JBL Go 5 vs Sonos Sonos Play
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| JBLGo 5 | SonosSonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | April 2026 | March 2026 |
| Sound | ||
| Type | Portable speaker | Portable speaker |
| Channels | – | Stereo |
| Dolby Atmos | No | No |
| Drivers | 45 mm full-range driver | Two angled tweeters and one mid-woofer |
| Amplifiers | 4.8 W RMS | Three class-H digital amplifiers |
| Frequency response | 87 Hz – 20 kHz (-6 dB); signal-to-noise ratio over 85 dB | – |
| Audio formats | SBC, AAC and LC3 over Bluetooth; lossless USB-C audio with compatible content and source | – |
| Room tuning | 7-band EQ and presets in the JBL Portable app | Automatic Trueplay; bass, treble and loudness adjustable in the Sonos app |
| Connections | ||
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| AirPlay | No | Yes |
| Voice assistants | None | Alexa |
| Wi-Fi | – | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax), 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 6.0; A2DP 1.4 and AVRCP 1.6 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Ports | USB-C for charging and lossless audio playback | USB-C (charges a phone; line-in with the Sonos Line-In Adapter or Ethernet with the Sonos Combo Adapter, sold separately) |
| Streaming | – | Apple AirPlay 2; Spotify Connect; direct control from apps such as Spotify and TIDAL |
| Multi-room | AirTouch pairs two Go 5 speakers by touching them together for left/right stereo; Auracast links compatible JBL speakers | Groups with other Sonos products over Wi-Fi; two can be rear surrounds for a Sonos soundbar; groups with up to three more Sonos Play or Move 2 speakers over Bluetooth |
| App | JBL Portable app for EQ, lighting themes and firmware updates | Sonos app (iOS and Android) |
| Design | ||
| Battery life (maker's claim) | Up to 8 hours | Up to 24 hours |
| Water and dust resistance | IP68 | IP67 |
| Weight | 0.23 kg (better) | 1.3 kg |
| Battery life detail | Up to 8 hours normally, or 10 with Playtime Boost; dependent on volume, content and lighting. 3.85 Wh lithium-ion battery (3.85 V, 1000 mAh); 3-hour charge at 5 V / 1 A | 4,800 mAh lithium-ion battery, replaceable; charging base included, power adapter (USB-C PD, 18 W or more) sold separately |
| Controls | Physical playback, volume, power, Bluetooth and Auracast buttons; ambient edge lighting with selectable themes and status indications | Buttons for play, pause, skip, replay, volume, voice mute and grouping; Bluetooth button; microphone switch |
| Microphones | – | Far-field microphone array with beamforming and multichannel echo cancellation; switch cuts power to the microphones |
| Mounting | Built-in carry loop | – |
| Size | 101 × 77.4 × 43 mm (W × H × D) | 192.3 × 112.5 × 76.7 mm (H × W × D) |
| Colours | Black, White, Purple, Blue, Pink, Red and Squad on the UK product page; additional colours vary by market | Black, White, Sand |
| In the box | Go 5, quick start guide, warranty card and safety sheet; USB cable not included | Sonos Play, charging base (2 m cable), documentation |
