost the bass or pull back the mids to suit your preferences.
Should you buy the JBL Charge 5?
The JBL Charge 5 is a solid pick for anyone looking for an outdoor-ready portable Bluetooth speaker. It is tough enough to handle the elements, sounds good out of the box, and now lets you personalize the sound with the JBL Portable app. Battery life is excellent, and the built-in USB-A port can top off your phone or other devices in a pinch. Toss it in your backpack and head out. What more do you need to keep the party going?
Additionally, with the Charge 6 now available, take advantage of impending sales, snag two, and run them in stereo. It’s a great way to listen!
JBL Charge 5 VS JBL Flip 6: Which Bluetooth speaker is better?
If you prioritize audio performance and longer battery life, the JBL Charge 5 is the better speaker choice. The Charge 5’s larger size produces a fuller bass response and louder volume output than the Flip 6. It also has a significantly longer battery life at 20 hours versus 12 hours on the Flip 6. However, the Flip 6 is more portable and travel-friendly due to its smaller size and lighter weight.
It sacrifices some sound quality and battery life for the sake of portability. So, if you need a speaker that can easily be thrown in a bag for trips, the Flip 6 may be preferable. But for pure audio performance at home or outdoor parties, the Charge 5 is the superior JBL portable speaker of the two. You can read our full versus article to see how they compare.
What should you get instead of the JBL Charge 5?
The JBL Charge 6 ($199.95 at Amazon) is now available. It offers better durability, more customizable sound, and a small boost in wattage. Overall, these are solid upgrades. For a closer look at how it compares to the Charge 5, check out our video above.
The JBL Flip 7 ($149 at Amazon) has also arrived. It offers many of the same upgrades as the Charge 6 in a smaller package. Click the link above to see how it compares and find out which speaker is a better fit for your needs.
Frequently asked questions about the JBL Charge 5
Yes, the Charge 5 has decent audio quality for a Bluetooth speaker and is impressive in its volume output.
Yes, the JBL Portable app offers a simple equalizer with sliders to adjust bass, mid, and treble frequencies.
It can play in both stereo and mono, depending on whether you use PartyBoost to pair it with another compatible JBL speaker or not.
No. Your two JBL Charge speakers must be of the same generation for stereo mode to work, and it also won’t work with two different models of JBL speakers released in the same year, either.
No, the USB-C port is only for charging the JBL Charge 5. Additionally, the USB-A port in the back is a service port so that you can charge your phone from it, but you won’t be able to play music off your phone to the speaker through the port.
Yes, you can use the speaker while it’s charging.
No, the JBL Charge 5 plays audio in mono. You can pair two Charge 5 speakers together for stereo sound.
Yes, you can adjust the bass frequencies on the JBL Charge 5 using the JBL Portable app for Android or iOS.
No. The JBL Charge 5 does not have a microphone.
Glad you asked, you can read our Charge 5 vs. Pulse 5 comparison article here: JBL Charge 5 vs. JBL Pulse 5