[Review] The Charge 4 Bluetooth & Wireless Speaker by JBL

Whether you’re looking to jam in your camp spot, house, or on the road, the JBL Charge 4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker is a speaker worth investing in. The Charge 4 has many amazing features but most importantly, it puts out an incredible sound. There are endless uses for the Charge 4 and because of its rugged build, increased durability, and IPX7 waterproof rating, it won’t be damaged in even the harshest of environments. Most recently we had the Charge 4 with us as we lived on the beach for 5 weeks in Mexico and to say there was sand caked in everything would be an understatement. The Charge 4 took the challenge head-on and after brushing it off, still looks and sounds like a brand new speaker.

Something we’ve found to be consistent with any JBL product we’ve used is that the sound quality is always the most impressive feature, as it should be. It’s no different for the Charge 4 and my friends and family are usually baffled when they realize such a sound coming out of a small portable speaker. The Charge 4 is 8.66 in x 3.74 in x 3.66 in and weighs just 2.12 pounds. It’s probably a little big and heavy to throw in your pack for a backpacking trip (check out the Clip 3) but for van trips, picnics, or anything of the sort it’s really the perfect size.

The Charge 4 features “a proprietary developed driver and two JBL bass radiators that intensify sound with strong deep bass” (jbl.com). It’s hard to give you an example of the quality of the sound but it’s important to do what your mom tells you not to and trust some random guy’s opinion on the internet. You will not regret this purchase!

The Charge 4 housing is made with rubber and durable fabric materials to ensure it is long-lasting. As you can see in the video, you can literally dump sand on the speaker and just brush it off. It won’t get into any cavities and impact the speaker in any way. The IPX7 waterproof rating is also helpful in that you don’t have to worry about your Charge 4 if you’re in a wet environment. Technically with IPX7, your device could be accidentally submerged in water as deep as a meter (3.3 ft) for 30 minutes. I personally wouldn’t submerge my Charge 4 on purpose but it is nice to have the peace of mind with a more expensive piece of gear.

Appropriate to the name, the Charge 4 houses a 7500mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery which provides up to 20 hours of playtime. You can also charge your device off of the Charge 4 with a USB cord. We usually have the problem of our device dying before our speaker does so the option to charge off of the battery is incredible.

Lastly, the Charge 4 includes JBL’s Connect+ feature. You can wirelessly link up to 100 speakers that have Connect+ to the same device/sound. We haven’t been lucky enough to try this but it would create an ideal surround sound system.

If you’re looking for the ultimate portable and Bluetooth speaker, we would highly recommend the JBL Charge 4. It not only sounds amazing but it is durable, rugged, and can withstand any environment you throw it in. If you’re interested in purchasing the Charge 4, doing so using our provided link supports us in that we get a small kickback from your Amazon purchase. We appreciate the support.

We received the Charge 4 for free in exchange for a review however, it’s important to know that all thoughts are our own.