JBL Charge 4
If you want to futureproof yourself and get the new JBL Connect+, then this is the way to go for sure. Otherwise, there isn't much difference between this and the Charge 3 before it (though USB-C charging is definitely nice).
If you’re in the market for a Bluetooth speaker, one brand tends to come up more often than others. JBL has options at basically every price point, but for the price, its best speakers have always been the Charge series. The JBL Charge 4 speaker is a few years old now but you can still find it in various retailers. How well has it held up since the initial release?
The JBL Charge 4 is a portable Bluetooth speaker that comes in many colors. It has a balanced mid-range that can accurately reproduce vocals and lead instruments, though they may sound slightly dull due to its underemphasized treble range. It's also rated IPX7 for water resistance, meaning it's certified to be immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. Like many smaller speakers, it struggles to produce low-bass, which might disappoint fans of bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop. Also, unlike the JBL Charge 5, it doesn't have an EQ, so you can't tweak its sound profile to your liking.
JBL Charge 4 review
A fun and bubbly Bluetooth speaker with a serious sound Tested at £140 / $150
JBL has had a spring clean of its audio range – and that’s good news for those who really value sound quality. It cleaned up the sound of its big Bluetooth speaker with the excellent JBL Xtreme 2, and has now done the same for the Charge range.
Looking at the JBL Charge 4, you wouldn’t be able to guess it, but this is one of the sweetest-sounding sub-£200 Bluetooth speakers around.
JBL knows how to deliver the goods when it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers. The previous iteration of the Charge was a hit, and the JBL Charge 4 ($179.95) is not dropping the baton. With a waterproof design, the speaker outputs huge sound for its size, and it's small enough to be thrown in a tote. The bass depth here is also impressive, thanks mostly to dual passive radiators that add richness and thump. The only two bummers are the lack of a speakerphone function and that the speaker is mono (this is forgivable, though, since the size would prevent true stereo separation anyway). The JBL Charge 4, like its predecessor, wins our Editors' Choice award.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The JBL Charge 4 is an excellent option for those who want a waterproof, powerful-sounding portable Bluetooth speaker in a moderately sized frame.
The JBL Charge 4 comes in twelve different color variants. These include 'Black', 'Black Camo', 'Blue', 'Camouflage', 'Grey', 'Green', 'Pink', 'Red', 'Sand', 'Teal', 'White', and 'Yellow'. We tested the 'Blue' variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect all the variants listed to perform similarly in tests.
If you want to futureproof yourself and get the new JBL Connect+, then this is the way to go for sure. Otherwise, there isn't much difference between this and the Charge 3 before it (though USB-C charging is definitely nice).
If you’re in the market for a Bluetooth speaker, one brand tends to come up more often than others. JBL has options at basically every price point, but for the price, its best speakers have always been the Charge series. The JBL Charge 4 speaker is a few years old now but you can still find it in various retailers. How well has it held up since the initial release?
The JBL Charge 4 is a portable Bluetooth speaker that comes in many colors. It has a balanced mid-range that can accurately reproduce vocals and lead instruments, though they may sound slightly dull due to its underemphasized treble range. It's also rated IPX7 for water resistance, meaning it's certified to be immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. Like many smaller speakers, it struggles to produce low-bass, which might disappoint fans of bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop. Also, unlike the JBL Charge 5, it doesn't have an EQ, so you can't tweak its sound profile to your liking.
JBL Charge 4 review
A fun and bubbly Bluetooth speaker with a serious sound Tested at £140 / $150
JBL has had a spring clean of its audio range – and that’s good news for those who really value sound quality. It cleaned up the sound of its big Bluetooth speaker with the excellent JBL Xtreme 2, and has now done the same for the Charge range.
Looking at the JBL Charge 4, you wouldn’t be able to guess it, but this is one of the sweetest-sounding sub-£200 Bluetooth speakers around.
JBL knows how to deliver the goods when it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers. The previous iteration of the Charge was a hit, and the JBL Charge 4 ($179.95) is not dropping the baton. With a waterproof design, the speaker outputs huge sound for its size, and it's small enough to be thrown in a tote. The bass depth here is also impressive, thanks mostly to dual passive radiators that add richness and thump. The only two bummers are the lack of a speakerphone function and that the speaker is mono (this is forgivable, though, since the size would prevent true stereo separation anyway). The JBL Charge 4, like its predecessor, wins our Editors' Choice award.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The JBL Charge 4 is an excellent option for those who want a waterproof, powerful-sounding portable Bluetooth speaker in a moderately sized frame.
The JBL Charge 4 comes in twelve different color variants. These include 'Black', 'Black Camo', 'Blue', 'Camouflage', 'Grey', 'Green', 'Pink', 'Red', 'Sand', 'Teal', 'White', and 'Yellow'. We tested the 'Blue' variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect all the variants listed to perform similarly in tests.
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