JBL Xtreme 4 vs Xtreme 3: is the new Bluetooth speaker worth upgrading to?

You can’t fault the appeal of JBL’s Xtreme line of Bluetooth speakers. The chunky, rugged design hasn’t changed much in recent years, but it still screams fun and, historically, offers the entertaining sound quality to match. We’re currently on the JBL Xtreme 4 model, which has picked up where the JBL Xtreme 3 left off, with plenty of praise and a five-star review at the hands of our expert reviewers.

But is the new model that much better than the older version? If you can get the Xtreme 3 with a tasty discount, should you go down this route while stock is still available? If you already have an Xtreme 3 sitting on a shelf, should you be thinking of upgrading to Xtreme 4? We’ll aim to answer all of those questions and more below…

JBL Xtreme 4 vs Xtreme 3: price

There isn’t a huge amount separating their original ‘tested at’ prices, although JBL has introduced a slight premium for the Xtreme 4 over the third-generation model. The new speaker costs £330 / $380 / AU$430 while the old one launched at £300 / $350 / AU$400.

It should be noted, though, that the Xtreme 3 is fast approaching its fourth birthday. It arrived at the back end of 2020, meaning there are deals to be had if you shop around. We’ve seen figures in the ballpark of £199 / $245 / AU$275 – a great price for a five-star Bluetooth speaker of this size and skill set. The only question is how long it will remain on sale following the launch of its successor...

** Winner: JBL Xtreme 3 **

JBL Xtreme 4 vs Xtreme 3: design

Put both Xtremes side-by-side and, unsurprisingly, they look very similar. JBL has largely stuck to the cylindrical shape which runs through the design of many of its Bluetooth speakers but with a few subtle tweaks thrown in.

The biggest changes are on the top and bottom of the speaker. On top, the button placement has been moved: on the Xtreme 3, they are arranged in a single strip but on the Xtreme 4 they have been brought together in a single block which sits more centrally. A dedicated backlit Auracast button has also been added to the fourth-generation model, replacing JBL’s PartyBoost button on the old model. (More on those features later...)

Flip the speaker over and you’ll see a brand-new base design. The thin rubberised strips under the Xtreme 3 have been replaced with two chunkier strips of silicone bubble feet to give the speaker a bit more grip and greater stability, to reduce the chances of it rolling over.

Look side on and you’ll see the belly of the speaker sticks out more on the new model, presumably to partly accommodate the new base and a new replaceable battery, which can be found behind a removable panel which is also on the underside of the speaker.

The eagle-eyed among you might have also spotted the new silicone bubble material is used on the rims at either end of the speaker to protect it from bumps and bruises, while the points to which the supplied shoulder strap attaches have a bit more clearance from the body of the speaker. This makes it easier to clip and unclip the strap.

Behind the grille, things are virtually identical, with both speakers using two 70mm woofers and two 20mm tweeters to provide their audio output.

** Winner: JBL Xtreme 4 **

JBL Xtreme 4 vs Xtreme 3: features

The JBL Xtreme 3 already offers 15 hours of battery life, but if you need more partying power, you’ll be pleased to know the Xtreme 4 bumps this up to 24 hours.

JBL’s new Playtime Boost feature can squeeze out an extra six hours on top of this, but during testing we found this feature unbalances the sound to the extent that it spoils sound quality.

Both speakers charge via USB-C and can charge other devices through the same socket when you haven’t got it plugged into the mains.

In addition to USB-C, the Xtreme 3 also has a USB-Type A socket on the rear and a 3.5mm auxiliary input, all of which are hidden behind a removable silicone panel. On the Xtreme 4 all you have is an exposed USB-C socket. Realistically this probably won’t be a deal-clincher, but it’s worth knowing.

The power output of the Xtreme 4 and Xtreme 3 varies depending on whether you’re powering them from the mains or via their own rechargeable batteries. They both output 100W through the mains, while 80W comes via the battery of the Xtreme 4 and just over 60W through the older speaker. During testing, we can hear an increase in scale and authority when switching from the built-in battery to the mains, although the general tone and character of the sound remain consistent.

The Xtreme 4’s AI Sound Boost feature is brand new so you won’t find this on the previous model. It claims to help the speaker maintain sound quality at loud volumes and prevent distortion and we had no issues pushing the speaker hard during testing.

Another feature the Xtreme 3 doesn't have is Auracast. As mentioned higher up this page, this is a new addition for the Xtreme 4 and replaces PartyBoost. The good news is that it allows for identical functionality (pairing compatible speakers in stereo or daisy-chaining different models) and also future-proofs the speaker should any extra Auracast-specific features roll out during its lifetime.

** Winner: JBL Xtreme 4 **

JBL Xtreme 4 vs Xtreme 3: sound quality

JBL’s sonic consistency has been spot on in recent iterations of Xtreme and the traits we’ve come to know and love are all present and correct in both the Xtreme 3 and Xtreme 4.

We’re constantly surprised by just how well the JBL manages to get the balance of excitement and refinement so right. Both speakers have no problem firing out your favourite party tunes with a sense of gusto and are also capable of capturing low-level dynamics and subtle details.

Bass is weighty and fulsome yet tightly controlled across both models, whether you're listening to EDM or hip-hop, while high frequencies are crisp, clear and insightful.

This is in part thanks to the excellent sense of space both speakers place between the different layers and around different elements of the music

We’ve tested both speakers side-by-side, and even though there isn’t a huge amount in it, we do think the Xtreme 4 manages to raise the sonic benchmark a little higher.

It does this by opening up the soundfield even more and increasing the amount of space around those elements. This allows the listener to delve into nooks and crannies, and extract a bit more detail out of the music that is being beamed to it. 

The difference isn't huge by any stretch, nor does it make the Xtreme 3 sound bad in any way. The Xtreme 4 just sounds that little bit better.

** Winner: JBL Xtreme 4 **

JBL Xtreme 4 vs Xtreme 3: verdict

The differences are undoubtedly there, but would we recommend rushing to upgrade from the Xtreme 3 to the Xtreme 4? Would they make us think twice before automatically buying the previous generation model just because it could be cheaper?  

When you consider all the subtle improvements to the design and add them to the improved sound quality you get from the Xtreme 4, the case for buying it is strong, but the Xtreme 3 is still a great speaker in its own right.

And if you can pick one up with around £50 / $50 or £100 / $100 off the asking price then we think it's worth going for the older model and pocketing the saving. Either way, you'll be getting a great Bluetooth speaker capable of delivering hours of listening fun.

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