Amazon has slashed the price of JBL's five-star rated Charge 5 Wi-Fi speaker to its lowest recorded ever price – now available for just £148.79 (a £30.21 saving from its regular £179 price).
But don’t let the price alone sway your decision, as the Charge 5 Wi-Fi is a fantastic bit of kit in its own right, and is up there with some of the best Bluetooth speakers around.
Building on the foundation of the standard Bluetooth-only Charge 5, the addition of Wi-Fi brings support for AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Chromecast functionality – all welcome enhancements that open up all manner of music streaming possibilities.
In our JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi review, our testing revealed a confident, well-organised sound that’s even better over Wi-Fi compared to Bluetooth. We also clocked a more refined sound with welcome flourishes of dynamic musicality, making the Charge 5 Wi-Fi the better option for those looking to squeeze as much sound quality out as possible, compared to its Bluetooth-only sibling.
The speaker retains JBL's signature rugged construction with its IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating, letting it shrug off any mishaps life may happen to throw its way. Battery life stands at approximately 20 hours of playback (though charging time increases to six hours from the standard model's four), and it also retains the practical ability to charge your phone via its USB-A port – particularly useful during extended outdoor excursions/woodland raves.
Other technical upgrades over the standard Charge 5 include Bluetooth 5.3 (versus 5.1), and a slightly larger sub, delivering subtle but appreciable sonic improvements. It also uses the improved JBL One App rather than the JBL Portable app used by the standard model.
While the lack of JBL's PartyBoost feature for linking with other JBL speakers remains a curious omission compared to the standard model, the comprehensive connectivity options and excellent sound quality more than make up for it, especially at this temptingly low price.
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Read our full JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi review
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