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JBL Charge 4 · JBL — official press photograph; 324491-Charge4_Sand_Front_WW-294d21-original-1563467586.png

JBL Charge 4
Photo 1 of 66

JBL Charge 4 · JBL — official press photograph; 324491-Charge4_Sand_Front_WW-294d21-original-1563467586.png

JBL

Charge 4

Released 2018

A waterproof Bluetooth speaker with a single 30 W driver, USB-C charging and a USB power bank.

Model history · 2 models, 2016–2018
  1. 2016Charge 3Compare
  2. 2018Charge 4
Type
Portable speaker
Atmos
No
Connects by
Bluetooth
Battery
20 h
Weight
0.965 kg

What reviewers say

Reviewers praise the loud sound and sturdy waterproof build. TechRadar hears a more balanced sound than the Charge 3 and reaches the claimed battery life at moderate volume. SoundGuys finds little sonic improvement, with vocals masked by bass and shorter endurance in its test. Both flag the size; TechRadar also criticises the slow charging.

From techradar.com and soundguys.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Sound

Type
Portable speaker
Dolby Atmos
No
Drivers
One 50 × 90 mm driver and two passive radiators
Amplifiers
30 W RMS
Frequency response
60 Hz – 20 kHz; signal-to-noise ratio over 80 dB

Connections

Wi-Fi
No
Bluetooth
Yes
AirPlay
No
Voice assistants
None
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 4.2; A2DP 1.3 and AVRCP 1.6; two phones or tablets can connect and take turns
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
Multi-room
Connect+ links more than 100 compatible speakers; original Connect speakers require a compatible firmware upgrade, which the maker offers for Charge 3

Design

Battery life (maker's claim)
Up to 20 hours
Water and dust resistance
IPX7
Weight
0.965 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
Microphones
No microphone for phone calls (SoundGuys)
Size
220 × 93 × 95 mm (W × H × D), following the maker's W × D × H specification
Colours
Desert Sand, Mustard Yellow, Dusty Pink, Grey Stone, River Teal, Fiesta Red, Ocean Blue, Midnight Black, Steel White and Forest Green at launch
In the box
Charge 4, USB-C cable, quick start guide, warranty card and safety sheet; no mains adaptor listed

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Up to 20 hours of playback
  • USB-C charging and USB output for a phone
  • IPX7 water resistance and Connect+ speaker linking

Cons

  • No microphone for calls
  • Four hours to charge
  • No Wi-Fi or AirPlay

Closest rivals

Model
TypeAtmosConnects byBatteryWeightReleased
Ultimate EarsBOOM 3
Portable speakerNoBluetooth15 h0.608 kg2018
Bang & OlufsenBeosound A1 2nd Gen
Portable speakerNoBluetooth18 h0.558 kgMay 2020
JBLFlip 5
Portable speakerNoBluetooth12 h0.54 kgAug 2019

Previous model: Charge 3. Newer model: Charge 5.

Sources

  1. uk.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dw5099b451…
  2. news.jbl.com/en-GB/173333-get-the-party-started-with-jbl
  3. news.harman.com/releases/fuel-the-party-with-the-powerful-jblR-charge-4-bluetoo…
  4. news.jbl.com/en-CEU/assets/222002
  5. support.jbl.com/ca/en/howto/which-jbl-products-have-the-connect-technology-us/0…
  6. soundguys.com/jbl-charge-4-review-20927
  7. techradar.com/reviews/jbl-charge-4

Photo: JBL — official press photograph; 324491-Charge4_Sand_Front_WW-294d21-original-1563467586.png

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