JBL Charge 4 vs Sonos Move
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| JBLCharge 4 | SonosMove | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | 2018 | September 2019 |
| Sound | ||
| Type | Portable speaker | Portable speaker |
| Dolby Atmos | No | No |
| Drivers | One 50 × 90 mm driver and two passive radiators | One downward-firing tweeter and one mid-woofer |
| Amplifiers | 30 W RMS | Two Class-D digital amplifiers |
| Room tuning | – | Automatic Trueplay uses the speaker's microphones to adjust sound to its surroundings; microphones must be enabled |
| Frequency response | 60 Hz – 20 kHz; signal-to-noise ratio over 80 dB | – |
| Connections | ||
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| AirPlay | No | Yes |
| Voice assistants | None | Alexa, Google Assistant and Sonos Voice Control |
| Wi-Fi | – | 802.11a/b/g/n on 2.4 or 5 GHz; initial setup requires Wi-Fi internet access |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.2; A2DP 1.3 and AVRCP 1.6; two phones or tablets can connect and take turns | Audio playback with SBC and AAC; maker fact sheet specifies Bluetooth 4.2, while its current refurbished UK listing gives 4.1; TechRadar's table and text also disagree |
| Ports | USB-C charging, USB-A power-bank output (5 V / 2 A maximum) and 3.5 mm audio input; port types confirmed by SoundGuys and TechRadar | USB-C charging; charging-base contacts; no analogue audio input |
| Streaming | – | Sonos app music services and local-network content over Wi-Fi; AirPlay 2; Bluetooth playback away from Wi-Fi |
| Multi-room | Connect+ links more than 100 compatible speakers; original Connect speakers require a compatible firmware upgrade, which the maker offers for Charge 3 | Sonos multi-room playback and stereo pairing with a second Move over Wi-Fi; cannot serve as rear cinema speakers (TechRadar and What Hi-Fi) |
| App | – | Sonos app; maker guide lists support for Sonos S1 and S2 |
| Design | ||
| Battery life (maker's claim) | Up to 20 hours | Up to 11 hours |
| Water and dust resistance | IPX7 | IP56 |
| Weight | 0.965 kg (better) | 3 kg |
| Battery life detail | Up to 20 hours depending on volume and content; 27 Wh (3.6 V, 7,500 mAh) lithium-ion polymer battery; 4 hours to charge at 5 V / 2.3 A | Updated maker fact sheet and UK listing claim up to 11 hours; original launch sheet and retained guide claim 10 hours. What Hi-Fi reports the extra hour came through a software update. UK listing specifies 36 Wh; battery pack can be replaced |
| Controls | – | Capacitive volume and playback controls; microphone on/off; rear power, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth mode and join buttons |
| Microphones | No microphone for phone calls (SoundGuys) | Four far-field microphones; microphone status indicator is wired to the voice microphones |
| Size | 220 × 93 × 95 mm (W × H × D), following the maker's W × D × H specification | Maker fact sheet and guide specify 240 mm high, 160 mm wide and 126 mm deep; current UK refurbished listing instead labels the width 125 mm and depth 160 mm |
| Colours | Desert Sand, Mustard Yellow, Dusty Pink, Grey Stone, River Teal, Fiesta Red, Ocean Blue, Midnight Black, Steel White and Forest Green at launch | Shadow Black, Lunar White |
| In the box | Charge 4, USB-C cable, quick start guide, warranty card and safety sheet; no mains adaptor listed | Sonos Move, charging base, quick-start documentation |
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