Missed this JBL Boombox 4 deal? It's back before summer ends

If you’ve been waiting for the right excuse to grab a big Bluetooth speaker for the rest of the summer, this might be it. Amazon has brought back its $100 discount on the Black, Navy Blue, and Squad (camo) versions of the JBL Boombox 4, dropping the price from $549.95 to $449.95. At that price, it’s only $50 more than the JBL Xtreme 5, and I’d have a hard time recommending the smaller speaker instead.

The extra $50 buys you more than just a bigger speaker. The Boombox 4 packs a larger enclosure, bigger drivers, longer battery life, and deeper bass than the Xtreme 5. At its regular price, those upgrades are harder to justify. With just a $50 gap, stepping up to JBL’s flagship portable speaker makes a lot more sense.

I’ve spent a lot of time with JBL’s portable speakers over the years, and the Boombox 4 is still one of my favorites. It’s also the speaker we usually reach for when the SoundGuys team is hanging around after work. Sure, it’s bigger than the Xtreme 5, but once it’s outside on the patio or in the backyard, that extra size really pays for itself. It gets louder, fills the space more effortlessly, and is simply more fun to listen to with a group.

If you were already planning to buy the Xtreme 5, I’d take another look at the Boombox 4 while this deal lasts. For about the price of a couple of pizzas, you’re getting JBL’s flagship portable speaker instead of its mid-size option. For me, that’s $50 well spent.