Outrageous Prime Day wireless speaker deal sees five-star JBL hit its lowest-ever price

Portable speaker: JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

The standard JBL Charge 5 is easily one of our favourite portable products, consistently featuring on our list of the best Bluetooth speakers and earning its place as a modern classic of the genre. We love it and, if you're hunting for a portable pal during October Prime Day, it should definitely be on your radar.

An alternative option, however, should also be considered. The excellent Charge 5 received a rather super spin-off last year in the shape of the Charge 5 Wi-Fi, with the new twist adding a slightly larger woofer than the original and, as the name suggests, the considerable boon of wi-fi connectivity.

Those updates saw JBL charge £230 for the Charge 5 Wi-Fi, around £60 more than the launch price of the standard model. Happily, that figure has plummeted to just £158 at Amazon thanks to a generous 30 per cent discount, the lowest price we've seen thus far.

JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi Bluetooth speaker deal

JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fiwas £230£158 at Amazon (save £72)
Five stars

JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi was £230 now £158 at Amazon (save £72)
The lowest-ever price yet on this superb, five-star take on one of our favourite Bluetooth speakers. The JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi takes everything we love about the Bluetooth-only original and adds wi-fi connectivity as well as a slightly sharpened sonic profile. Want Airplay 2, Spotify Connect and Alexa Multiroom added to an all-time classic, plus over 30 per cent off? Of course you do. Five stars

We didn't think that the JBL Charge 5 could be improved all that much when we tested it a few years back, yet we're just as enamoured with the newer model as we were by the original. The Charge 5 Wi-Fi is an outstanding spin-off of a multi-Award winner, adding wi-fi-boosted features, a cleaner sound and a few aesthetic tweaks to one of our favourite – and one of the most popular – Bluetooth speakers.

The solidity, ruggedness and durability all remain (the Wi-Fi winner is IP67-rated for dust and water resistance), yet the true differences are revealed in the name. This 2023 model adds Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2 and Alexa Multiroom to the party, not to mention the bonus of JBL self-tuning which calibrates and optimises the speaker's sound given its location in a given environment. And yes, it can still charge your phone via the provided USB-A port.

Sonically, the Charge 5 Wi-Fi is just a little more refined than its classic counterpart, and while it isn't night and day, that slightly larger woofer gives a little more forthrightness and spark to proceedings than when played via standard Bluetooth. Hook up to the speaker via wi-fi and you'll receive more clarity and cleanliness from your tunes, as though they've all been polished and buffed for that extra sonic sparkle. 

While we await the arrival of a sequel to the 'standard' Charge (the next-gen JBL Charge 6 is surely coming next year), the Wi-Fi update is sure to stand the test of time as a premium variant. Check it out at Amazon if you're keen on a bargain.

MORE:

Check out our JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi review

These are the best Bluetooth speakers around

JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi: which five-star JBL speaker should you buy?

I've covered 11 Prime Day sales – these are the 4 deals I'd genuinely buy myself

Harry McKerrell
Senior staff writer

Harry McKerrell is a senior staff writer at What Hi-Fi?. During his time at the publication, he has written countless news stories alongside features, advice and reviews of products ranging from floorstanding speakers and music streamers to over-ear headphones, wireless earbuds and portable DACs. He has covered launches from hi-fi and consumer tech brands, and major industry events including IFA, High End Munich and, of course, the Bristol Hi-Fi Show. When not at work he can be found playing hockey, practising the piano or trying to pet strangers' dogs.