JBL launched a bunch of products at CES this year, but few looked to be as promising as the Charge 5. Part rugged Bluetooth speaker, part power bank, the newest entry in the Charge series has much to offer, but it’s a lot more spendy than your average Bluetooth speaker.
Battery life Easily lasts two weeks with daily use., Design and materials Looks and feels like a football, in the best way possible., Sound From music to podcasts, it's a fantastic listening experience., Portability It's hefty but not too large to be thrown into a backpack for a day trip.
No wired input The Charge 5 loses its 3.5mm jack from the last-gen model., PartyBoost JBL's third revision of its stereo sync feature means the Charge 4 and Charge 5 speakers are incompatible., Connection issues Some cutouts that required restarting the speaker to fix.